Alzheimer's disease （AD） is a common type of dementia， primarily characterized by cognitive and behavioral impairments as well as deficits in learning and memory. The progression of AD has imposed a significant economic burden on society and families. However， its exact pathogenesis has not yet been fully elucidated. Currently， available therapeutic drugs are limited and are often accompanied by serious adverse effects. Traditional Chinese medicines （TCMs） and their extracts are mostly natural products and possess advantages such as multi-pathway regulation and relatively few adverse reactions. Experimental studies have shown that TCMs exhibit great potential in the prevention and treatment of AD. For example， Huanglian Jieduang， Danggui Shaoyaosan， Kaixin San， Liuwei Dihuangwan， Buyang Huanwutang， as well as Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma， Astragali Radix， Uncariae Ramulus cum Uncis， Coptidis Rhizoma， Gardeniae Fructus， Ginkgo Folium， Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma， and Curcumae Longae Rhizoma， can reduce β-amyloid deposition， inhibit excessive Tau protein phosphorylation， restore mitochondrial function， alleviate oxidative stress， suppress neuroinflammation and apoptosis， repair synaptic function， and improve gut microbiota. This article mainly summarizes the effects of several TCMs and compound prescriptions on AD， aiming to provide a reference for subsequent TCM-based treatment of AD.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effect of clinical pharmacists participating in the treatment of chronic heart failure （CHF） based on the clinical pharmacy pathway （CPP）. METHODS Totally 226 CHF patients recruited from August 24th， 2024 to March 14th， 2025， were divided into an observation group and a control group based on the random number table method， with 113 cases in each group. All patients were treated with conventional therapy. The observation group was additionally given CPP management （including pharmaceutical care during hospitalization， the formulation of individualized discharge medication regimens， and pharmaceutical follow-up after discharge）. The cardiac function parameters at admission， at discharge， at 3 and 6 months after discharge， drug use at 6 months after discharge， economic indicators， as well as the readmission rate and mortality rate at 6 months after discharge were compared between the two groups. Morisky Medication Adherence Scale-8 Items （MMAS-8）， Somatic Self-rating Scale （SSS） and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 （PHQ-9） scores were compared at admission， at discharge and at 3 and 6 months after discharge. RESULTS Six months after discharge， 24 patients dropped out. Eventually， 104 patients in the observation group and 98 patients in the control group completed the study. Compared with at admission， New York Heart Association （NYHA） cardiac functional classification， left ventricular ejection fraction （LVEF） and N -terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide （NT-proBNP） of both groups of patients at discharge as well as at 3 and 6 months after discharge were significantly improved； moreover， the improvements at 3 and 6 months after discharge were significantly better than those at discharge. Meanwhile， the above indexes （except for NYHA cardiac functional classification at discharge， NT-proBNP and NYHA cardiac functional classification at 3 months after discharge） of the observation group at discharge， at 3 and 6 months after discharge were significantly better than the control group （ P ＜0.05）. The utilization rates of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor （ACEI）/angiotensin Ⅱ receptor blocker （ARB）/angiotensin receptor neprilysin inhibitor （ARNI）， the proportion of β-blockers reaching the target dose， the utilization rate of sodium-glucose linked transporter 2 inhibitor （SGLT2i）， and the proportion of SGLT2i reaching the target dose in the observation group were significantly higher than the control group （ P ＜0.05）， and the proportion of drugs and readmission rate were significantly lower than the control group （ P ＜0.05）. Compared with at admission， MMAS-8 scores of the patients in the observation group at discharge， at 3 and 6 months after discharge were significantly increased， while SSS and PHQ-9 scores were significantly lowered （ P ＜0.05）. And all the above scores gradually decreas ed with the extension of discharge time （ P ＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS Clinical pharmacists can utilize CPP to significantly improve patients’ cardiac function， medication adherence， somatic symptoms and depression. Additionally， they can significantly improve the utilization rates of ACEI/ARB/ARNI and SGLT2i， as well as the proportion of target doses of β-blockers and SGLT2i， while simultaneously reducing readmission rates.

Colorectal cancer(CRC) is a common malignant tumor worldwide. Due to the treatment intolerance and side effects, CRC rank the top among various cancers regarding the incidence and mortality rates. Therefore, exploring new therapies is of great significance for the treatment of CRC. Aerobic glycolysis(AEG) plays an important role in the microenvironment formation, proliferation, metastasis, and recurrence of CRC and other tumor cells. It has been confirmed that intervening in the AEG pathway can effectively curb CRC. The active ingredients and compound prescriptions of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) can effectively inhibit the proliferation, metastasis, and drug resistance and regulate the apoptosis of tumor cells by modulating AEG-associated transport proteins [eg, glucose transporters(GLUT)], key enzymes [hexokinase(HK) and phosphofructokinase(PFK)], key genes [hypoxia-inducible factor 1(HIF-1) and oncogene(c-Myc)], and signaling pathways(MET/PI3K/Akt/mTOR). Accordingly, they can treat CRC, reduce the recurrence, and improve the prognosis of CRC. Although AEG plays a key role in the development and progression of CRC, the specific mechanisms are not yet fully understood. Therefore, this article delves into the intrinsic connection of the targets and mechanisms of the AEG pathway with CRC from the perspective of tumor cell glycolysis and explores how active ingredients(oxymatrine, kaempferol, and dioscin) and compound prescriptions(Quxie Capsules, Jiedu Sangen Decoction, and Xianlian Jiedu Prescription) of TCM treat CRC by intervening in the AEG pathway. Additionally, this article explores the shortcomings in the current research, aiming to provide reliable targets and a theoretical basis for treating CRC with TCM.
Humans ; Colorectal Neoplasms/genetics* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Glycolysis/drug effects* ; Animals ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Signal Transduction/drug effects*

Medical institutions, with their clinical practice foundation and abundant human use experience data, have become important carriers for the inheritance and innovation of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) and the "cradles" of the preparation of new TCM. To effectively promote the transformation of new TCM originating from the TCM clinical practice in medical institutions and establish an effective evaluation index system for the transformation of new TCM conforming to the characteristics of TCM, consensus experts adopted the literature research, questionnaire survey, Delphi method, etc. By focusing on the policy and technical evaluation of new TCM originating from the TCM clinical practice in medical institutions, a comprehensive evaluation from the dimensions of drug safety, efficacy, feasibility, and characteristic advantages was conducted, thus forming a comprehensive evaluation system with four primary indicators and 37 secondary indicators. The expert consensus reached aims to encourage medical institutions at all levels to continuously improve the high-quality research and development and transformation of new TCM originating from the TCM clinical practice in medical institutions and targeted at clinical needs, so as to provide a decision-making basis for the preparation, selection, cultivation, and transformation of new TCM for medical institutions, improve the development efficiency of new TCM, and precisely respond to the public medication needs.
Medicine, Chinese Traditional/standards* ; Humans ; Consensus ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Spermatogenesis is a fundamental process that requires a tightly controlled epigenetic event in spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs). The mechanisms underlying the transition from SSCs to sperm are largely unknown. Most studies utilize gene knockout mice to explain the mechanisms. However, the production of genetically engineered mice is costly and time-consuming. In this study, we presented a convenient research strategy using an RNA interference (RNAi) and testicular transplantation approach. Histone H3 lysine 9 (H3K9) methylation was dynamically regulated during spermatogenesis. As Jumonji domain-containing protein 1A (JMJD1A) and Jumonji domain-containing protein 2C (JMJD2C) demethylases catalyze histone H3 lysine 9 dimethylation (H3K9me2), we firstly analyzed the expression profile of the two demethylases and then investigated their function. Using the convenient research strategy, we showed that normal spermatogenesis is disrupted due to the downregulated expression of both demethylases. These results suggest that this strategy might be a simple and alternative approach for analyzing spermatogenesis relative to the gene knockout mice strategy.
Spermatogenesis/physiology* ; Animals ; Male ; Mice ; Epigenesis, Genetic ; Jumonji Domain-Containing Histone Demethylases/metabolism* ; Histones/metabolism* ; RNA Interference ; Testis/metabolism* ; Methylation ; Mice, Knockout ; Histone Demethylases

Surgical methods for varicocele remain controversial. This study intends to evaluate the efficacy and safety of different surgical approaches for treating varicocele through a network meta-analysis (NMA). PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, and Web of Science databases were thoroughly searched. In total, 13 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and 24 cohort studies were included, covering 9 different surgical methods. Pairwise meta-analysis and NMA were performed by means of random-effects models, and interventions were ranked based on the surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA). According to the SUCRA, microsurgical subinguinal varicocelectomy (MSV; 91.6%), microsurgical retroperitoneal varicocelectomy (MRV; 78.2%), and microsurgical inguinal varicocelectomy (MIV; 76.7%) demonstrated the highest effectiveness in reducing postoperative recurrence rates. In this study, sclerotherapy embolization (SE; 87.2%), MSV (77.9%), and MIV (67.7%) showed the best results in lowering the risk of hydrocele occurrence. MIV (82.9%), MSV (75.9%), and coil embolization (CE; 58.7%) were notably effective in increasing sperm motility. Moreover, CE (76.7%), subinguinal approach varicocelectomy (SV; 69.2%), and SE (55.7%) were the most effective in increasing sperm count. SE (82.5%), transabdominal laparoscopic varicocelectomy (TLV; 76.5%), and MRV (52.7%) were superior in shortening the length of hospital stay. The incidence rates of adverse events for MRV (0), SE (3.3%), and MIV (4.1%) were notably low. Cluster analyses indicated that MSV was the most effective in the treatment of varicocele. Based on the existing evidence, MSV may represent the optimal choice for varicocele surgery. However, selecting clinical surgical strategies requires consideration of various factors, including patient needs, surgeon experience, and the learning curve.
Humans ; Male ; Embolization, Therapeutic/methods* ; Microsurgery/methods* ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Sclerotherapy/methods* ; Treatment Outcome ; Urologic Surgical Procedures, Male/methods* ; Varicocele/surgery*

In-depth study of the components of polymyxins is the key to controlling the quality of this class of antibiotics. Similarities and variations of components present significant analytical challenges. A two-dimensional (2D) liquid chromatography-mass spectrometr (LC-MS) method was established for screening and comprehensive profiling of compositions of the antibiotic colistimethate sodium (CMS). A high concentration of phosphate buffer mobile phase was used in the first-dimensional LC system to get the components well separated. For efficient and high-accuracy screening of CMS, a targeted method based on a self-constructed high resolution (HR) mass spectrum database of CMS components was established. The database was built based on the commercial MassHunter Personal Compound Database and Library (PCDL) software and its accuracy of the compound matching result was verified with six known components before being applied to genuine sample screening. On this basis, the unknown peaks in the CMS chromatograms were deduced and assigned. The molecular formula, group composition, and origins of a total of 99 compounds, of which the combined area percentage accounted for more than 95% of CMS components, were deduced by this 2D-LC-MS method combined with the MassHunter PCDL. This profiling method was highly efficient and could distinguish hundreds of components within 3 h, providing reliable results for quality control of this kind of complex drugs.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the association between acupuncture during controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) and the live birth rate (LBR) using different propensity score methods. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, eligible women who underwent a COH were divided into acupuncture and non-acupuncture groups. The primary outcome was LBR, as determined by propensity score matching (PSM). LBR was defined as the delivery of one or more living infants that reached a gestational age over 28 weeks after embryo transfer. The propensity score model encompassed 16 confounding variables. To validate the results, sensitivity analyses were conducted using three additional propensity score methods: propensity score adjustment, inverse probability weighting (IPW), and IPW with a "doubly robust" estimator. RESULTS: The primary cohort encompassed 9751 patients (1830 [18.76%] in the acupuncture group and 7921 [81.23%] in the non-acupuncture group). Following 1:1 PSM, a higher LBR was found in the acupuncture cohort (41.4% [755/1824] vs 36.4% [664/1824], with an odds ratio of 1.23 [95% confidence interval, 1.08-1.41]). Three additional propensity score methods produced essentially similar results. The risk of serious adverse events did not significantly differ between the two groups. CONCLUSION This retrospective study revealed an association between acupuncture and an increased LBR among patients undergoing COH, and that acupuncture is a safe and valuable treatment option. Please cite this article as: Zheng XY, Jiang ZY, Li YT, Li CL, Zhu H, Yu Z, Yu SY, Yang LL, Tang SY, Lü XY, Liang FR, Yang J. Association between acupuncture and live birth rates after fresh embryo transfer: A cohort study based on different propensity score methods. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(5):528-536.
Humans ; Female ; Propensity Score ; Embryo Transfer ; Adult ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Retrospective Studies ; Pregnancy ; Live Birth ; Birth Rate ; Cohort Studies