Depression is a common psychiatric disorder characterized by persistent low mood or mental disorders. Current treatments primarily focus on regulating neurotransmitter levels， but their effectiveness is limited. The mechanisms underlying its onset are complex， and there is no unified consensus. Abnormal signaling pathway transmission plays a crucial role in the development of depression， involving multiple pathways， including Toll-like receptor 4/nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor protein 3 （TLR4/NLRP3）， nuclear factor-κB （NF-κB）， Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription （JAK/STAT）， mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase （MAPK/ERK）， brain-derived neurotrophic factor/tyrosine kinase receptor B （BDNF/TrkB）， cyclic AMP/protein kinase A/cAMP response element-binding protein （cAMP/PKA/CREB）， and others. Traditional Chinese medicine（TCM） is based on a holistic approach and the principle of treatment based on the differentiation of syndromes， regulating the balance of multiple systems and organ functions from a macroscopic perspective. This approach has shown unique advantages in the treatment of depression. TCM attributes the onset of depression to dysfunction of the organ systems， involving liver Qi stagnation， heart spirit deficiency， kidney essence depletion， and spleen dysfunction. TCM compound treatments focus on soothing the liver， strengthening the spleen， calming the heart， and replenishing essence， with formulas such as Xiaoyaosan， Zishui Qinggan Yin， and Chahu Jia Guizhi Longgu Muli Tang. The active components of Chinese herbs mainly aim to tonify and regulate Qi， such as salidroside， ginsenoside Rb₁， astragaloside， and muscone. External TCM treatments， primarily acupuncture， aim to open the orifices and invigorate the spirit. Acupoints such as Baihui， Shenting， and Yintang are commonly used. Additionally， massage and moxibustion therapy can intervene in depression by regulating signaling pathways. This article reviews the core role of signaling pathways in the development of depression and the mechanism of TCM regulation of signaling pathways to intervene in depression， aiming to discover new therapeutic approaches that can improve the symptoms of depressed patients.

Objective To explore the efficacy and safety of combined Xuezhikang Capsule with low-dose statin for patients with atherosclerotic plaques in carotid arteries.Methods A total of 240 inpatients and outpatients with carotid atherosclerosis admitted in Qingtian County Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from May 2022 to March 2023 were recruited,and randomly divided into a control group and an observation group,with 120 patients in each group.The control group was given oral administration of atorvastatin,while the observation group was given same dose of atorvastatin in combination with Xuezhikang Capsule.The clinical efficacy,blood lipids before and after treatment,and safety were compared between the two groups.Results The LDL-C levels at 8 and 24 weeks after treatment were significantly lower in the observation group than the control group(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).The change in LDL-C level in the observation group was obviously higher than that of the control group after treatment(P＜0.05).The alanine transaminase level was notably lower in the observation group than the control group after 24 weeks of treatment(26.74±7.66 U/L vs 31.53±10.18 U/L,P＜0.01).There was no statistical difference in the inci-dence of adverse reactions between the two groups(P＞0.05).Conclusion In the treatment of pa-tients with carotid atherosclerosis,Xuezhikang Capsule combined with low dose of statin can re-duce blood lipid with high safety.

With the rapid development of generative artificial intelligence(GAI)technologies,their widespread application in academic research and writing is continuously expanding the boundaries of sci-entific inquiry.However,this trend has also raised a series of ethical and regulatory challenges,inclu-ding issues related to authorship,content authenticity,citation accuracy,and accountability.In light of the growing involvement of AI in generating academic content,establishing an open,controllable,and trustworthy ethical governance framework has become a key task for safeguarding research integrity and maintaining trust within the academic community.This expert consensus outlines ethical requirements across key stages of AI-assisted academic writing-including topic selection,data management,citation practices,and authorship attribution.It aims to clarify the boundaries and ethical obligations surrounding AI use in academic writing,ensuring that technological tools enhance efficiency without compromising in-tegrity.The goal is to provide guidance and institutional support for building a responsible and sustainable research ecosystem.

Ischemic stroke is the leading cause of death and disability among adults worldwide. T lymphocytes can be divided into αβT cells and γδT cells. Among them, αβT cells can be further divided into subgroups such as CD4? T cells, CD8? T cells, and natural killer (NK) cells. In CD4? T cells, T helper cells (Th) 1 and Th17 secrete pro-inflammatory cytokines, which can exacerbate ischemic brain injury; Th2 secretes anti-inflammatory factors, which can improve neurological function. Regulatory T cells (Tregs) exert neuroprotective effects through various mechanisms. CD8? T cells exacerbate ischemic brain injury by secreting cytokines and releasing granzyme, while NK cells can cause neuronal damage and blood-brain barrier damage by secreting interferon-γ. In addition, interleukin-17 secreted by γδT cells also plays a significant pro-inflammatory role in the pathological process of stroke. Therefore, a deeper understanding of the role of T lymphocytes can provide new ideas for the treatment of ischemic stroke.

Purpose: Colorectal cancer (CRC) often spreads to the liver, necessitating surgical treatment for CRC liver metastasis (CRLM). Iron-deficiency anemia is common in CRC patients and is associated with fatigue and weakness. This study investigated the effects of iron-deficiency anemia on the outcomes of surgical resection of CRLM. Methods: This population-based, retrospective study evaluated data from adults ≥20 years old with CRLM who underwent hepatic resection. All patient data were extracted from the 2005–2018 US National (Nationwide) Inpatient Sample (NIS) database. The outcome measures were in-hospital outcomes including 30-day mortality, unfavorable discharge, and prolonged length of hospital stay (LOS), and short-term complications such as bleeding and infection. Associations between iron-deficiency anemia and outcomes were determined using logistic regression analysis. Results: Data from 7,749 patients (representing 37,923 persons in the United States after weighting) were analyzed. Multivariable analysis revealed that iron-deficiency anemia was significantly associated with an increased risk of prolonged LOS (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.76; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.30–3.30), unfavorable discharge (aOR, 2.42; 95% CI, 1.83–3.19), bleeding (aOR, 5.05; 95% CI, 2.92–8.74), sepsis (aOR, 1.60; 95% CI, 1.04–2.46), pneumonia (aOR, 2.54; 95% CI, 1.72–3.74), and acute kidney injury (aOR, 1.71; 95% CI, 1.24–2.35). Subgroup analyses revealed consistent associations between iron-deficiency anemia and prolonged LOS across age, sex, and obesity status categories. Conclusion In patients undergoing hepatic resection for CRLM, iron-deficiency anemia is an independent risk factor for prolonged LOS, unfavorable discharge, and several critical postoperative complications. These findings underscore the need for proactive anemia management to optimize surgical outcomes.

Purpose: Colorectal cancer (CRC) often spreads to the liver, necessitating surgical treatment for CRC liver metastasis (CRLM). Iron-deficiency anemia is common in CRC patients and is associated with fatigue and weakness. This study investigated the effects of iron-deficiency anemia on the outcomes of surgical resection of CRLM. Methods: This population-based, retrospective study evaluated data from adults ≥20 years old with CRLM who underwent hepatic resection. All patient data were extracted from the 2005–2018 US National (Nationwide) Inpatient Sample (NIS) database. The outcome measures were in-hospital outcomes including 30-day mortality, unfavorable discharge, and prolonged length of hospital stay (LOS), and short-term complications such as bleeding and infection. Associations between iron-deficiency anemia and outcomes were determined using logistic regression analysis. Results: Data from 7,749 patients (representing 37,923 persons in the United States after weighting) were analyzed. Multivariable analysis revealed that iron-deficiency anemia was significantly associated with an increased risk of prolonged LOS (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.76; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.30–3.30), unfavorable discharge (aOR, 2.42; 95% CI, 1.83–3.19), bleeding (aOR, 5.05; 95% CI, 2.92–8.74), sepsis (aOR, 1.60; 95% CI, 1.04–2.46), pneumonia (aOR, 2.54; 95% CI, 1.72–3.74), and acute kidney injury (aOR, 1.71; 95% CI, 1.24–2.35). Subgroup analyses revealed consistent associations between iron-deficiency anemia and prolonged LOS across age, sex, and obesity status categories. Conclusion In patients undergoing hepatic resection for CRLM, iron-deficiency anemia is an independent risk factor for prolonged LOS, unfavorable discharge, and several critical postoperative complications. These findings underscore the need for proactive anemia management to optimize surgical outcomes.

Purpose: Colorectal cancer (CRC) often spreads to the liver, necessitating surgical treatment for CRC liver metastasis (CRLM). Iron-deficiency anemia is common in CRC patients and is associated with fatigue and weakness. This study investigated the effects of iron-deficiency anemia on the outcomes of surgical resection of CRLM. Methods: This population-based, retrospective study evaluated data from adults ≥20 years old with CRLM who underwent hepatic resection. All patient data were extracted from the 2005–2018 US National (Nationwide) Inpatient Sample (NIS) database. The outcome measures were in-hospital outcomes including 30-day mortality, unfavorable discharge, and prolonged length of hospital stay (LOS), and short-term complications such as bleeding and infection. Associations between iron-deficiency anemia and outcomes were determined using logistic regression analysis. Results: Data from 7,749 patients (representing 37,923 persons in the United States after weighting) were analyzed. Multivariable analysis revealed that iron-deficiency anemia was significantly associated with an increased risk of prolonged LOS (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.76; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.30–3.30), unfavorable discharge (aOR, 2.42; 95% CI, 1.83–3.19), bleeding (aOR, 5.05; 95% CI, 2.92–8.74), sepsis (aOR, 1.60; 95% CI, 1.04–2.46), pneumonia (aOR, 2.54; 95% CI, 1.72–3.74), and acute kidney injury (aOR, 1.71; 95% CI, 1.24–2.35). Subgroup analyses revealed consistent associations between iron-deficiency anemia and prolonged LOS across age, sex, and obesity status categories. Conclusion In patients undergoing hepatic resection for CRLM, iron-deficiency anemia is an independent risk factor for prolonged LOS, unfavorable discharge, and several critical postoperative complications. These findings underscore the need for proactive anemia management to optimize surgical outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the neuroprotective effects of Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction (XFZYD) based on in vivo and metabolomics experiments. METHODS: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) was induced via a controlled cortical impact (CCI) method. Thirty rats were randomly divided into 3 groups (10 for each): sham, CCI and XFZYD groups (9 g/kg). The administration was performed by intragastric administration for 3 days. Neurological functions tests, histology staining, coagulation and haemorheology assays, and Western blot were examined. Untargeted metabolomics was employed to identify metabolites. The key metabolite was validated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and immunofluorescence. RESULTS: XFZYD significantly alleviated neurological dysfunction in CCI model rats (P<0.01) but had no impact on coagulation function. As evidenced by Evans blue and IgG staining, XFZYD effectively prevented blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption (P<0.05, P<0.01). Moreover, XFZYD not only increased the expression of collagen IV, occludin and zona occludens 1 but also decreased matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), which protected BBB integrity (all P<0.05). Nine potential metabolites were identified, and all of them were reversed by XFZYD. Adenosine was the most significantly altered metabolite related to BBB repair. XFZYD significantly reduced the level of equilibrative nucleoside transporter 2 (ENT2) and increased adenosine (P<0.01), which may improve BBB integrity. CONCLUSIONS XFZYD ameliorates BBB disruption after TBI by decreasing the levels of MMP-9 and COX-2. Through further exploration via metabolomics, we found that XFZYD may exert a protective effect on BBB by regulating adenosine metabolism via ENT2.
Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Blood-Brain Barrier/metabolism* ; Brain Injuries, Traumatic/metabolism* ; Adenosine/metabolism* ; Male ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rats

Oligodendrocyte lineage cells, including oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) and oligodendrocytes (OLs), are essential in establishing and maintaining brain circuits. Autophagy is a conserved process that keeps the quality of organelles and proteostasis. The role of autophagy in oligodendrocyte lineage cells remains unclear. The present study shows that autophagy is required to maintain the number of OPCs/OLs and myelin integrity during brain aging. Inactivation of autophagy in oligodendrocyte lineage cells increases the number of OPCs/OLs in the developing brain while exaggerating the loss of OPCs/OLs with brain aging. Inactivation of autophagy in oligodendrocyte lineage cells impairs the turnover of myelin basic protein (MBP). It causes MBP to accumulate in the cytoplasm as multimeric aggregates and fails to be incorporated into integral myelin, which is associated with attenuated endocytic recycling. Inactivation of autophagy in oligodendrocyte lineage cells impairs myelin integrity and causes demyelination. Thus, this study shows autophagy is required to maintain myelin quality during aging by controlling the turnover of myelin components.
Animals ; Autophagy/physiology* ; Oligodendroglia/metabolism* ; Myelin Sheath/physiology* ; Aging/pathology* ; Myelin Basic Protein/metabolism* ; Cell Lineage/physiology* ; Mice ; Oligodendrocyte Precursor Cells ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Brain/cytology* ; Cells, Cultured ; Cell Count