This paper explores the traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） pathomechanism， as well as pattern differentiation and treatments for sundowning syndrome in Alzheimer's disease through midnight-noon and ebb-flow theory. The syndrome's onset aligns with three critical time periods governed by three specific channels， including the bladder channel （3：00—5：00 pm， Shen period）， the kidney channel （5：00—7：00 pm， You period）， and the pericardium channel （7：00—9：00 pm， Xu period）. It is believed that when the symptoms occurred at the bladder channel （Shen period）， the pathomechanism manifested as yang qi floating upward and internal heat-blood stasis， and the treatment should supplement the kidney and essence， expelling stasis and discharging heat， as well as returning fire to its origin， using modified Taohe Chengqi Decoction （桃核承气汤） combined with Erzhi Pill （二至丸）. When the symptoms occurred at the kidney channel （You period）， the pathomechanism characterized by marrow sea deficiency and yin failing to anchor yang， so treatment follows the principles of supplementing the kidney and filling essence， as well as calming the mind and subduing yang， using modified Liuwei Dihuang Pill （六味地黄丸） combined with Erzhi Pill （二至丸）. When the symptoms occurred at the pericardium channel （Xu period）， the pathomechanism characterized as phlegm-turbidity clouding the mind and obstructing the brain， then the intervention need clear heat and dissolve phlegm， as well as open the orifices and calm the mind， using modified Wendan Decoction （温胆汤）. Additionally， comprehensive therapy combining oral administration of TCM decoctions with acupuncture， pressure pills on ear points， and point application therapy， which provides clinical insights for the treatment of this disease.

Objective:To evaluate the potential causal relationship between tinnitus and the risk of Alzheimer's disease(AD)onset using the two-sample Mendelian randomization(MR)method and to clarify its mechanism of action,so as to provide new ideas for early warning of AD.Methods:Genome-wide association study(GWAS)database was used to search the keywords"tinnitus"and"Alzheimer"to obtain the related datasets of exposure factor tinnitus and outcome AD;the tinnitus datasets included ukb-d-4803_11,ukb-d-4803_12,ukb-d-4803_13,ukb-b-14254 and ukb-a-384;the AD datasets included ieu-b-5067,ieu-b-2,ieu-a-297,ebi-a-GCST90027158 and ebi-a-GCST002245.The single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs)closely and independently associated with tinnitus were screened as instrumental variables(IVs),and the SNPs associated with AD were used as outcomes.Inverse variance weighted(IVW)method was used to conduct MR analysis to evaluate its odds ratio(OR)value,95%confidence interval(CI)and P value;P<0.05 indicated significant causal relationship.Sensitivity detection used Cochran's Q test to detect the heterogeneity of IVs to evaluate its Q value,df value and P value;when IVW method P>0.05,it indicated no significant heterogeneity;MR-Egger intercept was used to detect horizontal pleiotropy;when the intercept was 0 or close to 0 and P>0.05,it indicated no significant horizontal pleiotropy;meanwhile,leave-one-out method was used for sensitivity analysis.Finally,visualization results were performed using forest plot,scatter plot,funnel plot and leave-one-out plot.Results:A total of 286 SNPs were screened as IVs.All instrumental variables satisfied F>10,suggesting no weak instrumental variable;after screening by PhenoScanner web tool,all SNPs were unrelated to confounding factors.When the tinnitus and AD datasets were ukb-d-4803 and ebi-a-GCST90027158 respectively,there was a significant positive correlation between tinnitus and the risk of AD onset(IVW:OR=1.842,95%CI:1.065-3.188,P=0.029);Cochran's Q test suggested no significant heterogeneity of IVs(Q=9.788,df=10.000,P=0.459);MR-Egger intercept indicated no horizontal pleiotropy(Egger intercept=-0.006,P=0.147);leave-one-out method showed stable results,and no SNP with significant influence on the results was detected.Conclusion:There is a positive causal relationship between tinnitus and the risk of AD onset.Neuroinflammation accompanied by persistent microglial activation to varying degrees may be the common pathogenesis of tinnitus and AD;in addition,depression may also act as an upstream factor to hyperactivate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal(HPA)axis,leading to the progression of relationship between tinnitus and AD.

Objective To develop an ultra high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry(UPLC-MS)method for quantifying serum levels of norepinephrine(NE)and 5-hydroxytryptamine(5-HT),and to monitor the dynamic changes in these neurotransmitters during the process of establishing a model of acute reserpine-induced depression-like mice.Methods By evaluating matrix effect,recovery,precision,and accuracy efficiency,an UPLC-MS method for determining the concentrations of NE and 5-HT in serum was established.Forty-eight C57 mice were randomly divided into normal control and model groups,which were intraperitoneally injected with physiological saline(10 mL/kg)and reserpine(2.5 mg/kg),respectively.At various time points after intraperitoneal injection,the degree of ptosis and decreases in body temperature of the mice were observed before orbital blood was sample for the determination of NE and 5-HT levels.Results The concentrations of NE and 5-HT showed good linearity within the range of 15.63 to 2000.00 ng/mL,with R2 values greater than 0.999.The results of methodological validation met the requirements for the analysis of biological samples,with a lower limit of quantification of 15.63 ng/mg.After intraperitoneal injection of reserpine,the model mice exhibited varying body temperature decreases and ptosis.At 1 and 2 h post-administration,the depression-like symptoms in the model group were significantly different from those of the normal control group(P＜0.01).The body temperature of mice in the model group was significantly lower than that of mice in the normal control group(P＜0.01),while the score of the eyelid ptosis was significantly higher(P＜0.001).The levels of NE and 5-HT in the serum of model mice were also significantly depleted,and were significantly different from those of the normal control group at 0.5,1 and 2 h(P＜0.05).Conclusion The study process of established a rapid and accurate method for dynamically observing the changes in NE and 5-HT levels during the process of establishing a model of acute reserpine-induced depression-like mice,which might contribute to the study of the pathogenesis of depression and the development of new antidepressant drugs.

Objective:To analyze the distribution pattern of TCM syndrome elements in elderly patients with sepsis and septic shock, as well as the relationship between TCM syndrome elements, Sepsis Sequential Organ Failure Score (SOFA), Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Score Ⅱ (APACHE Ⅱ), and short-term mortality prognosis.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 58 patients treated in the Emergency Department and ICU of Dongzhimen Hospital of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine and the Third Affiliated Hospital of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine from January 1, 2021, to May 1, 2022. The patients were divided into a sepsis group of 38 cases and a septic shock group of 20 cases based on disease type. Basic information, TCM syndromes, SOFA score, and APACHE Ⅱ score of the two groups were collected. The survival and death statuses of the two groups within 28 days of admission were separately analyzed. Association rule analysis was used to investigate the distribution pattern of TCM syndromes in patients, and logistic regression analysis was performed to explore the relationship between TCM syndromes, SOFA score, APACHE Ⅱ score, and death prognosis.Results:In the sepsis group, the main TCM syndromes included yin deficiency, lung, phlegm, qi deficiency, blood stasis, heat, and yang deficiency; while in the septic shock group, the main TCM syndromes were yin deficiency, lung, yang deficiency, and qi deficiency. Multifactor logistic regression analysis showed that in the sepsis group, liver syndromes [ OR (95% CI)=0.080 (0.011, 0.578), P=0.012], meridians and collaterals [ OR (95% CI)=0.088 (0.011, 0.718), P=0.024], SOFA score [ OR (95% CI)=0.524 (0.310, 0.886), P=0.016], and APACHE Ⅱ score [ OR (95% CI)=0.426 (0.186, 0.977), P=0.044] were independent influencing factors for patient mortality prognosis. In the septic shock group, phlegm [ OR (95% CI)=0.014 (0.001, 0.267), P=0.005], meridians and collaterals [ OR (95% CI)=0.041 (0.003, 0.618), P=0.021], yang deficiency [ OR (95% CI)=0.028 (0.002, 0.427), P=0.010], SOFA score [ OR (95% CI)=0.543 (0.310, 0.950), P=0.032], and APACHE Ⅱ score [ OR (95% CI)=0.633 (0.408, 0.985), P=0.042] were independent influencing factors for patient mortality prognosis. Conclusions:The sepsis group mainly exhibits a mixture of deficiency and excess, while the septic shock group predominantly shows deficiency. Qi deficiency and yin deficiency are consistent throughout the disease progression. Meridians and collaterals, high SOFA score, and high APACHE Ⅱ score in elderly patients with sepsis and septic shock may indicate a poorer prognosis.