OBJECTIVES: To investigate the therapeutic mechanism of Sangma Zhike Formula (SMZKF) for relieving cough sensitivity and airway inflammation in rats with postinfectious cough (PIC). METHODS: Male SD rat models were established by cigarette smoke exposure with intranasal LPS instillation and capsaicin aerosol inhalation. From day 19 following the start of PIC modeling, the rats received daily treatment with saline (model group), low-, medium-, and high-dose SMZKF, and compound methoxyphenamine (ASM) via gavage for 10 consecutive days (n=8). The assessments included behavioral changes, cough sensitivity (latency and frequency), lung histopathology, inflammatory cell counts and cytokine/mediator levels in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), oxidative stress markers in the lung tissue, and expressions of proteins related with cough hypersensitivity and pyroptosis. RESULTS: The rat models of PIC exhibited reduced mental alertness, accelerated respiration, and pronounced symptoms such as coughing, sneezing, and facial scratching with significantly shortened cough latency and increased 5-min cough frequency. Histopathological analysis revealed collapsed alveolar structures, thickened alveolar septa, and extensive inflammatory cell infiltration in the bronchi and peribronchial regions, accompanied by elevated bronchial and alveolar inflammation scores of the rat models. In the BALF, inflammatory cell counts and the levels of IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6, COX-2, PGE-2, and TXA-2 were all markedly elevated, and the pulmonary oxidative stress markers (ROS and MDA) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity were also significantly increased. The pulmonary expressions of cough hypersensitivity-related proteins (TRPV1, SP, CGRP, and NK1R) and pyroptosis-associated markers (P-NF-κB, NLRP3, ACS, cleaved caspase-1, cleaved IL-1β, and GSDMD-N) were significantly upregulated in the model group. SMZKF interventions significantly ameliorated these pathological changes in the rat models, and high-dose SMZKF produced a similar therapeutic efficacy to that of ASM. CONCLUSIONS SMZKF alleviates cough sensitivity and airway inflammation in PIC rats possibly by inhibiting TRPV1-mediated SP/NK1R signaling and the NLRP3/caspase-1/GSDMD pyroptosis pathway.
Animals ; Cough/metabolism* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Pyroptosis/drug effects* ; Male ; TRPV Cation Channels/metabolism* ; Rats ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Inflammation ; Signal Transduction

Image 1.

Objective To investigate the correlation between arterial stiffness(AS)and incident chronic kidney disease(CKD)among the elderly individuals taking health checkup.Methods A retrospective study was conducted on 857 elderly individuals without CKD at baseline who taking physical exams in our medical center from December 2009 to May 2021.Their clinical and labora-tory data were collected.Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity(baPWV)was used to assess the se-verity of AS,and then the subjects were divided into normal elasticity group(201 cases),and moderate(490 cases)and severe AS group(166 cases).Kaplan-Meier curves were plotted to dis-play cumulative incidence rates of incident CKD across different AS groups.Restricted cubic splines(RCS)and Cox regression models were applied to analyze the correlation of baPWV and incident CKD risk.Results The severe AS group had significantly advanced age,greater ratio of hypertension,larger waist circumference,higher HR,SBP and DBP,increased urinary albumin/creatinine ratio(UACR),elevated levels of TG and fasting blood glucose,and baPWV than the normal elasticity group(P＜0.05).During the follow-up period,37 participants developed CKD.The incidence of CKD was obviously higher in the severe AS group than the normal arterial elas-ticity group(9.04％vs 3.48％).RCS analysis revealed a U-shaped relationship between baPWV and incident CKD risk.When baPWV ≥1 400 cm/s,each standard deviation increase in baPWV indicates the risk of incident CKD increasing by 71％(HR=1.71,95％CI:1.30-2.25,P＜0.01).Regardless of adjustment for covariates or not,baPWV remained positive correlation with inci-dent CKD risk(P＜0.05).Conclusion Among the elderly individuals undergoing health check-up,increased AS severity is significantly associated with higher risk of incident CKD when baP-WV ≥1400 cm/s.

Body weight abnormalities, including overweight, obesity, and underweight, have become a dual public health challenge in Chinese adults: overweight and obesity lead to a variety of chronic complications, while underweight increases the risks of malnutrition, sarcopenia, and organ dysfunction. To systematically address these issues, multidisciplinary experts in endocrinology, sports science, nutrition, and psychiatry from various regions have held multiple weight management seminars. Based on the latest epidemiological data and clinical evidence, they expanded the guideline to include assessment and intervention strategies for underweight, in addition to the core content of obesity management. This guideline outlines the etiological mechanisms, evaluation methods, and multidimensional management strategies for overweight and obesity, covering key areas such as diagnosis and assessment, medical nutrition therapy, exercise prescription, pharmacological intervention, and psychological support. It is intended to provide a scientific and standardized approach to weight management across the adult population, aiming to curb the rising prevalence of obesity, mitigate complications associated with abnormal body weight, and improve nutritional status and overall quality of life.

Objective To establish a finite element model of thoracolumbar kyphosis(TLK)for young patients with idiopathic Scheuermann's disease(SD),validate its effectiveness,and perform fi-nite element analysis to identify biomechanical factors contributing to low back pain caused by SD.Methods One TLK patient(26 years old)and one healthy(30 years old)subject were recruited.Spi-nal DICOM data were reconstructed three-dimensionally using Mimics software.Surface repair and fit-ting were performed in Geomagic Studio 2017,followed by modeling of intervertebral discs and end-plates in 3-matic software.Volume meshing and ligament construction were completed in Hypermesh 2017.Static simulations of the T8-S1 spinal segments for both groups were conducted in ANSYS.Af-ter validating the model using mechanical data,stress and strain distributions across vertebral bodies,intervertebral discs,and facet joint cartilage were calculated under identical constraints and loads.Re-sults 1)Significant differences were observed between the TLK patient and healthy subject in the me-chanical distribution of the T8-S1 segments of the spine.The healthy spine exhibited a peak strain of 1.62 mm,while the TLK patient showed a peak strain of 6.97 mm,330.2%higher than the former.Moreover,the peak stress in the TLK patient(10.51 MPa)exceeded the healthy subject(9.07 MPa)by 16.0%.2)Both groups demonstrated peak vertebral stress at the L5 level(9.07 MPa in the healthy individual vs.10.51 MPa in the TLK patient,15.8%higher).Stress distribution in the TLK patient was markedly uneven,with significant concentrations at the pedicles and laminae of L2,L3,and L4 vertebrae.3)Peak disc stress in the TLK patient was consistently higher,most notably at the L5/S1 segment(0.78 MPa in the TLK patient vs.0.16 MPa in the healthy subject,387.5%higher).4)Facet joint cartilage stress distribution in the TLK patient was abnormal.The healthy subject exhib-ited peak stress at L5/S1(1.53 MPa),whereas TLK patient showed peak stress at L1/L2(7.44 MPa),14.18 times higher than the former.Conclusion This study validates the finite element model of TLK deformity,confirming its utility for TLK-related research.Moreover,significant differences in stress-strain distribution and magnitude are observed between the TLK patient and healthy subject.Meanwhile,prolonged abnormal biomechanical loading,particularly localized stress concentrations in the L1-S1 vertebral bodies,discs,and facet joints,may accelerate degenerative changes and elevate the risk of low back pain.

Objective To apply bedside ultrasound for real-time monitoring of intracranial conditions in patients with severe traumatic brain injury experiencing acute encephalocele during large craniotomy， and to investigate the clinical value of intraoperative bedside ultrasound in the diagnosis and prognostic evaluation of acute encephalocele. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed for 32 adult patients with severe traumatic brain injury， and according to whether intraoperative ultrasound was performed， they were divided into ultrasound group with 17 patients and CT group with 15 patients. The two groups were compared in terms of time of operation， accuracy， mortality rate， and postoperative Glasgow Outcome Scale （GOS） score. The chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups， and the independent samples t-test was used for comparison of continuous data between groups. Results Both ultrasound and CT could provide an accurate basis for diagnosis， with no significant difference in diagnostic accuracy； however， compared with the CT group， the ultrasound group had significantly shorter time of operation and diagnostic time. Based on GOS score and grading results at 6 months after surgery， the patients undergoing ultrasound examination had a significantly better prognosis than those undergoing CT examination. Conclusion Intraoperative ultrasound for patients with severe traumatic brain injury enables rapid and accurate identification of etiology， facilitates dynamic intracranial monitoring， and shortens the time for rescue， showing an important clinical significance in improving prognosis and reducing mortality rate. Therefore， it holds promise for clinical application.

As people's attention to health continues to increase,the market demand for traditional Chinese medi-cine(TCM)is growing steadily.The quality and safety of Chinese medicinal materials have attracted unprecedent-ed social attention.In particular,the issue of exogenous harmful residue pollution in TCM has become a hot topic of concern for both regulatory authorities and society.The Chinese Pharmacopoeia 2025 Edition further refines the detection methods and limit standards for exogenous harmful residues in TCM .This not only reflects China's high-level emphasis on the quality and safety of TCM but also demonstrates the continuous progress made by China in the field of TCM safety supervision.Basis on this study,by systematically reviewing the development history of the detection standards for exogenous harmful residues in TCM and analyzing the revisions and updates of these detec-tion standards in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia 2025 Edition,deeply explores the key points of the changes in the monitoring standards for exogenous harmful residues in TCM in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia 2025 Edition.Moreo-ver,it interprets the future development directions of the detection of exogenous residues in TCM ,aiming to provide a reference for the formulation of TCM safety supervision policies.

Objective To investigate the therapeutic mechanism of Sangma Zhike Formula(SMZKF)for relieving cough sensitivity and airway inflammation in rats with postinfectious cough(PIC).Methods Male SD rat models were established by cigarette smoke exposure with intranasal LPS instillation and capsaicin aerosol inhalation.From day 19 following the start of PIC modeling,the rats received daily treatment with saline(model group),low-,medium-,and high-dose SMZKF,and compound methoxyphenamine(ASM)via gavage for 10 consecutive days(n=8).The assessments included behavioral changes,cough sensitivity(latency and frequency),lung histopathology,inflammatory cell counts and cytokine/mediator levels in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid(BALF),oxidative stress markers in the lung tissue,and expressions of proteins related with cough hypersensitivity and pyroptosis.Results The rat models of PIC exhibited reduced mental alertness,accelerated respiration,and pronounced symptoms such as coughing,sneezing,and facial scratching with significantly shortened cough latency and increased 5-min cough frequency.Histopathological analysis revealed collapsed alveolar structures,thickened alveolar septa,and extensive inflammatory cell infiltration in the bronchi and peribronchial regions,accompanied by elevated bronchial and alveolar inflammation scores of the rat models.In the BALF,inflammatory cell counts and the levels of IL-1β,TNF-α,IL-6,COX-2,PGE-2,and TXA-2 were all markedly elevated,and the pulmonary oxidative stress markers(ROS and MDA)and myeloperoxidase(MPO)activity were also significantly increased.The pulmonary expressions of cough hypersensitivity-related proteins(TRPV1,SP,CGRP,and NK1R)and pyroptosis-associated markers(P-NF-κB,NLRP3,ACS,cleaved caspase-1,cleaved IL-1β,and GSDMD-N)were significantly upregulated in the model group.SMZKF interventions significantly ameliorated these pathological changes in the rat models,and high-dose SMZKF produced a similar therapeutic efficacy to that of ASM.Conclusion SMZKF alleviates cough sensitivity and airway inflammation in PIC rats possibly by inhibiting TRPV1-mediated SP/NK1R signaling and the NLRP3/caspase-1/GSDMD pyroptosis pathway.

As people’s attention to health continues to increase, the market demand for traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is growing steadily. The quality and safety of Chinese medicinal materials have attracted unprecedented social attention. In particular, the issue of exogenous harmful residue pollution in TCM has become a hot topic of concern for both regulatory authorities and society. The Chinese Pharmacopoeia 2025 Edition further refines the detection methods and limit standards for exogenous harmful residues in TCM. This not only reflects China’s high-level emphasis on the quality and safety of TCM but also demonstrates the continuous progress made by China in the field of TCM safety supervision. Basis on this study, by systematically reviewing the development history of the detection standards for exogenous harmful residues in TCM and analyzing the revisions and updates of these detection standards in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia 2025 Edition, deeply explores the key points of the changes in the monitoring standards for exogenous harmful residues in TCM in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia 2025 Edition. Moreover, it interprets the future development directions of the detection of exogenous residues in TCM, aiming to provide a reference for the formulation of TCM safety supervision policies.

This study aims to clarify the incidence and prevention status of dairy cow mastitis in 79 large-scale pastures in China in 2022,reduce the incidence of dairy cow mastitis,and provide scien-tific basis for formulating prevention and control strategies for dairy cow mastitis in large-scale pastures suitable for China's national conditions.The research team relied on the large-scale ranch of the Comprehensive Experimental Station of National Dairy Industry Technology System to car-ry out research.A total of 79 questionnaires were received.The information on the stock of large-scale farms,the proportion of cows in the herd,the level of cow yields,the incidence and cure rate of cow mastitis,the prevention and control of cow mastitis,diagnosis and treatment programs of cow mastitis,the cost of treating cow mastitis,and the culling rate of farms was collected.Chi-square test and correlation analysis were carried out on the incidence of mastitis in dairy cows and the prevention and control plan,treatment plan,yield level and elimination rate of mastitis in dairy cows by descriptive statistical cross table.The incidence of cow mastitis in some pastures was con-trolled between 5％and 10％,and the cure rate was mostly as high as 98％.According to the co-hort analysis,the importance of prevention and control measures for dairy cow mastitis was as fol-lows:DMT＞DHI＞milk yield＞milk traits＞breast apparent change＞electrical conductivity＞CMT.The importance of treatment measures for dairy cow mastitis is as follows:DMT＞DHI＞milk yield＞milk traits＞breast apparent changes＞electrical conductivity＞CMT.The importance of treatment measures for mastitis is as follows:traditional Chinese medicine＞pathogen detection and drug sensitivity test＞non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs＞regular maintenance of milking equipment＞normal milking without treatment＞broad-spectrum antibiotics.The incidence of mas-titis in dairy cows is moderately positively correlated with the yield per unit area,that is,the in-crease in the incidence of mastitis in dairy cows has a certain impact on the yield per unit area of dairy cows.Economic analysis shows that the treatment cost of mastitis is closely related to the in-cidence rate,and the treatment cost of pasture with higher incidence rate is higher.Pastures with higher yields usually have more efficient means of disease prevention and control,and the corre-sponding treatment costs are lower.In conclusion,China's large-scale pastures should strengthen the scientific feeding management level,improve the prevention and control methods to reduce the incidence of cow mastitis,improve the cure rate,and reduce the cost of pasture treatment.