1.Standardization Challenges in Outcome Evaluation Systems of Animal Experiments and Considerations for Core Outcome Set Construction Strategies
Qingyong ZHENG ; Yongjia ZHOU ; Tengfei LI ; Jianguo XU ; Chen TIAN ; Hui LIU ; Min TIAN ; Ziyu ZHOU ; Caihua XU ; Yating CUI ; Junfei WANG ; Jinhui TIAN
Laboratory Animal and Comparative Medicine 2026;46(1):138-148
Animal experimentation constitutes a critical link between basic research and clinical application, making its research quality and translational efficiency paramount. Although considerable progress has been made in standardizing operational procedures and ethical guidelines, the standardization of outcome evaluation systems has significantly lagged, creating a key bottleneck that constrains the quality of biomedical research and evidence synthesis. This deficiency is manifested by pronounced heterogeneity in outcome selection across similar studies, incomplete methodological reporting, and disparate criteria for result interpretation, which severely impairs the comparability of findings and the evidence integration. To cope with this challenge, this paper systematically introduces a mature methodological tool from clinical research–the core outcome set (COS)–and explores its construction strategies and application potential in the field of animal experimentation. Given the extensive diversity of animal experiments, a pragmatic strategy of "focusing on key areas, implementing phased pilots, and promoting gradual expansion" should be adopted. This approach prioritizes the development of domain-specific COS for disease areas characterized by high research volume, urgent translational needs, and well-established animal models. A multi-source integration pathway for COS development is detailed, comprising systematic literature searches, methodological appraisals, and expert consensus, with the feasibility of leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance efficiency also being examined. The development and promotion of such COS are not intended to restrict scientific exploration; rather, they aim to establish a new, tiered evaluation paradigm consisting of "core outcomes" (mandatory), "recommended outcomes" (encouraged), and "exploratory outcomes" (optional). This framework is expected not only to enhance research quality through standardization and to adhere to the "3R" principles but also to accelerate the accumulation of high-quality evidence. This, in turn, provides a solid foundation for higher-level evidence synthesis, ultimately facilitating the effective translation of basic research findings into clinical practice and providing an essential methodological framework for scientific advancement in relevant disciplines.
2.Volatile Component Differences in Xihuangwan Prepared with Natural and Artificial Musk Based on Non-targeted and Targeted Metabolomics
Jing WANG ; Fangzhu XU ; Li MENG ; Qizhen ZHU ; Huanjun ZHAO ; Caina YU ; Xuelian CHEN ; Hui GAO ; Zimin YUAN
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(8):194-201
ObjectiveHeadspace solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry(HS-SPME-GC-MS) and GC-triple quadrupole MS(GC-QqQ-MS) in combination with non-targeted and targeted metabolomics were employed to systematically analyze the chemical composition differences of Xihuangwan prepared with natural musk and artificial musk, and establish an identification system for them. MethodsThe volatile components of 9 batches of Xihuangwan samples from 8 manufacturers were analyzed by HS-SPME-GC-MS non-targeted metabolomics, and identified by comparing their MS data with the National Institute of Standards and Technology(NIST) spectral library. Orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis(OPLS-DA) was used to identify differential volatile components of Xihuangwan prepared with natural musk and artificial musk. Additionally, GC-QqQ-MS targeted metabolomics was applied to quantify the levels of α-pinene, β-elemene, muscone, dehydroepiandrosterone, bornyl acetate, and octyl acetate in 27 batches of samples from 9 manufacturers. Cluster analysis, principal component analysis(PCA), and partial least squares-discriminant analysis(PLS-DA) were conducted to further explore the differences in volatile components between Xihuangwan samples prepared with natural musk and artificial musk. ResultsNon-targeted metabolomics identified 291 volatile compounds in Xihuangwan, including alkanes, esters, alkanes, alcohols, ketones, naphthalenes and others. OPLS-DA analysis revealed distinct separation between Xihuangwan samples containing artificial musk(A1, C1, D1, E1, F1, G1, I1) and those containing natural musk(H1, H3). A total of 30 differential metabolites were identified. The relative contents of these 30 differential metabolites were visualized using a radar chart, revealing significant differences in the levels of octanol, borneol acetate and muscone. Cluster analysis and PCA results from targeted metabolomics indicated that Xihuangwan could be classified into two distinct groups:one composed of natural musk(H1, H3) and the other of artificial musk, sample H2. PLS-DA identified muscone, octyl acetate, and dehydroepiandrosterone as key differential volatile components. Although no significant difference was observed in the content of octyl acetate between the two groups, statistically significant differences were found for muscone and dehydroepiandrosterone(P<0.05). ConclusionMuscone and dehydroepiandrosterone can be used for the differentiation of Xihuangwan samples containing natural musk from those containing artificial musk. This study systematically and comprehensively analyzed the differences in the types and contents of major volatile components in Xihuangwan prepared with natural musk and artificial musk, providing a scientific basis for quality evaluation and control of Xihuangwan.
3.Volatile Component Differences in Xihuangwan Prepared with Natural and Artificial Musk Based on Non-targeted and Targeted Metabolomics
Jing WANG ; Fangzhu XU ; Li MENG ; Qizhen ZHU ; Huanjun ZHAO ; Caina YU ; Xuelian CHEN ; Hui GAO ; Zimin YUAN
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(8):194-201
ObjectiveHeadspace solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry(HS-SPME-GC-MS) and GC-triple quadrupole MS(GC-QqQ-MS) in combination with non-targeted and targeted metabolomics were employed to systematically analyze the chemical composition differences of Xihuangwan prepared with natural musk and artificial musk, and establish an identification system for them. MethodsThe volatile components of 9 batches of Xihuangwan samples from 8 manufacturers were analyzed by HS-SPME-GC-MS non-targeted metabolomics, and identified by comparing their MS data with the National Institute of Standards and Technology(NIST) spectral library. Orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis(OPLS-DA) was used to identify differential volatile components of Xihuangwan prepared with natural musk and artificial musk. Additionally, GC-QqQ-MS targeted metabolomics was applied to quantify the levels of α-pinene, β-elemene, muscone, dehydroepiandrosterone, bornyl acetate, and octyl acetate in 27 batches of samples from 9 manufacturers. Cluster analysis, principal component analysis(PCA), and partial least squares-discriminant analysis(PLS-DA) were conducted to further explore the differences in volatile components between Xihuangwan samples prepared with natural musk and artificial musk. ResultsNon-targeted metabolomics identified 291 volatile compounds in Xihuangwan, including alkanes, esters, alkanes, alcohols, ketones, naphthalenes and others. OPLS-DA analysis revealed distinct separation between Xihuangwan samples containing artificial musk(A1, C1, D1, E1, F1, G1, I1) and those containing natural musk(H1, H3). A total of 30 differential metabolites were identified. The relative contents of these 30 differential metabolites were visualized using a radar chart, revealing significant differences in the levels of octanol, borneol acetate and muscone. Cluster analysis and PCA results from targeted metabolomics indicated that Xihuangwan could be classified into two distinct groups:one composed of natural musk(H1, H3) and the other of artificial musk, sample H2. PLS-DA identified muscone, octyl acetate, and dehydroepiandrosterone as key differential volatile components. Although no significant difference was observed in the content of octyl acetate between the two groups, statistically significant differences were found for muscone and dehydroepiandrosterone(P<0.05). ConclusionMuscone and dehydroepiandrosterone can be used for the differentiation of Xihuangwan samples containing natural musk from those containing artificial musk. This study systematically and comprehensively analyzed the differences in the types and contents of major volatile components in Xihuangwan prepared with natural musk and artificial musk, providing a scientific basis for quality evaluation and control of Xihuangwan.
4.Effects of subanesthetic dose of esketamine on postoperative anxiety and recovery in patients undergoing laparo-scopic cholecystectomy
Zhangzhen ZHONG ; Xian ZHENG ; Ting XU ; Jie WANG ; Hui CAO ; Xinggen ZHOU ; Hui LI ; Jiacheng ZHAO ; Hui LIU ; Chao ZHANG
China Pharmacy 2026;37(2):204-209
OBJECTIVE To investigate the effects of subanesthetic dose of esketamine on postoperative anxiety and recovery in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy. METHODS A total of 200 patients scheduled for laparoscopic cholecystectomy at Suzhou Ninth Hospital Affiliated to Soochow University from January 2023 to December 2024 were randomly assigned to control group (n=100) and observation group (n=100). One minute before the initiation of anesthesia, patients in the control group received intravenous injections of Propofol emulsion injection, Sufentanil citrate injection, and Succinylcholine chloride injection. On this basis, patients in the observation group received an intravenous injection of Esketamine hydrochloride injection. The anxiety status of patients in both groups was compared, along with their general intraoperative conditions (including sufentanil dosage, duration of pneumoperitoneum, operative time, anesthesia time, and extubation time), postoperative recovery, incidence of adverse reactions, and the need for dezocine rescue analgesia. Heart rate and mean arterial pressure, entropy index (state entropy and response entropy), inflammatory marker levels [interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP)], numerical rating scale (NRS) for pain intensity were compared between the two groups at different time points. RESULTS No significant differences were found between the two groups in pneumoperitoneum duration, operative time, anesthesia time,extubation time, incidence of postoperative dry mouth, entropy index or length of stay in the post-anesthesia care unit (P>0.05). Compared with the control group, the observation group showed significantly lower postoperative STAI-S scores, reduced intraoperative sufentanil consumption, decreased incidence of postoperative nausea, vomiting, and shivering, the need for dezocine rescue analgesia, as well as lower plasma IL-6 and CRP levels at 24 h after surgery, and NRS (P<0.05). The heart rate and mean arterial pressure of patients in the observation group at the start of surgery, end of surgery, and during extubation were all significantly higher than those in the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Subanesthetic dose of esketamine can effectively alleviate postoperative anxiety, reduce intraoperative opioid consumption, suppress postoperative inflammatory response, relieve postoperative pain, and promote recovery in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
5.Treatment of Hyperthyroidism Combined with Atrial Fibrillation:from the Liver
Yao XU ; Yan ZHOU ; Hui LI ; Yifang HAO ; Jintao ZHANG ; Longmei YAN ; Yaxuan XING ; Jingchun ZHANG
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2026;67(11):1225-1230
Hyperthyroidism (HT) is frequently complicated by atrial fibrillation (AF) in clinical practice. Based on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) zang-xiang (藏象) theory and clinical experience, both HT and AF are closely associated with dysfunction of the liver. The pathogenesis is initiated by the liver failing to govern the free flow of qi, and liver constraint and qi stagnation, with the key turning points being liver constraint transforming into fire and the internal stirring of liver wind, ultimately leading to liver blood depletion and insufficient nourishment of the heart spirit. Thus, it is proposed to treat the disease from the liver, with stage-specific therapeutic approaches according to the evolution of the disease. In the early stage, the treatment should focus on soothing the liver and relieving constraint to reduce goiter and calm the heart, while in the progressive stage, the method of clearing liver and draining fire is suggested to subdue yang and stabilize palpitations. In the acute stage, the strategy is calming the liver and nourishing yin to subdue yang and extinguish wind. In the later stage, it is suggested to soften the liver and benefit qi, so as to nourish yin and restore pulse. These methods are sequentially applied to synergistically reduce goiter and stabilize palpitations, providing a therapeutic approach for HT complicated by AF.
6.Applications of Vaterite in Drug Loading and Controlled Release
Xiao-Hui SONG ; Ming-Yu PAN ; Jian-Feng XU ; Zheng-Yu HUANG ; Qing PAN ; Qing-Ning LI
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(1):162-181
Currently, the drug delivery system (DDS) based on nanomaterials has become a hot interdisciplinary research topic. One of the core issues is drug loading and controlled release, in which the key lever is carriers. Vaterite, as an inorganic porous nano-material, is one metastable structure of calcium carbonate, full of micro or nano porous. Recently, vaterite has attracted more and more attention, due to its significant advantages, such as rich resources, easy preparations, low cost, simple loading procedures, good biocompatibility and many other good points. Vaterite, gained from suitable preparation strategies, can not only possess the good drug carrying performance, like high loading capacity and stable loading efficiency, but also improve the drug release ability, showing the better drug delivery effects, such as targeting release, pH sensitive release, photothermal controlled release, magnetic assistant release, optothermal controlled release. At the same time, the vaterite carriers, with good safety itself, can protect proteins, enzymes, or other drugs from degradation or inactivation, help imaging or visualization with loading fluorescent drugs in vitro and in vivo, and play synergistic effects with other therapy approaches, like photodynamic therapy, sonodynamic therapy, and thermochemotherapy. Latterly, some renewed reports in drug loading and controlled release have led to their widespread applications in diverse fields, from cell level to clinical studies. This review introduces the basic characteristics of vaterite and briefly summarizes its research history, followed by synthesis strategies. We subsequently highlight recent developments in drug loading and controlled release, with an emphasis on the advantages, quantity capacity, and comparations. Furthermore, new opportunities for using vaterite in cell level and animal level are detailed. Finally, the possible problems and development trends are discussed.
7.The Impairment Attention Capture by Topological Change in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder
Hui-Lin XU ; Huan-Jun XI ; Tao DUAN ; Jing LI ; Dan-Dan LI ; Kai WANG ; Chun-Yan ZHU
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(1):223-232
ObjectiveAutism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by difficulties with communication and social interaction, restricted and repetitive behaviors. Previous studies have indicated that individuals with ASD exhibit early and lifelong attention deficits, which are closely related to the core symptoms of ASD. Basic visual attention processes may provide a critical foundation for their social communication and interaction abilities. Therefore, this study explores the behavior of children with ASD in capturing attention to changes in topological properties. MethodsOur study recruited twenty-seven ASD children diagnosed by professional clinicians according to DSM-5 and twenty-eight typically developing (TD) age-matched controls. In an attention capture task, we recorded the saccadic behaviors of children with ASD and TD in response to topological change (TC) and non-topological change (nTC) stimuli. Saccadic reaction time (SRT), visual search time (VS), and first fixation dwell time (FFDT) were used as indicators of attentional bias. Pearson correlation tests between the clinical assessment scales and attentional bias were conducted. ResultsThis study found that TD children had significantly faster SRT (P<0.05) and VS (P<0.05) for the TC stimuli compared to the nTC stimuli, while the children with ASD did not exhibit significant differences in either measure (P>0.05). Additionally, ASD children demonstrated significantly less attention towards the TC targets (measured by FFDT), in comparison to TD children (P<0.05). Furthermore, ASD children exhibited a significant negative linear correlation between their attentional bias (measured by VS) and their scores on the compulsive subscale (P<0.05). ConclusionThe results suggest that children with ASD have difficulty shifting their attention to objects with topological changes during change detection. This atypical attention may affect the child’s cognitive and behavioral development, thereby impacting their social communication and interaction. In sum, our findings indicate that difficulties in attentional capture by TC may be a key feature of ASD.
8.Effect of circular RNA circ_0004535 on type 2 diabetes mellitus combined with metabolism-related fatty liver disease model mice
Caijuan ZHOU ; Min LI ; Hui XU ; Bingru CHEN ; Qing MENG ; Wei XIONG
Chinese Journal of Comparative Medicine 2025;35(8):78-93
Objective To explore the influence of hsa_circ_0004535 on type 2 diabetes(T2DM)combined with metabolic-associated fatty liver disease(MAFLD)model mice.Methods Forty-eight healthy SPF grade Balb/c mice were selected for modeling and divided into the following groups(n=6 per group):Control group:normal feed;T2DM group:diabetes model induced by high-glucose and high-fat diet;T2DM combined MAFLD group:non-alcoholic fatty liver high-glucose and high-fat diet-induced diabetes combined with fatty liver model;T2DM combined MAFLD+hsa_circ_NC group:after 4 weeks of modeling,10 nmol hsa_circ_NC injected into the tail vein;T2DM combined MAFLD+hsa_circ_0004535 group:after 4 weeks of modeling,10 nmol circ_0004535 injected into the tail vein;T2DM combined MAFLD+miRNA_NC group:after 4 weeks of modeling,10 nmol miRNA blank control injected into the tail vein;T2DM combined MAFLD+miR-1827 agomir group:after 4 weeks of modeling,10 nmol miR-1827 agomir injected into the tail vein;and T2DM combined MAFLD+miR-1827 antagomir group:after 4 weeks of modeling,10 nmol miR-1827 antagomir injected into the tail vein.Mouse body weight was measured after the interventions and recorded weekly.Glucose and insulin tolerance tests were performed,blood lipids and liver function were measured,the liver and insulin resistance indexes were calculated,and pathological tests(hematoxylin/eosin(HE),oil red O,and Masson staining,immunohistochemistry,terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling(TUNEL))were performed to measure the degree of hepatic inflammation,fat deposition,and fibrosis.Results(1)Body weight,liver weight,liver index,insulin resistance index,and biochemical indexes were all significantly lower in the hsa_circ_0004535 injection group compared with the hsa_circ_NC injection group and the T2DM combined MAFLD group(both P<0.05).(2)Steatosis vacuoles were reduced and smaller and inflammatory cell infiltration was reduced in the T2DM combined MAFLD+circ_0004535 group,as shown by HE and oil red staining.(3)TUNEL-positive cells were significantly reduced in the T2DM combined MAFLD+hsa_circ_0004535 group(P<0.05).(4)Collagen fiber deposition was significantly reduced in the T2DM combined MAFLD+hsa_circ_0004535 group,as shown by Masson staining(P<0.05).Conclusions The expression of hsa_circ_0004535 and miRNA-1827 play important roles in regulating lipid metabolism,insulin sensitivity,inflammatory pathways,hepatocyte apoptosis,and hepatic fibrosis-related pathways in an animal model of T2DM combined with MAFLD.
9.Mid-term efficacy of inferior parietal osteotomy in the treatment of patients with degenerative thora-columbar kyphosis with apex located at T12
Chunxiao CHEN ; Hui XU ; Jie LI
Chinese Journal of Spine and Spinal Cord 2025;35(8):807-814
Objectives:To investigate the clinical effect of inferior parietal osteotomy in the treatment of pa-tients with degenerative thoracolumbar kyphosis with apex located at T12.Methods:The clinical and imaging data of 29 patients with thoracolumbar kyphosis treated with posterior correction and fusion as well as single segment pedicle subtraction osteotomy(PSO)at the inferior parietal level in our hospital from January 2017 to December 2021 were retrospectively analyzed.The patients were all female aged 60.6±5.5 years old,and were followed up for 28.1±3.8 months.Radiographic parameters including global kyphosis(GK),thoracic kyphosis(TK),thoracolumbar junctional kyphosis(TJK),lumbar lordosis(LL),sagittal vertical axis(SVA),pelvic incidence(PI),pelvic tilt(PT),sacral slope(SS),T1-pelvic angle(T1PA)were measured in the standing radiographs before and after operation and at the final follow-up.Quality of life of the patients were evaluated by the Scoliosis Research Society-22 questionnaire(SRS-22),the lumbar stiffness disability index(LSDI),the Oswestry disability index(ODI)and the visual analog scale(VAS).Intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring events(IONM),post-operative neurologic damage,and complications were recorded.Results:The sagittal GK was corrected from 63.3°±11.3° preoperatively to 27.3°±8.3° postoperatively(P<0.001),and the correction rate was(56.4±12.4)%.At the final follow-up,the GK was 29.5°±8.4°,and the rate of correction loss was(10.1±14.6)%.TJK was corrected from 52.9°±10.2° preoperatively to 17.0°±3.3° postoperatively(P<0.001),and the correction rate was(67.0±7.8)%.The TJK at the final follow-up was 16.9°±3.0°,showing no significant difference from that after operation(P=0.609).SVA was improved from preoperatively 44.3±34.1mm to postoperatively 20.4±23.6mm(P<0.001),and it was 25.5±24.9mm at the final follow-up,which showed no significant difference compared with that after operation(P=0.086).After surgical treatment,the postoperative quality of life of the patients was sig-nificantly improved compared with that before surgery.The scores of SRS-22(pain,image,psychological,activ-ity function),ODI,VAS and LSDI at final follow-up were significantly different from those before surgery(P<0.001).IONM events occurred in 2 patients(6.9%),and none of the patients showed neurologic impairment re-lated complications after surgery.Four patients had proximal junction kyphosis(PJK)during follow-up period.Infection,screw loosening,screw fracture and rod fracture were not identified in the cohort.Conclusions:For patients with degenerative thoracolumbar kyphosis(apical vertebra at T12),PSO performed at one lower level of the apex vertebra not only can achieve satisfactory clinical results,but also improve the safety of the opera-tion and reduce the risk of postoperative complications.
10.Serotyping,virulence factors and drug resistance analysis of Pasteurella multocida of porcine origin of Zhejiang Province
Yizhen XU ; Xiufang YUAN ; Lihua XU ; Bin YU ; Fei SU ; Shiyi YE ; Hongchao SUN ; Yijie CHEN ; Qiaodan CHEN ; Hui ZHANG ; Junxing LI
Chinese Journal of Veterinary Science 2025;45(7):1378-1387
The aim of this paper was to investigate the serotypes,virulence factors and drug resist-ance of clinical isolates of Pasteurella rnultocida of porcine origin in recent years.Morphological screening and polymerase chain reaction(PCR)were used to isolate and identify 119 isolates from nasal swabs and lung tissue samples sent from swine farms in Zhejiang Province from 2010 to 2024.The isolates of Pasteurella multocida were subjected to capsular polysaccharide serotyping,lipopolysaccharide serotyping,virulence factor detection and drug resistance analysis by PCR and Kirby-Bauer disc agar diffusion method(K-B).The results showed that there were 64 strains(53.7%)of A-type,54 strains(45.3%)of D-type and 1 strain(0.9%)of F-type among the capsu-lar polysaccharide serotypes,and 10 strains(8.4%)of L1-type,20 strains(16.8%)of L3-type,86 strains(72.2%)of L6-type,and 3 strains(2.6%)of undetermined type among the lipopolysaccha-ride serotypes.The amplification results of 10 virulence genes showed that the detection rate of virulence genes hgbA,higbB and fimA was over 86.0%,the detection rate of toxA was 8.4%,while the virulence gene tbpA was not detected.There were also differences in the distribution vir-ulence genes in different capsular polysaccharide serotypes.Virulence factor pfhA was detected in type A and F but not in type D.The detection rate of adhesin gene tadD in serotype A(92.2%)was significantly higher than that of type D(9.3%),and,on the contrary,the detection rate of ad-hesin gene hsf-l in serotype D(90.7%)was significantly higher than that of type A(20.3%).Drug resistance analysis revealed that Pasteurella multocida showed high susceptibility to antimi-crobial drugs such as amoxicillin,ampicillin,cephalosporins,doxycycline,fosfenicol and ciprofloxa-cin,and showed strong resistance to antimicrobial drugs such as lincomycin,cotrimoxazole,genta-micin and amikacin,and there were 54 multi-drug resistant strains(78.3%).In summary,capsular polysaccharide serotypes were dominated by type A and D,lipopolysaccharide serotypes were dom-inated by L6,the distribution of some virulence genes varied greatly among different serotypes,and the proportion of multi-resistant strains was high,which provide reference for the prevention and control of this disease.

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