OBJECTIVE To preliminarily investigate the antiasthmatic effect and mechanism of Ephedrae Herba-Armeniacae Semen Amarum herb pair on the respiratory center. METHODS Male SD rats were randomly divided into blank group， model group， dexamethasone group （positive control）， and Ephedrae Herba-Armeniacae Semen Amarum 2∶1， 1∶1 and 1∶2 groups. Rats in each group were administered different ratios of the herb pair decoction [all at 18 g （crude drug）/kg]， dexamethasone suspension （0.5 mg/kg）， or normal saline intragastrically twice daily for seven consecutive days. Forty minutes after the last administration， medicated cerebrospinal fluid was collected to determine the content of effective components entering the brain. One and a half hours after the last administration， the nucleus tractus solitarius （NTS） was located using a stereotaxic apparatus. Histamine phosphate （1 μL） was injected into the NTS region at a constant rate of 1 μL/min using a 10 μL microsyringe to induce excitation of the respiratory center in rats； the blank group was injected with normal saline. The contents of neurotransmitters [nerve growth factor （NGF）， substance P （SP）， norepinephrine （NA）， 5-hydroxytryptamine （5-HT） and acetylcholine （Ach）] in the medulla oblongata brain tissue were detected. The mRNA expressions of neurokinin-1 receptor （NK-1R）， p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase （MAPK）， and c-fos in the medulla oblongata， as well as the protein expressions of NK-1R， p38 MAPK， and c-fos in the NTS region， were determined. RESULTS The main active components of Ephedrae Herba-Armeniacae Semen Amarum herb pair entering the brain were ephedrine， pseudoephedrine， and methylephedrine. Compared with blank group， the contents of NGF， SP， NA， 5-HT and Ach， and the relative expression levels of NK-1R， p38 MAPK， and c-fos mRNA and protein were significantly increased in the model group （ P ＜0.01）. Compared with model group， Ephedrae Herba-Armeniacae Semen Amarum herb pair groups with different ratios significantly reduced the neurotransmitter contents and the relative expression levels of NK-1R， p38 MAPK， and c-fos mRNA and protein （ P ＜0.01）， with the 2∶1 Ephedrae Herba-Armeniacae Semen Amarum herb pair and 1∶1 mass ratios showing relatively better effects. CONCLUSIONS Ephedrae Herba alkaloids are the main active components in affecting the function of the respiratory center. The herb pair groups with a larger proportion of Ephedrae Herba exhibit stronger effects. Ephedrae Herba-Armeniacae Semen Amarum herb pair can reduce the excitability of the respiratory center by down-regulating the expression of the NK-1R/MAPK/c-fos pathway in the NTS and decreasing the abnormal release of neurotransmitters such as NGF and SP.

Objective: To validate the performance of the Procleix UltrioPlex E assay (Grifols, Spain) on the Procleix Panther automated nucleic acid detection platform, which employs the TMA method to simultaneously detect HIV-1/HIV-2/HCV/HBV/HEV viruses, and to evaluate its value for screening transfusion-associated infectious diseases. Methods: In accordance with the requirements of ISO15189"Application of the Guidelines for the Accreditation of Quality and Capabilities of Medical Laboratories in the Field of Molecular Diagnostics (CNAS-CL02-A009: 2018)", "Guidelines for Performance Validation of Molecular Diagnostic Testing Procedures (CNAS-GL039: 2019)", and the "Technical Operating Procedures for Blood Banks (2019 Edition)", this study validated the reagent's performance in terms of analytical sensitivity validation, performance consistency validation, interference resistance, and cross-contamination resistance. Results: Probit analysis revealed that the 95% detection limits (95% confidence interval) for HBV, HCV, HIV, and HEV were 2.0 IU/mL, 1.5 IU/mL, 18.0 IU/mL and 3.7 IU/mL, respectively, which were consistent with the minimum detection limits stated in the kit's package insert and were comparable to the Procleix Ultrio Elite kit. Both kits were used to test the performance validation serum plate simultaneously, yielding results consistent with the serum plate (Kappa=1), indicating stable performance. Detection of medium-and low-concentration lipemia and weakly positive hemolysis samples demonstrated good interference resistance. Cross-contamination performance validation showed that the kit exhibited excellent cross-contamination resistance. Conclusion: The Procleix UltrioPlex E nucleic acid detection kit enables combined detection of HIV-1, HIV-2, HCV, HBV, and HEV, allowing single-test screening for multiple viruses in donor blood. The kit's analytical performance is stable and meets basic laboratory requirements, making it suitable for screening transfusion-associated infectious diseases in blood banks.

With the rising incidence of colon cancer, several studies have indicated that aquaporin 1 (AQP1) expression is associated with the development of colon cancer. This study aims to elucidate the potential molecular mechanisms between them. Methods: We screened data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and retrospectively examined AQP1 protein expression in 127 colon cancer patients to analyze the relationship between AQP1 expression and pathological stages, prognosis. We created stable colon cancer cell lines with differential AQP1 expression, the effect of AQP1 expression on the proliferation and migration of colon cancer cells was assessed by in vitro and in vivo studies, and explored potential molecular mechanisms through Western blotting. Results: High AQP1 expression was associated with poorer survival (overall survival [OS], p = .028) in colon cancer patients from the TCGA database. Similarly, retrospective clinical data indicated that high AQP1 expression was associated with reduced disease-free survival and OS (p = .036 and p = .017, respectively). The low-expressing AQP1 colon cancer cells exhibited a decrease in proliferation and migration ability of colon cancer cells compared to the overexpressing AQP1 group (p < .05) in vitro and in vivo. Immunohistochemistry and western blotting experiments validated heightened expression of N-cadherin, vimentin, and claudin- 1 in the tumor tissues of the overexpressing AQP1 group. Conversely, reduced AQP1 expression resulted in decreased expression of claudin- 1. Conclusions: AQP1 correlates with unfavorable prognosis in colon cancer and potentially enhances the proliferation and migration of colon cancer by up-regulating claudin-1 expression.

It is proposed that yangming （阳明） turbid heat and dysfunction of the chong and ren （冲任） vessels are the key pathogenesis underlying abnormal uterine bleeding caused by polycystic ovary syndrome （PCOS）. The general principle of treatment is to clear and drain the yangming channel and resolve turbid heat. During the acute bleeding phase， the approach is to clear heat， cool the blood， consolidate the chong vessel， and stop bleeding. During the chronic phase， the focus shifts to resolving phlegm and removing stasis， unblocking and purging qi movement. And during the late stage， the method of boosting qi and nourishing yin， consolidating the root and regulating menstruation is suggested. In clinical practice， the self-formulated Yishen Quzhuo Formula （益肾祛浊方） serves as the foundation， with flexible modifications and adjustments made according to disease stage and individual clinical presentation.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of Liuwei Dihuangwan on mammalian target of rapamycin （mTOR）-mediated synaptic plasticity in the prefrontal cortex-hippocampus circuit in the rat model of valproic acid （VPA）-induced autism spectrum disorder （ASD） and to explore its potential mechanism for reducing behavioral abnormalities in ASD rats. MethodsThirteen SD pregnant rats were randomized into the VPA group （10 rats） and the control group （3 rats）. On gestational day 13， the VPA group was intraperitoneally injected with VPA solution （600 mg·kg^-1）， while the control group was injected with an equal volume of normal saline. Male pups of 21 days old from both groups underwent behavioral tests to screen the ASD model rats （32 rats）. These rats were then randomly assigned to the model （distilled water）， vitamin D （1 480 U·kg^-1）， low-dose （0.75 g·kg^-1） Liuwei Dihuangwan， and high-dose （1.5 g·kg^-1） Liuwei Dihuangwan groups， and normal male pups were selected as the blank group （distilled water）， with 8 rats in each group. Each group was treated with the corresponding drug or an equal volume of distilled water via gavage daily. After drug administration， behavioral tests were conducted again， followed by anesthesia and tissue collection. Nissl staining was carried out to observe the morphological changes of neurons in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. Transmission electron microscopy was used to observe changes in hippocampal synaptic structure. Immunohistochemistry and Western blot were employed to determine the expression of mTOR， phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase （PI3K）， and protein kinase B （Akt） in the prefrontal cortex， as well as synaptophysin-1 （SYP-1）， postsynaptic density 95 （PSD95）， and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors （NMDARs） in the hippocampus. ResultsCompared with the control group， the model group exhibited severe growth retardation and developmental deformities， with abnormal behavioral performance and pathological damage to neurons and synapses in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. Compared with the model group， all treatment groups showed reduced behavioral abnormalities and pathological damage to neurons and synapses in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus， with the most significant effects in the high-dose Liuwei Dihuangwan group. Immunohistochemistry and Western blotting results showed that compared with the control group， the model group exhibited significantly increased protein levels and phosphorylation ratios of p-mTOR， p-Akt， and p-PI3K in the prefrontal cortex （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and decreased protein levels of SYP-1 and PSD95 and increased protein level of NMDARs in the hippocampus （P<0.01）. Compared with those in the model group， the protein levels of p-mTOR， p-Akt， and p-PI3K in the prefrontal cortex decreased in the vitamin D and high-dose Liuwei Dihuangwan groups （P<0.05）， and the p-mTOR/mTOR， p-Akt/Akt， and p-PI3K/PI3K ratios in the prefrontal cortex declined in the vitamin D group （P<0.05）. The high-dose Liuwei Dihuangwan group showed a reduction in p-PI3K/PI3K ratio （P<0.05）. The protein level of SYP-1 and PSD95 in the hippocampus increased in the vitamin D， low-dose Liuwei Dihuangwan， and high-dose Liuwei Dihuangwan groups （P<0.05， P<0.01）， while the protein level of NMDARs decreased in the vitamin D and high-dose Liuwei Dihuangwan groups （P<0.01）. ConclusionLiuwei Dihuangwan significantly reduces VPA-induced ASD-like behaviors and enhances the regeneration and repair of neurons in the prefrontal cortex and synaptic structures in the hippocampus by downregulating of PI3K/Akt/mTOR expression in the prefrontal cortex， upregulating SYP-1 and PSD95 expression in the hippocampus， and inhibiting NMDARs expression.

Following the core outcome set standards for development(COS-STAD), this study aims to construct core outcome set(COS) for clinical research on traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) treatment of simple obesity. Firstly, a comprehensive review was conducted on the randomized controlled trial(RCT) and systematic review(SR) about TCM treatment of simple obesity that were published in Chinese and English databases to collect reported outcomes. Additional outcomes were obtained through semi-structured interviews with patients and open-ended questionnaire surveys for clinicians. All the collected outcomes were then merged and organized as an initial outcome pool, and then a preliminary list of outcomes was formed after discussion by the working group. Subsequently, two rounds of Delphi surveys were conducted with clinicians, methodology experts, and patients to score the importance of outcomes in the list. Finally, a consensus meeting was held to establish the COS for clinical research on TCM treatment of simple obesity. A total of 221 RCTs and 12 SRs were included, and after integration of supplementary outcomes, an initial outcome pool of 141 outcomes were formed. Following discussions in the steering advisory group meeting, a preliminary list of 33 outcomes was finalized, encompassing 9 domains. Through two rounds of Delphi surveys and a consensus meeting, the final COS for clinical research on TCM treatment of simple obesity was determined to include 8 outcomes: TCM symptom scores, body mass index(BMI), waist-hip ratio, waist circumference, visceral fat index, body fat rate, quality of life, and safety, which were classified into 4 domains: TCM-related outcomes, anthropometric measurements, quality of life, and safety. This study has preliminarily established a COS for clinical research on TCM treatment of simple obesity. It helps reduce the heterogeneity in the selection and reporting of outcomes in similar clinical studies, thereby improving the comparability of research results and the feasibility of meta-analysis and providing higher-level evidence support for clinical practice.
Humans ; Obesity/therapy* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Treatment Outcome ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use*

Forensic medicine has been designated as a first-level discipline,presenting new opportunities and challenges for the development of forensic medicine.Since the 1980s,the establishment of foren-sic medicine discipline and the cultivation of high-level forensic talents have become hot topics in the development of forensic medicine in China.Since the 13th Five-Year Plan,the forensic team of Shanxi Medical University has been aiming at the forefront,proposing the development goals of"Five First-class"and the discipline development path"Six Major Achievements".It has selected benchmark disci-plines,identified gaps in disciplinary development,unified thoughts,formulated completion timelines,concentrated superior resources,assigned tasks to individuals,and created an"Organized Fill-in-the-Blank Format"forensic medicine discipline construction model with the characteristics of the new era.The construction model of forensic medicine has achieved good results in the goals,discipline frame-work,scientific research,talent cultivation,discipline team and platform construction,forming a rela-tively complete discipline construction and management system,and accumulating valuable experience for the construction of first-level discipline and high-level talent cultivation of forensic medicine.