Kynurenine pathway (KP) is a major catabolic route of tryptophan, generating a series of bioactive metabolites including kynurenine, kynurenic acid (KA), quinolinic acid, and 3-hydroxykynurenine. Beyond its fundamental role in amino acid metabolism, KP exerts critical regulatory functions in neurodevelopment, synaptic plasticity, and immune modulation. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a heterogeneous neurodevelopmental condition with onset in early childhood, characterized by persistent deficits in social communication and restricted, repetitive behaviors. Despite extensive research, the etiological mechanisms underlying ASD remain highly complex and incompletely understood, involving genetic, environmental, and immunological factors. Emerging clinical evidence has consistently revealed a significant imbalance in KP metabolites in individuals with ASD, often accompanied by altered ratios of neuroprotective versus neurotoxic byproducts. However, the primary drivers of this metabolic dysregulation and its causative contribution to ASD pathogenesis are not yet fully elucidated. In this review, we systematically review the enzymatic steps of KP and the principal physiological functions of its major metabolites, with particular emphasis on their dual roles in neuroprotection and neurotoxicity. We then analyze the potential pathogenic mechanisms through which KP dysfunction may contribute to ASD, focusing on two interconnected etiological dimensions. First, KP imbalance can promote oxidative stress, which in turn triggers chronic inflammatory responses via microglial activation and release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, thereby disrupting neuronal homeostasis. Second, aberrant KP metabolism affects neurotransmitter systems, particularly glutamatergic and dopaminergic signaling, leading to impaired neural circuit development and synaptic pruning. By integrating current findings on the KP-ASD association, this review offers a comprehensive etiological framework and a clinically relevant paradigm. Furthermore, we highlight that specific KP metabolites, such as the KA/quinolinic acid ratio, hold promise as peripheral biomarkers for early diagnosis and disease stratification. Finally, we discuss the therapeutic potential of targeting KP enzymes or receptors for personalized intervention strategies, while acknowledging the challenges in translating these findings into clinical practice.

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of hypertension, diabetes and hyperlipidemia among HIV/AIDS patients aged 50 years and above receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province, so as to provide insights into the prevention and intervention of chronic diseases for these populations. Methods: The HIV/AIDS patients aged 50 years and above receiving ART were recruited at designated HIV/AIDS medical institutions in Wuxi City using the convenient sampling method from March to June 2024. Demographic information, treatment status and self-reported prevalence of hypertension, diabetes and hyperlipidemia were collected through questionnaire surveys. Factors affecting the prevalence of chronic diseases were analyzed using a multivariable logistic regression model. Results: A total of 830 HIV/AIDS patients receiving ART were surveyed, including 656 males (79.04%) and 375 patients aged 50 to <60 years (45.18%). Among them, 366 patients reported having at least one type of chronic disease, including hypertension, diabetes and hyperlipidemia, with a self-reported prevalence rate of 44.10%. Specifically, 280, 114 and 61 patients reported having hypertension, diabetes and hyperlipidemia, with the self-reported prevalence rates of 33.73%, 13.73% and 7.35%, respectively. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that male patients (OR=1.725, 95%CI: 1.187-2.507), those with monthly income less than 3 000 yuan (OR=1.521, 95%CI: 1.122-2.063), those with body mass index of 24 kg/m2 and above (OR=1.577, 95%CI: 1.168-2.130), those who initiated ART at ages of 50 years and above (50 to <60 years, OR=1.535, 95%CI: 1.052-2.238; ≥60 years, OR=3.322, 95%CI: 2.191-5.038), those with ART duration of 10 years and above (OR=2.069, 95%CI: 1.419-3.017), and those who received non-first-line regimens (OR=1.776, 95%CI: 1.304-2.418) had higher risks of developing at least one type of chronic disease, including hypertension, diabetes and hyperlipidemia. Conclusions The self-reported prevalence of at least one type of chronic disease, including hypertension, diabetes and hyperlipidemia among HIV/AIDS patients aged 50 years and above receiving ART in Wuxi City was 44.10%. Gender, monthly income, body mass index and ART status are the main influencing factors for the risk of chronic diseases.

Various chromatographic methods were comprehensively applied to study the chemical composition of the ethyl acetate extract from Aucklandiae Radix. The structures of all compounds were identified by analyzing their physicochemical properties and using spectroscopic methods. Two new sesquiterpenoids, named auclappsines A and B(1 and 2) were isolated and identified. Through in vitro high content screening and with the use of a guggulsterone-induced L02 cells, the effects of 1 and 2 on farnesoid X receptor(FXR) protein expression were investigated. The results showed that 1 had a significant FXR activation effect, providing a scientific basis for the development of drugs for the treatment of liver and gallbladder diseases.
Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear/genetics* ; Humans ; Sesquiterpenes/isolation & purification* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/isolation & purification* ; Cell Line ; Molecular Structure

OBJECTIVE: Acupuncture therapies are known for their effectiveness in treating a variety of gastric diseases, although the mechanisms underlying these effects are not fully understood. This study tested the effectiveness of electroacupuncture (EA) at acupoints Zhongwan (RN12) and Weishu (BL21) for managing gastric motility disorder (GMD) and investigated the underlying mechanisms involved. METHODS: A GMD model was used to evaluate the impact of EA on various aspects of gastric function including the amplitude of gastric motility, electrogastrogram, food intake, and the rate of gastric emptying. Immunofluorescence techniques were used to explore the activation of spinal neurons by EA, specifically examining the presence of cholera toxin B subunit (CTB)-positive neurons and fibers emanating from acupoints RN12 and BL21. The stimulation of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-ergic neurons in the spinal dorsal horn, the inhibition of sympathetic preganglionic neurons in the spinal lateral horn, and their collective effects on the activity of sympathetic nerves were examined. RESULTS: EA at RN12 and BL21 significantly improved gastric motility compromised by GMD. Notably, EA activated spinal neurons, with CTB-positive neurons and fibers from RN12 and BL21 being detectable in both the dorsal root ganglia and the spinal dorsal horn. Further analysis revealed that EA at these acupoints not only stimulated GABAergic neurons in the spinal dorsal horn but also suppressed sympathetic preganglionic neurons in the spinal lateral horn, effectively reducing excessive activity of sympathetic nerves triggered by GMD. CONCLUSION EA treatment at RN12 and BL21 effectively enhances gastric motility in a GMD model. The therapeutic efficacy of this approach is attributed to the activation of spinal neurons and the modulation of the spinal GABAergic-sympathetic pathway, providing a neurobiological foundation for the role of acupuncture in treating gastric disorders. Please cite this article as: Zhang MT, Liang YF, Dai Q, Gao HR, Wang H, Chen L, Huang S, Wang XY, Shen GM. A spinal neural circuit for electroacupuncture that regulates gastric functional disorders. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(1): 56-65.
Electroacupuncture ; Animals ; Male ; Acupuncture Points ; Stomach Diseases/physiopathology* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Gastrointestinal Motility ; Rats ; Gastric Emptying ; Neurons ; Spinal Cord ; Stomach/physiopathology*

Objective To explore the potential categories of psychosocial adaptation in psoriasis patients and their differences in social alienation.Methods Using a cross-sectional survey design,convenience sam-pling was used to select 376 psoriasis patients from multiple hospitals in Shandong Province from September to December 2022.Participants completed the general information questionnaire,Psychosocial Adaptation to Illness Scale(PAIS-SR),Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-Ⅱ(AAQ-2),and General Alienation Scale(GAS).Latent profile analysis was performed using Mplus8.0 software to identify psychosocial adaptation patterns of psoriasis patients,and SPSS25.0 was used to compare social alienation differences among different adaptation groups.Results Psoriasis patients could be divided into two latent profiles:moderate psychosocial adaptation group(31.38％)and low psychosocial adaptation group(68.62％).Medical payment method,dis-ease recurrence,psoriasis subtype,disease duration,family history,skin lesion exposure,and AAQ-2 scores were identified as main influencing factors(P＜0.05).Significant differences in total GAS scores were found between the two groups(P＜0.05).Conclusion The psychosocial adaptation of psoriasis patients shows het-erogeneity and could be classified into two latent profiles.Targeted interventions should be implemented to improve psychosocial adaptation levels.

Infant formula milk powder(infant formula)contains a variety of fatty acids that require hydrolysis and derivation,and the calibration methods are complex and variable,affecting the accuracy of quantification.Using the gas chromatography with flame ionization detector(GC-FID)under internal standard and external standard calibration methods,the effects of using fatty acid methyl esters(FAMEs)and triacylglycerol(TAGs)as calibration solutions on determination of 19 kinds of fatty acids content in infant formula were compared in this work.Additionally,the differences in determination between the acetyl chloride methanol method and the hydrolysis extraction method using FAMEs as the calibration solution under internal standard method were also compared.The quantitative results of TAGs external standard quantitative method were significantly higher than those of FAMEs external standard quantitative method and FAMEs calibrator derived by methylation,and the deviation of quantitative results were 7%-20%and 2%-10%,respectively.The quantitative results of FAMEs calibrator added FAME internal standard were significantly higher than those of FAMEs calibrator added FAME internal standard derived from TAG methylation and FAMEs calibrator added TAG internal standard with methyl esterification,and the deviation of quantitative results were about 15%and 2%-5%,respectively.The results indicated that both the two methods of internal standard calibration using FAMEs as the calibration solution and external standard calibration using TAGs as the calibration solution could effectively eliminate the bias in the determination,with simple operation and accurate comparation of the results.However,the results were significantly lower under the external standard calibration using FAMEs as calibration solution.

Objective To detect the expression changes of citrullinated histone H3(CitH3)during the development of deep vein thrombosis(DVT)in mice,and to explore its value in estimating the time to thrombosis.Methods The inferior vena cava(IVC)of mice was ligated to establish a thrombosis model induced by congestion.Mice were sacrificed under excessive anesthesia at 0 h,1 d,3 d,5 d,7 d,10 d,14 d and 21 d after the modeling,respectively.The congested IVC segments(0 h after modeling)and the thrombosed IVC segments(1-21 days after modeling)were extracted.Immunohistochemistry and double immunofluorescence staining were used to observe the number of neutrophils and the ex-pression of CitH3 during thrombosis.Western blotting was used to detect the protein expression level of CitH3.Results During thrombosis,CitH3 was mainly expressed in neutrophils within the thrombus.A small number of neutrophils and a few CitH3-positive cells were observed at 0 h after modeling in the congested IVC.Between 1 d and 21 d after modeling,the number of neutrophils reached a peak at 1 d and gradually decreased.The number of CitH3-positive cells and their ratio to neutrophils began to increase at 1 d,reached a peak at 5 d after modeling,and then decreased.The expression level of CitH3 protein began to increase at 1 d and reached a peak at 5 d after modeling.Conclusion The expres-sion of CitH3 during DVI shows temporal changes,and is expected to become a biological marker for estimating the formation time of thrombosis.

With reference to the Information and Documentation-Resource Description (GB/T 3792-2021) and Bibliographical Description for Ancient Chinese Books (GB/T 3792.7-2008) and other cataloging standards and rules, drawing on the practical experience of cataloging ancient TCM books, Bibliographical Cataloging for Ancient TCM Books was formulated. This standard specifies the entry items and their order of ancient TCM books, cataloging identifier, cataloging text, cataloging information source, and cataloging item details. The standard can provide standardized and unified guiding principles and methods for the work of ancient TCM books, and promote the sharing and utilization of ancient TCM books.

Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of Compound Danshen Dripping Pills combined with Tirofiban in alleviating myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury(MIRI)in patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction(STEMI)after percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI).Methods Ninety-two patients with acute STEMI of qi stagnation and blood stasis syndrome who were admitted to the Chest Pain Center of Shunde Hospital,Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine between March 2023 and October 2023 were equally randomized into a control group and a treatment group using a random number table,with 46 cases in each group.The control group received intracoronary loading dose of Tirofiban during PCI combined with postoperative intravenous micro-pump injection of Tirofiban,while the trial group additionally received Compound Danshen Dripping Pills orally,the treatment course lasted for 4 weeks.Before treatment or immediately after surgery and after 4 weeks of treatment,the two groups were observed in the changes in traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)syndrome scores,cardiac function parameters[including left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF),cardiac output(CO),and left ventricular end-diastolic diameter(LVEDD)],and levels of inflammatory markers of C-reactive protein(CRP)and brain natriuretic peptide(BNP),as well as safety indicators such as liver and kidney function and coagulation parameters in both groups.The peak values of myocardial necrosis markers of creatine kinase-MB(CK-MB)and troponin I(cTnI)and other myocardial enzyme profiles between the two groups were compared.After treatment,the TCM syndrome efficacy of improvement,the therapeutic effect on improving ST-segment resolution(STR)of electrocardiogram,and the incidence of adverse cardiovascular events in both groups were assessed.Results(1)There were 3 patients dropping out during the trial,with a final total of 89 cases included in the efficacy analysis(44 cases in the control group and 45 cases in the trial group).(2)After 4 weeks of treatment,the total effective rate in the trial group was 95.56%(43/45)and that in the control group was 79.55%(35/44).Intergroup comparison by chi-square test showed that TCM syndrome efficacy in the trial group was significantly superior to that in the control group(P＜0.05).(3)After 4 weeks of treatment,the total effective rate for improving STR in the trial group was 93.33%(42/45)and that in the control group was 75.00%(33/44).Intergroup comparison(tested by chi-square test)demonstrated that the trial group had significantly stronger STR improvement efficacy than the control group(P＜0.05).(4)After 4 weeks of treatment,the serum levels of CRP and BNP in both groups were lower than those immediately after surgery(P＜0.05),and the trial group exhibited significantly greater reductions in both CRP and BNP levels than the control group(P＜0.01).(5)The peak values of myocardial necrosis markers of CK-MB and cTnI in the trial group were significantly lower than those in the control group,with statistically significant differences(P＜0.05).(6)After 4 weeks of treatment,the trial group showed significant improvements in LVEF and CO compared to immediate postoperative values(P＜0.05),while LVEDD demonstrated an improving trend without statistical significance(P＞0.05).The control group showed no significant improvements in LVEF,CO,or LVEDD(P＞0.05).The intergroup comparison revealed that the trial group had significantly better improvements in LVEF and CO than the control group(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01).(7)After 4 weeks of treatment,both groups showed reductions in the scores of chest pain,chest tightness,palpitations,emotional depression,hypochondriac distension,and dull complexion,as well as the total syndrome scores when compared to pretreatment values(P＜0.05),and the trial group presented significantly greater reductions than the control group(P＜0.05).(8)No statistically significant differences were shown in the parameters of liver/kidney function or coagulation between the two groups before and after treatment(P＞0.05).(9)The incidence of postoperative adverse cardiovascular events in the control group was 13.64%(6/44)and that in the trial group was 6.67%(3/45),and the intergroup comparison(tested by Fisher's exact test)showed no statistically significant difference(P＞0.05).Conclusion The combination therapy of Compound Danshen Dripping Pills and Tirofiban demonstrates significant efficacy in improving TCM syndromes,ST-segment elevation,myocardial necrosis markers,and cardiac function in STEMI patients after PCI,with good safety.