BACKGROUND:Ammonia poisoning is considered to be the main hypothesis for the pathogenesis of hepatic encephalopathy.Ammonia can lead to psychiatric and cognitive behavioral disorders,although the specific pathological molecular mechanisms remain unclear.OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effects of ammonia poisoning on cognitive behavior and hippocampal neuronal synapses in mice.METHODS:Thirty-two C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into a normal control group and an ammonium chloride group,with 16 mice in each group.Normal saline was injected intraperitoneally in the control group,and ammonium chloride(10 mmol/kg)was injected intraperitoneally in the ammonium chloride group to construct a model of ammonia poisoning,once a day.After 7 days of ammonium chloride intervention,blood samples were collected from the hearts of six mice in each group for blood ammonia concentration detection.Behavioral experiments,including the open field test,novel object recognition test,and Y-maze test,were performed to assess mental and cognitive-behavioral changes in mice.Finally,hippocampal tissues were extracted for western blot analysis to detect the expression levels of synaptophysin and postsynaptic density protein-95 in hippocampal neurons.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The blood ammonia concentration was significantly elevated in the ammonium chloride group compared with the control group(P＜0.05).Mice in the ammonium chloride group showed anxiety-like behavior and disinhibition phenomenon,and a significant decrease in recognition memory and working memory ability.Western blot results revealed that the expression of synaptophysin and postsynaptic density protein-95 protein in hippocampal neurons in the ammonium chloride group was lower than that in the control group(P＜0.05).To conclude,ammonia poisoning can induce hippocampal neuronal synaptic damage,leading to psychiatric and cognitive behavioral abnormalities in mice.

Purpose: The optimal sequencing of targeted therapies and the role of primary tumor resection (PTR) in KRAS wild-type metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) remain unclear. This study compared survival outcomes in patients treated with first-line cetuximab plus FOLFIRI (folinic acid, 5-fluorouracil, and irinotecan) versus bevacizumab plus FOLFIRI, followed by second-line oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy and later-line trifluridine/tipiracil or regorafenib. Methods: This retrospective cohort study used Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Research Database and the Taiwan Cancer Registry. Patients diagnosed with mCRC between 2013 and 2019 were included if they received first-line cetuximab or bevacizumab plus FOLFIRI, followed by later-line trifluridine/tipiracil or regorafenib. Patients were stratified by PTR status. Primary endpoints were overall survival and survival during trifluridine/tipiracil or regorafenib treatment. Secondary endpoints included time to treatment discontinuation (TTD) and TTD during trifluridine/tipiracil or regorafenib therapy. Stabilized inverse probability of treatment weighting was used for adjustment. Results: Among 559 patients, 278 were assigned to the non-PTR group and 281 to the PTR group. In the non-PTR group, the cetuximab cohort demonstrated significantly longer survival during trifluridine/tipiracil or regorafenib therapy (6.2 months vs. 4.9 months; hazard ratio [HR], 0.72) and longer TTD1 (the interval between initiation of first-line therapy and the start of second-line chemotherapy; 11.8 months vs. 9.5 months; HR, 0.67) than the bevacizumab cohort. Survival differences between regimens were less pronounced among patients who underwent PTR. Conclusion First-line cetuximab plus FOLFIRI may confer a survival advantage over bevacizumab in patients with KRAS wild-type mCRC without PTR, including during later-line therapy with trifluridine/tipiracil or regorafenib, whereas bevacizumab appears to provide more consistent benefits in those with PTR.

Background: The World Health Organization published the 2019 Integrated Care for Older People (ICOPE) framework to guide, assess, and promote the intrinsic capacity (IC) of older adults, referring to their physical and mental health. This study aims to investigate the relationship between IC and frailty among older adults. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in a medical center in Taiwan in 2021. Two hundred ten patients over 65 admitted to the geriatric ward were invited to participate. The questionnaire included an IC measure, Fried Frailty Scale, and demographic items. The IC measure was ascertained using the six domains of ICOPE (cognition, mobility, nutrition, visual, hearing, and depressive symptoms). The Fried Frailty Scale was used to categorize participants as robust (Fried Frailty Scale=0), prefrail (Fried Frailty Scale=1-2), or frail (Fried Frailty Scale ≥3). Multinomial logistic regression was used to analyze the association between individual ICOPE domains and frailty stages, while adjusting for confounders. Results: Among the participants, 39.0% were prefrail, and 28.6% were frail. Limited mobility and depressive symptoms were significantly associated with prefrail (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]=4.44, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.82–10.82; aOR=8.41, 95% CI 1.75–40.37) and frail (aOR=11.57, 95% CI 3.63–36.93; aOR=13.77, 95% CI 2.62–72.49) individuals, respectively. Malnutrition (aOR=4.01, 95% CI 1.18–13.62) and hearing loss (aOR=4.37, 95% CI 1.09–19.66) were significantly associated with frail older adults. Conclusion Limited mobility and depressive symptoms occurring at the prefrail stage could be used as assessment items for early detection of prefrail.

BACKGROUND:Ammonia poisoning is considered to be the main hypothesis for the pathogenesis of hepatic encephalopathy.Ammonia can lead to psychiatric and cognitive behavioral disorders,although the specific pathological molecular mechanisms remain unclear.OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effects of ammonia poisoning on cognitive behavior and hippocampal neuronal synapses in mice.METHODS:Thirty-two C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into a normal control group and an ammonium chloride group,with 16 mice in each group.Normal saline was injected intraperitoneally in the control group,and ammonium chloride(10 mmol/kg)was injected intraperitoneally in the ammonium chloride group to construct a model of ammonia poisoning,once a day.After 7 days of ammonium chloride intervention,blood samples were collected from the hearts of six mice in each group for blood ammonia concentration detection.Behavioral experiments,including the open field test,novel object recognition test,and Y-maze test,were performed to assess mental and cognitive-behavioral changes in mice.Finally,hippocampal tissues were extracted for western blot analysis to detect the expression levels of synaptophysin and postsynaptic density protein-95 in hippocampal neurons.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The blood ammonia concentration was significantly elevated in the ammonium chloride group compared with the control group(P＜0.05).Mice in the ammonium chloride group showed anxiety-like behavior and disinhibition phenomenon,and a significant decrease in recognition memory and working memory ability.Western blot results revealed that the expression of synaptophysin and postsynaptic density protein-95 protein in hippocampal neurons in the ammonium chloride group was lower than that in the control group(P＜0.05).To conclude,ammonia poisoning can induce hippocampal neuronal synaptic damage,leading to psychiatric and cognitive behavioral abnormalities in mice.

To report two cases of psychiatric symptoms associated with zonisamide, an antiepileptic drug, and raise clinical awareness of this potential adverse effect. Two male patients with epilepsy treated with zonisamide were retrospectively analyzed. Case 1 (25 years old) developed acute emotional and behavioral abnormalities (e.g., insomnia, aggression, incoherent speech) after switching from sodium valproate to zonisamide (200 mg/day). Case 2 (48 years old) had long-term zonisamide use (≥5 years) with persistent treatment-resistant psychotic symptoms (e.g., delusions, command hallucinations). Clinical courses, medication adjustments, and symptom responses were documented. In Case 1, psychiatric symptoms resolved after discontinuing zonisamide and switching to sodium valproate, with improved mood stability and reduced impulsivity. In Case 2, despite escalating antipsychotic medications (risperidone, clozapine), psychotic symptoms persisted, likely due to ongoing zonisamide use. Both cases highlighted zonisamide’s potential to exacerbate or induce psychiatric manifestations, possibly via mechanisms involving sodium/calcium channel inhibition and neurotransmitter dysregulation (e.g., dopamine, serotonin). Zonisamide can cause or worsen psychiatric symptoms, particularly in vulnerable individuals. Clinicians should monitor for mental health changes during zonisamide treatment and consider drug discontinuation or substitution with alternative antiepileptics (e.g., sodium valproate) if psychiatric adverse effects emerge. Awareness of this association is crucial to avoid misdiagnosis and optimize epilepsy management.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the quality of clinical practice guidelines and expert consensus statements on knee osteoarthritis （KOA） based on the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research & Evaluation Ⅱ （AGREE Ⅱ）， thus providing a new perspective for clinical selection as well as guideline development and updating. MethodsA systematic search was conducted for KOA-related guidelines and consensus statements published from November 1， 2019 to December 31， 2025. The databases and platforms searched included CNKI， VIP， Wanfang Data， PubMed， Web of Science， the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence （NICE）， SinoMed， Yimaitong， and relevant official websites. Two researchers independently screened the literature， and four researchers used AGREE Ⅱ to score the included documents and completed the quality appraisal after reaching a unified understanding. Subgroup analyses were further performed according to developing organization， document type， medical approach， funding status， and region of development， and longitudinal comparisons were conducted by year of publication. ResultsA total of 23 guidelines and consensus statements were included. The standardized scores of the six AGREE Ⅱ domains， from the highest to the lowest， were clarity of presentation ［（70.36±8.13）%］， scope and purpose ［（67.46 ± 11.44）%］， editorial independence ［（64.50±20.01）%］， rigor of development ［（62.24±15.26）%］， stakeholder involvement ［（55.73±10.29）%］， and applicability ［（53.89±13.17）%］. In terms of overall recommendation， 6 documents were rated as grade A and 17 as grade B. Stratified analyses showed that professional organizations scored higher than comprehensive organizations. The overall scores of traditional Chinese medicine/integrative medicine and Western medicine guidelines （or consensus statements） were similar. Guidelines scored higher than consensus statements. The overall scores were similar between documents with reported funding and those without reported funding. International guidelines scored higher than domestic guidelines. Longitudinal comparisons showed that the largest number of documents was published in 2021. The overall scores were higher in 2021—2022， and some domain scores declined in 2023—2024. Overall， the quality of recent guidelines and consensus statements for KOA showed slight fluctuations， without a clear linear trend. ConclusionThe included guidelines and consensus statements for KOA can generally serve as references for clinical practice. However， the quality across domains remains uneven， and stakeholder involvement and applicability are still weak domains. Future guideline development and updating should further improve methodological standardization and transparency in reporting.

Objective:To explore the correlative factors for insomnia severity in chronic insomnia patients using MemTrax memory test.Methods:Two hundred and twenty-two chronic insomnia patients (insomnia≥3 days per week with a duration≥3 months) recruited from Center for Preventive Treatment of Diseases, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine or through in-hospital advertisements from April 2024 to September 2024 were chosen. Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was used to evaluate the sleep quality over the last month; according to PSQI score, these patients were divided into mild insomnia group (scores of 7-10), moderate insomnia group (scores of 11-15) and severe insomnia group (scores of 16-21). MemTrax memory test was used to record the picture recognition accuracy and picture recognition reaction time, and MemTrax comprehensive index (MTx-Cp) was calculated; Patients' Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 scale(GAD-7) were used to evaluate the depression and anxiety status of these patients in recent 2 weeks. The clinical data, MemTrax test results, PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scores of patients with different degrees of chronic insomnia were compared. Spearman rank correlation analysis was used to investigate the correlation between insomnia severity and clinical data such as cognitive memory function in chronic insomnia patients.Results:Among the 220 chronic insomnia patients, 54 had mild insomnia, 111 had moderate insomnia, and 55 had severe insomnia. Severe insomnia patients had significantly higher percentages of those>50 years old and those using hypnotics compared with mild insomnia patients and moderate insomnia patients ( P<0.05). Compared with the mild insomnia patients and moderate insomnia patients, the severe insomnia patients exhibited significantly lower picture recognition accuracy (90%[86%, 94%], 88%[82%, 94%], 84%[78%, 92%]), significantly lower MTx-Cp (88.55±18.67, 84.41±20.93, 76.69±17.43), and significantly higher PHQ-9 score (9[6, 11], 9[6, 15], 12[8, 16], P<0.05). Moreover, severe insomnia patients had significantly longer picture recognition reaction time and higher GAD-7 score than mild insomnia patients (1.11[1.03, 1.24] s vs. 1.04[0.90, 1.15] s; 7[5, 13] vs. 6[3, 9], P<0.05). Spearman rank correlation analysis showed that insomnia severity in chronic insomnia patients was positively correlated with age, PHQ-9 score, GAD-7 score, and picture recognition reaction time, and negatively correlated with picture recognition accuracy and MTx-Cp ( P<0.05). Conclusion:Insomnia severity in patients with chronic insomnia is correlated with age, cognitive memory function, depression and anxiety.

Objective:To explore the current implementation status and challenges of family doctor contract services (FDCS) from the perspective of contracted residents.Methods:This qualitative study used purposive sampling to select contracted residents from 11 primary healthcare institutions across five cities in China. Semi-structured interviews were conducted from March to December 2024, covering topics such as awareness of contracting, service experience, health needs, service continuity, and policy recommendations. Thematic framework analysis was applied to organize, code, and summarize the data.Results:A total of 25 contracted residents were interviewed (6 men, 19 women; 11 from central urban areas, 14 from suburban or rural towns; 8 with chronic diseases). Three main themes and ten sub-themes emerged: Theme Ⅰ: Pathways to improved service accessibility (optimized chronic disease management, more efficient referrals, and improved health education). Theme Ⅱ: Structural misalignment between supply and demand (limited specialty services despite patient needs, insufficient coverage and public awareness of home-based medical care, imbalanced human resources, and service disruption due to clinician turnover). Theme Ⅲ: Challenges in service awareness and communication mechanisms (information asymmetry and public misperception regarding FDCS, perverse incentives in administrative performance evaluation, and communication barriers in building patient-doctor trust).Conclusions:While FDCS has shown progress in chronic disease management, referral coordination, and health education, structural supply-demand gaps and communication challenges continue to hinder service quality. Improvements in resource allocation and service models are needed to support high-quality development.

Objective:To establish venetoclax-resistant acute myeloid leukemia(AML)cell lines,assess the sensitivity of venetoclax-resistant cell lines to the BCL-2 protein family,and investigate their resistance mechanisms.Methods:CCK-8 method was used to screen AML cell lines(MV4-11,MOLM13,OCI-AML2)that were relatively sensitive to venetoclax.Low concentrations of venetoclax continuously induced drug-resistance development in the cell lines.Changes in cell viability and apoptosis rate before and after resistance development were measured using the CCK-8 method and flow cytometry.BH3 profiling assay was performed to anayze the transform of mitochondrion-dependent apoptosis pathway as well as the sensitivity of resistant cell lines to BCL-2 family proteins and small molecule inhibitors.Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR(RT-qPCR)was utilized to examine changes in the expression levels of BCL-2 protein family members in both venetoclax-resistant cell lines and multidrug-resistant patients.Results:Venetoclax-resistant cell lines of MV4-11,MOLM13,and OCI-AML2 were successfully established,with IC50 values exceeding 10-fold.Under the same concentration of venetoclax,the apoptosis rate of resistant cells decreased significantly(P＜0.05).BH3 profiling assay revealed that the drug-resistant cell lines showed increased sensitivity to many pro-apoptotic proteins(such as BIM,BID and NOXA).RT-qPCR showed significantly upregulated MCL1 and downregulated NOXA1 were detected in drug-resistant cell lines.Expression changes in MCL1 and NOXA1 in venetoclax-resistant patients were consistent with our established drug-resistant cell line results.Conclusion:The venetoclax-resistant AML cell lines were successfully established through continuous induction with low concentrations of venetoclax.The venetoclax resistance resulted in alterations in the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway of the cells and an increased sensitivity of cells to pro-apoptotic proteins BIM,BID,and NOXA,which may be associated with the upregulation of MCL1 expression and downregulation of NOXA1 expression in the drug-resistant cells.

This paper interprets the best practice guidelines for Practice Education in Nursing published by the Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario (RNAO), providing a scientific basis and insights for the development and progress of nursing students' practical education in China. The goal is to improve the quality of nursing students' clinical practice and enhance their clinical service capabilities.