This paper aims to evaluate the pharmacodynamic effect and mechanism of Zhifuxin in the prevention and treatment of vascular dementia(VD), providing a theoretical basis for later development. Bilateral common carotid artery ligation in male Wistar rats was conducted to replicate the long-term hypoperfused VD model, and the drug was given to groups after one month. The rats were fed daily with nimodipine of 20 mg·kg~(-1), Zhifuxin of 50, 100, and 200 mg·kg~(-1), or the same volume of solvent for four weeks. 24 hours after the last dose, Morris water maze experiments were performed to detect the learning and memory abilities of rats. Hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining was used to observe the pathological changes in the brain tissue of rats; the immunohistochemical method was used to detect the expression of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors M1 and M4 in rats and determine the content of acetyl choline(Ach), acetylcholin esterase(AchE), malondialdehyde(MDA), choline acetyl transferase(ChAT), and dimethyl arginine hydrolase 1(DDAH1) in the cerebral cortex of rats. Western blot was employed to detect protein expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase(eNOS), caveolin-1, monoamine oxidase A(MAO-A), and monoamine oxidase B(MAO-B). RT-qPCR was utilized to detect mRNA expression of eNOS, caveolin-1, MAO-A, and MAO-B. The results showed that compared with the model group, the different doses of Zhifuxin were able to shorten the latency of VD rats in the water maze positioning navigation test, increase the number of crossing platforms in the space exploration test, and alleviate cone cell contracture in the hippocampus of VD rats. The expression of biochemical indicators related to the cholinergic system in the cerebral cortex: M1 and M4 receptors increased, as well as ChAT activity, and AchE activity significantly decreased. The protein and mRNA expression of indicators related to the eNOS/NO pathway: DDAH1 content, eNOS, and caveolin-1 increased, and that of indicators related to monoamine oxidase(MAO): MAO-A and MAO-B significantly decreased. The results show that Zhifuxin can improve cognition ability in long-term hypoperfused VD rats, and its mechanism of action may be related to its ability to modulate the cholinergic system and the eNOS/NO pathway and inhibit MAO expression.
Animals ; Dementia, Vascular/metabolism* ; Male ; Rats, Wistar ; Rats ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Maze Learning/drug effects* ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III/genetics* ; Acetylcholinesterase/metabolism* ; Humans ; Choline O-Acetyltransferase/genetics* ; Disease Models, Animal

Jiuwei Xifeng Granules have become a Chinese patent medicine in the market. Because the formula contains Os Draconis, a top-level protected fossil of ancient organisms, the formula was to be improved by replacing Os Draconis with Ostreae Concha. To evaluate whether the improved formula has the same effectiveness and safety as the original formula, a randomized, double-blind, parallel-controlled, equivalence clinical trial was conducted. This study enrolled 288 tic disorder(TD) of children and assigned them into two groups in 1∶1. The treatment group and control group took the modified formula and original formula, respectively. The treatment lasted for 6 weeks, and follow-up visits were conducted at weeks 2, 4, and 6. The primary efficacy endpoint was the difference in Yale global tic severity scale(YGTSS)-total tic severity(TTS) score from baseline after 6 weeks of treatment. The results showed that after 6 weeks of treatment, the declines in YGTSS-TSS score showed no statistically significant difference between the two groups. The difference in YGTSS-TSS score(treatment group-control group) and the 95%CI of the full analysis set(FAS) were-0.17[-1.42, 1.08] and those of per-protocol set(PPS) were 0.29[-0.97, 1.56], which were within the equivalence boundary [-3, 3]. The equivalence test was therefore concluded. The two groups showed no significant differences in the secondary efficacy endpoints of effective rate for TD, total score and factor scores of YGTSS, clinical global impressions-severity(CGI-S) score, traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) response rate, or symptom disappearance rate, and thus a complete evidence chain with the primary outcome was formed. A total of 6 adverse reactions were reported, including 4(2.82%) cases in the treatment group and 2(1.41%) cases in the control group, which showed no statistically significant difference between the two groups. No serious suspected unexpected adverse reactions were reported, and no laboratory test results indicated serious clinically significant abnormalities. The results support the replacement of Os Draconis by Ostreae Concha in the original formula, and the efficacy and safety of the modified formula are consistent with those of the original formula.
Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Double-Blind Method ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Tic Disorders/drug therapy* ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVE: The present study evaluated the effects of deep acupuncture at Weizhong acupoint (BL40) on bladder function and brain activity in a rat model of overactive bladder (OAB), and investigated the possible mechanisms around the acupuncture area that initiate the effects of acupuncture. METHODS: Adult female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into six groups, comprising a control group, model group, group treated with deep acupuncture at BL40, group treated with shallow acupuncture at BL40, group treated with acupuncture at non-acupoint next to BL40, and group treated with acupuncture at Xuanzhong (GB39). Urodynamic evaluation was used to observe the urination, and functional magnetic resonance imaging was used to observe the brain activation. The mechanism of acupuncture at BL40 in regulating bladder function was explored by toluidine blue staining and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and the mechanism was verified by stabilizing mast cells (MCs) or blocking tibial nerve. RESULTS: Deep acupuncture at BL40 significantly increased the intercontraction interval in OAB rats and enhanced the mean amplitude of low frequency fluctuation of primary motor cortex (M1), periaquaductal gray matter (PAG), and pontine micturition center (PMC). It also increased the zero-lag functional connectivity between M1 and PAG and between PAG and PMC. Shallow acupuncture at BL40 and acupuncture at non-acupoint or GB39 had no effect on these indexes. Further studies suggested that deep acupuncture at BL40 increased the number and degranulation rate of MCs as well as the contents of 5-hydroxytryptamine, substance P, and histamine in the tissues around BL40. Blocking the tibial nerve by lidocaine injection or inhibiting MC degranulation by sodium cromoglycate injection obstructed the effects of acupuncture on restoring urinary function and modulating brain activation in OAB rats. CONCLUSION Deep acupuncture at BL40 may be more effective for inhibiting OAB by promoting degranulation of MCs around the acupoint and stimulating tibial nerve, thereby regulating the activation of the brain area that controls the lower urinary tract. Please cite this article as: Liu X, Zhang CY, Du XY, Li SS, Wang YQ, Zheng Y, Deng HZ, Fang XQ, Li JY, Wang ZQ, Xu SF, Mi YQ. Acupuncture at Weizhong (BL40) attenuates acetic acid-induced overactive bladder in rats by regulating brain neural activity through the modulation of mast cells and tibial nerves. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(1): 46-55.
Animals ; Urinary Bladder, Overactive/physiopathology* ; Mast Cells/physiology* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Female ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Acupuncture Points ; Rats ; Brain/physiopathology* ; Tibial Nerve/physiopathology* ; Acetic Acid ; Urinary Bladder/physiopathology*

A nodule in the right middle lobe of the lung was treated by a combination of cone-beam CT,three-dimensional registration for fusion imaging,and electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy-guided thermal ablation.The procedure lasted for 90 min,with no significant bleeding observed under the bronchoscope.The total radiation dose during the operation was 384 mGy.The patient recovered well postoperatively,with only a small amount of blood in the sputum and no pneumothorax or other complications.A follow-up chest CT on the first day post operation showed that the ablation area completely covered the lesion,and the patient was discharged successfully.
Humans ; Bronchoscopy/methods* ; Catheter Ablation/methods* ; Cone-Beam Computed Tomography ; Electromagnetic Phenomena ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional ; Lung Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Objective To explore the effects of single-session table tennis exercise with different intensities on working memory and the associated cognitive neural processing mechanisms in college students with depressive symptoms by using event-related potential(ERP)technology.Methods A convenience sampling approach was employed to recruit 100 college students with depressive symptoms from a university.Participants were randomly assigned at a 1∶1∶1∶1 ratio to low-intensity exercise group,moderate-intensity exercise group,high-intensity exercise group,or control group.The exercise groups participated in a single 30-min table tennis intervention at intensities corresponding to 57%-64%of maximum heart rate(HRmax)and rate of perceived exertion(RPE)scores ranging from 9-11,65%-75%HRmax and RPE scores 12-13,and 76%-95%HRmax and RPE scores of 14-17(5-min warm-up,20-min monitored exercise,5-min cool-down).The control group did not receive any exercise intervention.Pre-and post-intervention assessments of verbal working memory(VWM)and spatial working memory(SWM)were performed,alongside the recording of ERP components,including the amplitude and latency of N2 and P3,during the tasks.Results A total of 91 participants(20 in the low-intensity exercise group,25 in the moderate-intensity exercise group,23 in the high-intensity exercise group,and 23 in the control group)were enrolled for analysis.In the VWM task,the main effect of time on accuracy was found to be significant(F(1,89)=5.942,P=0.017,partial η2=0.064).Post-intervention,accuracy was significantly improved in the moderate-intensity and high-intensity exercise groups(change=0.027,95%confidence interval[CI]0.001-0.053,P=0.037;change=0.029,95%CI 0.002-0.055,P=0.040).The main effect of time on reaction time was also significant(F(1,89)=7.244,P=0.009,partial η2=0.077).The interaction between group and time was also significant(F(3,87)=2.844,P=0.042,partial η2=0.089).After the intervention,the reaction time was reduced in the low-intensity and moderate-intensity exercise groups(change=-0.095,95%CI-0.183--0.007,P=0.035;change=-0.079,95%CI-0.158-0,P=0.049).The interaction between time and electrode location in the P3 latency in ERP components was significant(F(3,87)=5.785,P＜0.001,partial η2=0.062),while the interactions for other ERP measures were not significant(all P＞0.05).In the SWM task,the main effect of time on accuracy was significant(F(1,89)=5.092,P=0.027,partial η2=0.055),while the interaction between group and time was not significant(F(3,87)=0.799,P=0.498,partial η2=0.027).After the intervention,accuracy was improved in the moderate-intensity exercise group(change=0.019,95%CI 0-0.037,P=0.046).The main effect of time on reaction time was significant(F(1,89)=14.322,P＜0.001,partial η2=0.141).The interaction between group and time was not significant(F(3,87)=1.521,P=0.215,partial η2=0.050).After the intervention,reaction time was shortened in the moderate-intensity and high-intensity exercise groups(change=-0.082,95%CI-0.136--0.027,P=0.004;change=-0.075,95%CI-0.131--0.018,P=0.029).The interaction between time and electrode location in the P3 amplitude in ERP components was significant(F(3,87)=5.475,P=0.001,partial η2=0.059),while the interactions for other ERP measures were not significant(all P＞0.05).Conclusion Single-session table tennis exercise with different intensities has a positive effect on working memory in college students with depressive symptoms.Moderate-to high-intensity exercise can enhance VWM accuracy,while low-to moderate-intensity exercise can reduce VWM reaction time.Furthermore,moderate-intensity exercise can improve SWM accuracy,and moderate-to high-intensity exercise can shorten SWM reaction time.Additionally,high-intensity exercise can lead to greater activation of ERP components.

With the rapid development of generative artificial intelligence(GAI)technologies,their widespread application in academic research and writing is continuously expanding the boundaries of sci-entific inquiry.However,this trend has also raised a series of ethical and regulatory challenges,inclu-ding issues related to authorship,content authenticity,citation accuracy,and accountability.In light of the growing involvement of AI in generating academic content,establishing an open,controllable,and trustworthy ethical governance framework has become a key task for safeguarding research integrity and maintaining trust within the academic community.This expert consensus outlines ethical requirements across key stages of AI-assisted academic writing-including topic selection,data management,citation practices,and authorship attribution.It aims to clarify the boundaries and ethical obligations surrounding AI use in academic writing,ensuring that technological tools enhance efficiency without compromising in-tegrity.The goal is to provide guidance and institutional support for building a responsible and sustainable research ecosystem.

Objective:To investigate the synergistic effect and deficiencies between the access path to national medical insurance catalogue and centralized volume-based procurement(VBP)policy,and to provide scientific references to further improve its synergistic effect.Method:The literature analysis method and policy evaluation method were adopted to explore the characteristics of the direct access,negotiated access and bidding access of medical insurance catalogue,and expound the synergistic effect and problems between different inclusion paths and the centralized VBP.Results and Conclusions:The direct access of medical insurance and the VBP policy have formed a policy loop,and have promoted the clinical application of the procured drugs.Under the negotiated access,the VBP of patented drugs is confronted with several practical problems such as the lack of evidence,incompatibility of implementation targets,conflicts in pricing mechanisms and calculation of procurement quantities.The VBP of generic drugs should be vigilant against the inhibitory effect of policy stacking on the innovation impetus.Under the bidding access,the VBP of bidding drugs should not only pay attention to the synergy effect of policies,but also focus on whether the bidding drugs meet the preconditions for centralized procurement,and the impact of the excessive price cuts on the stability of drug supply for pharmaceutical enterprises.

Aim To detect the non-coding RNA(ncRNA)expression profile of neuroglioma cells via whole transcriptome sequencing,establish the ceRNA network and reveal the molecular mechanism of ncRNA participating in the inhibition of neuroglioma cell prolif-eration by melatonin.Methods Neuroglioma cells were intervened with by 0,2,4,6 and 8 mmol·L-1 melatonin for 24,48 and 72 h,and the inhibitory effect of melatonin on cell proliferation was detected via CCK-8;after the intervention of 0 and 4 mmol·L-1 melatonin to U251 cells for 24 h,differentially ex-pressed miRNA(DEmiRNA),lncRNA(DElncRNA)and mRNA(DEmRNA)were detected through whole transcriptome sequencing,along with GO and KEGG enrichment analysis of DEmRNA;the ceRNA network was constructed,and the key gene expression of ceR-NA was verified through qRT-PCR.Results Melato-nin exerts a time-dose-dependent inhibitory effect on the proliferation of neuroglioma cells;a total of 5049 DEmRNA,635 DElncRNA and 146 DEmiRNA in 0 and 4 mmol·L-1 melatonin groups were screened out via whole transcriptome sequencing;DEmRNAs were mainly enriched in cancer-related signaling pathways,such as ferroptosis,mTOR signaling pathway,FoxO signaling pathway and cell cycle;the ceRNA network included 4 lncRNAs,3 miRNAs and 48 mRNAs.As verified through real-time PCR,the expressions of hsa-miR-129-5p,hsa-miR-362-5p,LINC00707 and SLC16A1-AS1 of U251 cells were consistent with the sequencing results,and the gene expression of U87 cells was basically consistent with the sequencing re-sults.Conclusions Melatonin affects cancer-related signaling pathways through the differential expression of ncRNA so as to inhibit the proliferation of U251 cells;the ceRNA network composed of LINC00707,SLC16A1-AS1,hsa-miR-129-5p and hsa-miR-362-5p may take a part in the molecular mechanism of melato-nin in inhibiting neuroglioma cell proliferation.

With the rapid development of generative artificial intelligence(GAI)technologies,their widespread application in academic research and writing is continuously expanding the boundaries of sci-entific inquiry.However,this trend has also raised a series of ethical and regulatory challenges,inclu-ding issues related to authorship,content authenticity,citation accuracy,and accountability.In light of the growing involvement of AI in generating academic content,establishing an open,controllable,and trustworthy ethical governance framework has become a key task for safeguarding research integrity and maintaining trust within the academic community.This expert consensus outlines ethical requirements across key stages of AI-assisted academic writing-including topic selection,data management,citation practices,and authorship attribution.It aims to clarify the boundaries and ethical obligations surrounding AI use in academic writing,ensuring that technological tools enhance efficiency without compromising in-tegrity.The goal is to provide guidance and institutional support for building a responsible and sustainable research ecosystem.

Objective:To investigate the synergistic effect and deficiencies between the access path to national medical insurance catalogue and centralized volume-based procurement(VBP)policy,and to provide scientific references to further improve its synergistic effect.Method:The literature analysis method and policy evaluation method were adopted to explore the characteristics of the direct access,negotiated access and bidding access of medical insurance catalogue,and expound the synergistic effect and problems between different inclusion paths and the centralized VBP.Results and Conclusions:The direct access of medical insurance and the VBP policy have formed a policy loop,and have promoted the clinical application of the procured drugs.Under the negotiated access,the VBP of patented drugs is confronted with several practical problems such as the lack of evidence,incompatibility of implementation targets,conflicts in pricing mechanisms and calculation of procurement quantities.The VBP of generic drugs should be vigilant against the inhibitory effect of policy stacking on the innovation impetus.Under the bidding access,the VBP of bidding drugs should not only pay attention to the synergy effect of policies,but also focus on whether the bidding drugs meet the preconditions for centralized procurement,and the impact of the excessive price cuts on the stability of drug supply for pharmaceutical enterprises.