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.

Objective To explore the incidence and risk factors of sarcopenia in non-dialysis patients with stage 5 chronic kidney disease (CKD). Methods Non-dialysis stage 5 CKD patients in Jiading District Central Hospital Affiliated Shanghai University of Medicine & Health Sciences from October 2023 to October 2024 were enrolled and divided into the non-sarcopenia group and the sarcopenia group according to lean tissue index (LTI) and handgrip strength (HGS). Demographic data of patients were collected and biochemical indicators were detected. Serum advanced glycation end products (AGEs) were detected by competitive ELISA. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to analyze the risk factors of sarcopenia in these patients. The diagnostic efficacy of the risk factors was evaluated by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Results A total of 102 non-dialysis stage 5 CKD patients with (68.52±7.39) years, were enrolled, including 61 male (59.8%). Among them, 24 were diagnosed with sarcopenia (23.5%). Compared with patients in non-sarcopenia group, patients in sarcopenia group were older and had higher interleukin-6 (IL-6) and AGEs, lower body mass index (BMI) and lower serum albumin (sAlb; P＜0.05). Multivariate logistic regression showed that advanced age (OR＝1.153, 95%CI 1.045–1.273, P＝0.005), higher IL-6 (OR＝1.165, 95%CI 1.042–1.302, P＝0.007)、lower sAlb (OR＝0.675, 95%CI 0.542–0.840, P＝0.001), and higher serum AGEs (OR＝1.105, 95%CI 1.013–1.206, P＝0.024) were independent risk factors of sarcopenia in non-dialysis CKD 5 patients. The areas under the curve (AUC) for the age, IL-6, sAlb, and serum AGEs were 0.896, 0.643, 0.658, and 0.724, respectively. Conclusions Sarcopenia is common in non-dialysis stage 5 CKD patients, and the risk of sarcopenia is higher in non-dialysis stage 5 CKD patients with advanced age, higher IL-6, lower sAlb, and higher serum AGEs.

Developing an intelligent agent for integrated traditional Chinese and western medicine diagnosis and treatment based on clinical practice guidelines is a key approach to advancing the standardization and intelligent deve-lopment of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） and to supporting clinical decision-making. This paper argues for the necessity of building a knowledge base using guidelines as the sole data source， systematically identifies five core methodological challenges across the entire process， and proposes corresponding solutions. An ontology framework capable of distinguishing between TCM and western medicine concepts should be designed to address the difficulty of knowledge integration. A closed-loop "algorithm-based extraction-expert review" model is adopted to reduce data extraction errors. Expert consensus is incorporated to address decision gaps in specific clinical scenarios outlined in the guidelines， while a multi-stage， standardized output process for the AI system is established to eliminate model hallucinations. Furthermore， an evaluation framework reflecting clinical applicability is developed to enhance the AI system's accuracy and stability. Throughout the research process， it is essential to ensure the in-depth and continuous participation of multidisciplinary experts， strictly control the selection and quality evaluation of guidelines， and rely on the expert consensus method to address decision gaps in the knowledge base. Additionally， continuous validation and iterative optimization of intelligent agents are required to ensure the accuracy and stability of generated outputs. Limitations remain in the mechanisms for real-time knowledge synchronization in intelligent diagnostic and treatment systems， and further validation through large-scale real-world studies is warranted.

ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanism by which Shengjiang Pingchuan Zhike pills （SPZP） alleviate airway injury in the rat model of cough variant asthma （CVA） via regulating autophagy through activating the adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase （AMPK）/mammalian target of rapamycin （mTOR）/Unc-51-like autophagy activating kinase 1 （ULK1） signaling pathway based on transcriptomics， thus providing experimental evidence for the clinical application of SPZP. MethodsForty SPF-grade SD rats were enrolled in the present study and randomly via the random number table method assigned into four groups： a blank group， a model group， a SPZP （2 160 mg·kg^-1·d^-1） group， and a positive drug （montelukast sodium， MTL， 0.9 mg·kg^-1·d^-1）group， with 10 rats in each group. After one week of adaptive feeding， the rat model of cough variant asthma （CVA） was established by two-week sensitization with ovalbumin （OVA） and aluminium hydroxide， followed by capsaicin atomization challenge. Rats in the blank group received an equal volume of normal saline during modeling. Upon successful modeling， rats in the SPZP group and positive drug group were administrated with SPZP suspension and MTL solution， respectively， while those in the blank and model groups received the same dose of normal saline by gavage. The whole intervention lasted for 21 consecutive days. After the intervention， general behaviors of rats in each group were observed. Pulmonary function indicators were subsequently detected. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining was performed to visualize the pathological morphology of the lung tissue， and periodic acid-Schiff （PAS） staining was adopted to evaluate airway mucus secretion. Transcriptomic sequencing was conducted to screen differentially expressed genes in the lung tissue across groups. The levels of inflammatory cytokines including interleukin （IL）-4， IL-5， immunoglobulin E （IgE）， and interferon-γ （IFN-γ） in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid （BALF） were quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. Immunofluorescence staining was used for detecting the co-localization of autophagy-related protein Beclin-1 and phosphorylated mammalian target of rapamycin （p-mTOR）. Transmission electron microscopy was employed to count autophagosomes and observe mitochondrial morphological changes in the lung tissue. Western blot assay was utilized to measure the expression levels of AMPK/mTOR/ULK1 axis-related proteins， including AMPK， phosphorylated adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase （p-AMPK）， mTOR， phosphorylated mammalian target of rapamycin （p-mTOR）， ULK1， and phosphorylated Unc-51-like autophagy activating kinase 1 （p-ULK1） as well as the autophagy biomarkers Beclin-1 and selective autophagy adaptor protein p62 in lung specimens. ResultsCompared with the blank group， the model group exhibited markedly elevated cough frequency accompanied by wheezing and stridor， dull fur， poor mental activity， diminished motor activity， accelerated respiratory rate， and weakened sensory response and mobility to external stimuli， accompanied by a declining tendency of body mass. Meanwhile， the model group exhibited decreased dynamic lung compliance， increased airway resistance （P<0.01）， severe pathological damage and excessive mucus secretion in the lung tissue （P<0.01）， and elevated levels of IL-4， IL-5， and IgE and declined level of IFN-γ in the BALF （P<0.01）. Ultrastructural observation revealed damaged mitochondrial morphology and a sharp reduction in the number of autophagosomes in the lung tissue. In addition， the expression of p-AMPK， p-ULK1， and Beclin-1 were downregulated， whereas p-mTOR and p62 were highly expressed （P<0.05， P<0.01） in the model group. Gene Ontology （GO） and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes （KEGG） enrichment analyses demonstrated significant enrichment of AMPK， mTOR， and autophagy-related pathways. Compared with the model group， both the positive drug group and SPZP group obtained visible improvements in general behavioral manifestations and obvious recovery of pulmonary function indicators （P<0.05）， alleviated pulmonary pathological lesions and suppressed excessive airway mucus secretion （P<0.05）， recovered levels of inflammatory cytokines in the BALF （P<0.05）， restored mitochondrial morphology， increased autophagosomes， upregulated expression levels of p-AMPK， p-ULK1， and Beclin-1， and downregulated expression levels of p-mTOR and p62 （P<0.05）. ConclusionSPZP can effectively ameliorate airway inflammation and improve the pulmonary function in the rat model of CVA by activating the AMPK/mTOR/ULK1 signaling pathway， enhancing autophagy in the lung tissue， and inhibiting excessive airway mucus secretion and immune inflammatory imbalance.

Erectile dysfunction （ED） is a common chronic andrological disease that seriously impairs men’s physical and mental health and reduces their quality of life. Shugan yiyang capsule is a compound formula of traditional Chinese medicine for the clinical treatment of erectile dysfunction， with core effects of soothing the liver， relieving depression， promoting blood circulation， and nourishing the kidneys. This paper systematically reviewed the mechanisms of action and clinical research progress of Shugan yiyang capsule in the treatment of ED. Accumulated evidence indicated that this capsule exerted its therapeutic effects by modulating signaling pathways such as nitric oxide synthase/cyclic guanosine monophosphate and phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B， inhibiting phosphodiesterase-5 （PDE-5） expression and oxidative stress， regulating hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis function， and improving penile hemodynamics. In terms of clinical application， Shugan yiyang capsule used alone improved erectile function and related clinical indicators in patients with ED. When combined with PDE-5 inhibitors or surgical operation， Shugan yiyang capsule also demonstrated certain synergistic and efficacy-enhancing effects， with generally good tolerability. However， existing studies were still limited by insufficient investigation of the pharmacodynamic material basis of the formula， inadequate elucidation of the interactions among different signaling pathways， a lack of direct experimental validation for some potential mechanisms， and relatively small sample sizes and limited levels of clinical evidence. Future studies will integrate serum pharmacochemistry， multi-omics approaches， and pharmacokinetic techniques to further characterize the absorbed constituents， key pharmacologically active components， and multi-target synergistic mechanisms of Shugan yiyang capsule. Meanwhile， multicenter， large-sample randomized controlled trials with long-term follow-up will be conducted to strengthen the quality of clinical evidence and facilitate the precise use of Shugan yiyang capsule in the treatment of ED.

Receptor-interacting protein kinase 1 (RIPK1) plays an essential role in regulating the necroptosis and apoptosis in cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. However, the regulation of RIPK1 kinase activity after cerebral I/R injury remains largely unknown. In this study, we found the downregulation of protein arginine methyltransferase 1 (PRMT1) was induced by cerebral I/R injury, which negatively correlated with the activation of RIPK1. Mechanistically, we proved that PRMT1 directly interacted with RIPK1 and catalyzed its asymmetric dimethylarginine, which then blocked RIPK1 homodimerization and suppressed its kinase activity. Moreover, pharmacological inhibition or genetic ablation of PRMT1 aggravated I/R injury by promoting RIPK1-mediated necroptosis and apoptosis, while PRMT1 overexpression protected against I/R injury by suppressing RIPK1 activation. Our findings revealed the molecular regulation of RIPK1 activation and demonstrated PRMT1 would be a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of ischemic stroke.

Allergic rhinitis (AR), a globally prevalent immune-mediated inflammatory condition, is still an incurable disease. In the present study, we have validated the impact of the Kelch-like ECH associated protein 1 (Keap1)-related oxidative stress and inflammatory response in clinical AR patient peripheral blood and nasal swab samples, emphasizing the biological relevance of Keap1 and AR. Targeting Keap1 -nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) related anti-oxidative stress may be effective for AR intervention. Drawing inspiration from the Keap1 homodimerization and the E3 ligase characteristics, we herein present a design of novel bivalent molecules for chemical knockdown of Keap1. For the first time, we characterized ternary complexes of Keap1 dimer and one molecule of bivalent compounds. The best bivalent molecule 8 encompasses robust capacity to degrade Keap1 as a homoPROTAC^KEAP1. It efficaciously suppresses inflammatory cytokines in extensively different cells, including human nasal epithelial cells. Moreover, in an AR mouse model, we confirmed that the chemical degradation induced by homoPROTAC^KEAP1 led to therapeutic benefits in managing AR symptoms, oxidative stress and inflammation. In summary, our findings underscore the efficacy of targeting the Keap1 system through the homoPROTAC-ing technology as an innovative and promising treatment strategy for the incurable allergic disorders.

Natural products (NPs) have historically been a fundamental source for drug discovery. Yet the complex nature of NPs presents substantial challenges in pinpointing bioactive constituents, and corresponding targets. In the present study, an innovative natural product virtual screening-interaction-phenotype (NP-VIP) strategy that integrates virtual screening, chemical proteomics, and metabolomics to identify and validate the bioactive targets of NPs. This approach reduces false positive results and enhances the efficiency of target identification. Salvia miltiorrhiza (SM), a herb with recognized therapeutic potential against ischemic stroke (IS), was used to illustrate the workflow. Utilizing virtual screening, chemical proteomics, and metabolomics, potential therapeutic targets for SM in the IS treatment were identified, totaling 29, 100, and 78, respectively. Further analysis via the NP-VIP strategy highlighted five high-confidence targets, including poly [ADP-ribose] polymerase 1 (PARP1), signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), amyloid precursor protein (APP), glutamate-ammonia ligase (GLUL), and glutamate decarboxylase 67 (GAD67). These targets were subsequently validated and found to play critical roles in the neuroprotective effects of SM. The study not only underscores the importance of SM in treating IS but also sets a precedent for NP research, proposing a comprehensive approach that could be adapted for broader pharmacological explorations.

Animal experiments are essential tools in biomedical research, serving as a bridge between basic research and clinical trials. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses (SRs/MAs) of animal experiments are crucial methods for integrating evidence from animal experiment, which can facilitate the translation of findings into clinical research, reduce translational risks, and promote resource integration in basic research. With the continuous development of the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) methodology, its application in SRs/MAs of animal experiments has gained increasing attention. This article first outlines the principles and specific applications of the GRADE methodology in SRs/MAs of animal experiments, including qualitative descriptive systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and network meta-analyses. It then deeply analyzes the misuse of the GRADE methodology in practice, including incorrect evidence grading, improper classification of evidence, misapplication in qualitative systematic reviews, inconsistencies between the documentation of the upgrading and downgrading process and results, and inappropriate use for making recommendations. Furthermore, this article comprehensively discusses the factors influencing the grading of evidence certainty in SRs/MAs of animal experiments, including the impact of bias risk, indirectness, inconsistency, imprecision, and publication bias on evidence downgrading, as well as the role of large effect sizes and cross-species consistency in evidence upgrading. Finally, in response to the issues discussed, improvement strategies are proposed, including further research and optimization of the GRADE methodology for SRs/MAs of animal experiments, the development of reporting guidelines tailored to the characteristics of SRs/MAs in animal experiment research, and enhanced professional training for researchers in the GRADE methodology. This article aims to improve the quality of evidence in SRs/MAs of animal experiments, strengthen their reliability in clinical decision-making, and promote the more efficient translation of findings from animal experiment research into clinical practice.

Objective:To investigate and summarize the imaging and pathological features of non-acute occlusion following flow diverter (FD) implantation in animal models.Methods:Four experimental pigs (experimental group) that experienced non-acute occlusion (occlusion time exceeding 24 hours) within the FD stent implanted in the common carotid artery, and 19 pigs (control group) that did not experience stent occlusion during the same period were involved. Using an interventional approach under digital subtraction angiography (DSA), the 4 occluded FD lumens were mechanically opened. Optical coherence tomography (OCT), intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) and histopathological examinations were performed to evaluate the intraluminal composition and characteristics of the occlusive tissues. These findings were compared with non-occluded FD stents to summarize the imaging and pathological changes within the occluded FD lumen.Results:The occlusion times of the FD stents in the 4 experimental pigs were 16 weeks, 20 weeks, 20 weeks, and 24 weeks postoperatively. All occluded stents were successfully recanalized under DSA, with a technical success rate of 4/4. Among the 19 non-occluded FD stents, OCT and IVUS revealed uniform (16 stents) or non-uniform (3 stents) neointimal coverage of the stent struts, presenting as homogeneous high/slightly high signal intensity or medium echogenicity. Histopathological examination indicated that the neointima was primarily composed of smooth muscle cells and a small amount of fibrous connective tissues. In contrast, the 4 occluded FD stents demonstrated excessive neointimal proliferation and plaque formation, leading to luminal loss, as shown by OCT and IVUS. The occlusion tissues predominantly presented as homogeneous high signal intensity with weak attenuation (fibrous plaques) on OCT, with some regions showing blurred low signal intensity and strong attenuation (lipid plaques). IVUS presented homogeneous echogenicity (fibrous plaques) and hypoechogenic zones (lipid plaques). Histopathological examination showed that the occlusion tissues mainly consisted of smooth muscle cells, fibrous connective tissues, and lipids, accompanied by numerous foam cells and a minor presence of inflammatory cells.Conclusions:Histopathological examinations confirm that non-acute occlusion of FD is mainly caused by excessive hyperplasia of intima along with the formation of fibrous plaques and lipid plaques. OCT and IVUS have typical finding in imaging that can assist in determining the cause of stent occlusion as well as the lesion's nature, thereby providing crucial guidance for subsequent clinical treatment and drug selection.