OBJECTIVE To systematically review the current application of discrete choice experiment （DCE） in the value assessment and preference measurement of orphan medicinal product （OMP）， and to provide a reference for the standardized use of this methodology in China. METHODS The systematic search was conducted across Chinese and English databases including CNKI， Wanfang Data， VIP， CBM， PubMed， Web of Science， Medline， and Embase. Original studies that employed DCE to evaluate the value or preferences related to OMP were included. The methodological quality and reporting completeness of the included studies were assessed using the ISPOR Conjoint Analysis Checklist and the DIRECT Checklist， respectively. Respondent populations， attribute setting， and the relative importance of attributes were summarized and analyzed. RESULTS Eight eligible studies were included； all studies demonstrated high-quality reporting and methodological rigor. Respondents comprised the general public， patients/caregivers， policymakers， and other stakeholders. The number of DCE attributes ranged from 4 to 13 （median＝7.5）. Through thematic synthesis， these attributes were categorized into three dimensions， namely “disease-related” “treatment-related” and “economic/financial-related” along with 14 secondary criteria. The most frequently included secondary criteria were treatment efficacy （13 occurrences）， disease severity （9 occurrences）， safety （7 occurrences）， unmet medical need （6 occurrences）， and treatment cost （5 occurrences）. Rankings of relative importance identified treatment efficacy as the most valued criterion across most studies， followed by health insurance financing. CONCLUSIONS DCE applications in the value assessment of OMP have begun to converge on a relatively consistent core attribute framework and selection preference. Future research should further promote the use of DCE to inform attribute and criterion selection in multi-criteria decision analysis frameworks for OMP.

Definitive chemoradiotherapy (dCRT) has become a cornerstone in the treatment of locally advanced esophageal cancer; however, local control remains suboptimal, and persistent lesions or locoregional recurrences after treatment are not uncommon. For patients without distant metastases but with local failure, whether surgical intervention can still offer curative potential remains a major clinical dilemma. Salvage esophagectomy (SE) offers potential long-term survival for selected patients, but this procedure is performed in the context of severe fibrosis, impaired local blood supply, and obscured anatomical planes following chemoradiotherapy, resulting in significantly higher perioperative risk compared to primary esophagectomy. Consequently, controversies exist regarding patient selection, preoperative restaging, choice of surgical approach, extent of lymphadenectomy, gastrointestinal reconstruction, and perioperative management. In recent years, with the refinement of restaging modalities such as PET/CT, the accumulation of experience in high-volume centers, and emerging evidence from clinical studies, the clinical role of SE has gradually shifted from a "high-risk salvage measure" to a "selective curative strategy aimed at achieving long-term survival in carefully selected patients". Nevertheless, standardized guidelines for patient selection, technical approaches, and perioperative management are still lacking. Based on current evidence and clinical experience, experts organized by the Integrated Esophageal Cancer Committee of Chinese Anti-Cancer Association systematically reviewed key issues regarding SE, including its definition, indications, preoperative evaluation, choice of surgical approach, lymphadenectomy, gastrointestinal reconstruction, and perioperative management, and formulated a Chinese expert consensus. This consensus aims to provide guidance for standardized assessment, appropriate referral, individualized surgical decision-making, and optimized perioperative management of patients with locoregional failure after dCRT. Ultimately, this will increase the likelihood of R0 resection, reduce the risk of severe complications, and promote the safer, more judicious, and standardized implementation of SE in high-risk scenarios.

Objective: To analyze the time-related factors influencing daily blood donation attendance at fixed donation sites in Nanjing and the heterogeneity among sites, and to provide evidence for optimizing site layout and operational management. Methods: Based on daily attendance data from 17 fixed donation sites in Nanjing for the full year of 2025, matched with contemporaneous meteorological and air quality data, a two-stage negative binomial generalized linear mixed model (NB-GLMM) was constructed. In the second stage, site-level static characteristics (number of scenic spots, daily operating hours, number of shopping malls, public transport stops, hospitals, universities, and residential buildings) were additionally incorporated. Model comparison was performed using Akaike information criterion (AIC). Significance of random effects was tested by likelihood ratio test, and site-specific random effects were extracted using empirical Bayes estimation. Robustness of the results was verified through residual diagnostics and multiple sensitivity analyses. Results: The first-stage model showed that rainfall was associated with lower attendance (IRR=0.943, P<0.001); holidays were associated with higher attendance (IRR=1.162, P<0.001); Saturdays and Sundays showed higher attendance than Mondays, with the strongest association on Sundays (IRR=1.195, P<0.001). Temperature exhibited a non-linear relationship (linear term P=0.051, quadratic term P=0.036). The joint results of the linear and quadratic terms for temperature suggested a nonlinear relationship between attendance and temperature. After introducing static characteristics in the second stage, the number of scenic spots (IRR=1.372, P=0.008) and daily operating hours (IRR=1.823, P<0.001) were found to be positively associated with attendance, while the numbers of shopping malls, public transport stops, hospitals, universities, and residential buildings showed no significant effects. Conclusion: Daily blood donation attendance at fixed sites in Nanjing is influenced by multiple factors including weather, day of the week, holidays, and site surroundings. Substantial heterogeneity exists among different sites; extended operating hours and more nearby scenic spots are associated with increased attendance.

The etiology and pathogenesis of post-stroke depression patients are mainly caused by liver failure, spleen failure, kidney insufficiency, marrow loss and heart loss. Post-stroke depression patients suffer from chronic illness and multiple viscera of heart, liver, spleen and kidney, resulting in emotional disorders of patients. Acupuncture treatment with meridian acupoints can achieve the therapeutic purpose of regulating qi movement, resolving depression, calming heart and calming nerves. Acupoints selection for acupuncture treatment with meridian acupoints include Governor Vessel, stomach meridian, spleen meridian, gallbladder meridian and liver meridian. Needling in acupoints in Governor Vessel and yang meridians can regulate and replenish the middle qi, strengthen the brain and concentrate, and improve the depressed state of patients; needling in acupoints in liver meridian can soothe liver and resolve depression, regulate mood and emotion. The selected acupoints for acupuncture on the inner and outer meridians are the liver meridian-gallbladder meridian, spleen meridian-stomach meridian, and collateral accompanied acupoints. Needling at acupoints can promote and restore the movement of qi, exerting the power of regulating qi flow, relieving depression, and calming the mind. The acupoints selected for the acupuncture of the same named meridian are the acupoints of Jueyin meridians of the hands and feet. Needling related acupoints is used to soothe the liver, relieve depression, regulate the heart and calm the mind.

Diaphragmatic dysfunction(DD)can be caused by various factors,including anesthesia,surgery,and patient-related conditions.It may lead to adverse events such as prolonged postoperative extubation,weaning failure,postoperative pulmonary complications(PPCs),which can eventually result in patients being transferred to the intensive care unit(ICU),having an extended hospital stay and an increased mortality rate.Thus,it is crucial that the function of the diaphragm be timely and accurately assessed,and its status be reasonably protected for the favorable outcomes of patients after anesthesia and surgery.Recently,point-of-care diaphragmatic ultrasound has been applied in the clinic.However,currently,the assessment of DD is mainly concentrated in the ICU,and its application during the perioperative period is relatively restricted.In the review,the mechanisms of postoperative DD after anesthesia and the application progress of ultrasonography evaluation are summarized.The static and dynamic functions of the diaphragm are monitored via various ultrasound examination methods,and the postoperative changes and recovery of diaphragm function in each patient are observed in real time.In this way,the occurrence of PPCs can be predicted,a reasonable anesthesia and surgery plan can be guided to be developed,the protection and even prerehabilitation of the target organ"diaphragm"can be promoted,DD can be ultimately prevented and treated in a timely manner,and postoperative recovery can be improved.

Objective To explore the value of MRI radiomics based on the frontal and temporal lobes combined with multiple machine learning algorithms in the diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment(MCI).Methods Patients who underwent cranial MR examination were retrospectively selected.According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria,a total of 173 subjects were finally included and randomly divided into training set and test set in a ratio of 7∶3.After delineating the regions of interest(ROI)of the frontal and temporal lobes on T2-fluid attenuated inversion recovery(FLAIR)images,radiomics features were extracted based on the Pyradiomics data package.Features were screened through inter-and intraclass correlation coefficient(ICC),independent samples t-test,and the LightGBM algorithm.Diagnostic models were constructed using support vector machine(SVM),random forest(RF),decision tree(DT),K-nearest neighbor(KNN),gradient boosting decision tree(GBDT),and extreme gradient boosting(XGBoost)combined with 10-fold cross-validation respectively.The training set was further divided into 9 training data sets and 1 validation data set through 10-fold cross-validation,and the hyperparameters were optimized through iterative cycles.The diagnostic efficacy of the model was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve and area under the curve(AUC),and the DeLong test was applied to compare the differences between different models.Results The AUC of the radiomics models constructed by SVM,DT,RF,KNN,GBDT,XGBoost in the training set were 0.951,0.992,0.998,0.957,1.000,and 1.000 respectively,in the validation set were 0.890,0.843,0.934,0.878,0.930,and 0.945 respectively,and in the test set were 0.902,0.711,0.899,0.849,0.889,and 0.882 respectively.Conclusion MRI radiomics based on the frontal and temporal lobes combined with multiple machine learning algorithms can diagnose MCI,and the model constructed based on SVM shows the highest diagnostic value.

AIM To investigate the stability of salvianolic acid B.METHODS HPLC was adopted in the content determination of salvianolic acid B,after which the chemical stability in different pH of buffer solutions,oxidation stability in different concentrations of H2O2,and biological stability in artificial gastric fluid,artificial intestinal fluid and biological matrices were analyzed,and its degradation kinetics was fitted.RESULTS Salvianolic acid B was stable in acidic and weakly acidic buffer solutions and artificial gastric fluid,which demonstrated poor stability in neutral and alkaline buffer solutions,artificial intestinal fluid,H2O2 and biological matrices.The degradation process of this constituent accorded with the first-order kinetic model in ileum homogenate,and the second-order kinetic model in pH 7.4 buffer solution,artificial intestinal fluid,H2O2 and stomach,duodenum,jejunum,colon homogenates.CONCLUSION Biological matrices,oxidants and alkaline environment can affect the stability of salvianolic acid B.This experimental exhibits important significance for the development and application of salvianolic acid B-related products.

OBJECTIVE: Huachansu injection (HCSI), a promising anti-cancer Chinese medicine injection, has been reported to have the potential for reducing the toxicity of chemotherapy and improving the quality of life for colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. The objective of this study is to explore the synergistic and detoxifying effects of HCSI when used in combination with irinotecan (CPT-11). METHODS: To investigate the effect of HCSI on anti-CRC efficacy and intestinal toxicity of CPT-11, we measured changes in the biological behavior of LoVo cells in vitro, and anti-tumor effects in LoVo cell xenograft nude mice models in vivo. Meanwhile, the effect of HCSI on intestinal toxicity and the uridine diphosphate-glucuronosyltransferase 1A1 (UGT1A1) expression was investigated in the CPT-11-induced colitis mouse model. Subsequently, we measured the effect of HCSI and its 13 constituent bufadienolides on the expression of UGT1A1 and organic anion transporting polypeptides 1B3 (OATP1B3) in HepG2 cells. RESULTS: The combination index (CI) results showed that the combination of HCSI and CPT-11 exhibited a synergistic effect (CI < 1), which significantly suppressing the LoVo cell migration, enhancing G2/M and S phase arrest, and inhibiting tumor growth in vivo. Additionally, the damage to intestinal tissues was attenuated by HCSI in CPT-11-induced colitis model, while the increased expression of UGT1A1 in HepG2 cells and in mouse was observed. CONCLUSION The co-therapy with HCSI alleviated the intestinal toxicity induced by CPT-11 and exerted an enhanced anti-CRC effect. The detoxifying mechanism may be related to the increased expression of UGT1A1 and OATP1B3 by HCSI and its bufadienolides components. The findings of this study may serve as a theoretical insights and strategies to improve CRC patient outcomes. Please cite this article as: Jiang B, Meng ZY, Hu YJ, Chen JJ, Zong L, Xu LY, Zhang XQ, Zhang JX, Han YL. Huachansu injection enhances anti-colorectal cancer efficacy of irinotecan and alleviates its induced intestinal toxicity through upregulating UGT1A1-OATP1B3 expression in vitro and in vivo. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(5):576-590.
Irinotecan/therapeutic use* ; Animals ; Glucuronosyltransferase/genetics* ; Humans ; Colorectal Neoplasms/metabolism* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Mice, Nude ; Mice ; Up-Regulation/drug effects* ; Male ; Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Hep G2 Cells ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Intestines/drug effects* ; Amphibian Venoms

BACKGROUND: Electroacupuncture (EA) may affect the severity of hot flashes (HFs) associated with natural menopause and provide additional benefits for postmenopausal women. However, the evidence for its effectiveness in the management of early postmenopausal HFs remains inadequately understood. OBJECTIVE: We designed this trial to assess the efficacy and safety of EA for relieving early postmenopausal HFs. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS AND INTERVENTIONS: This randomized sham-controlled trial involved 72 women with HFs. The participants were divided equally into the intervention and control groups. The intervention group was treated with EA, while the control group was treated with sham acupuncture. The main acupoints used were Hegu (LI4), Guanyuan (RN4), Sanyinjiao (SP6), Taixi (KI3), Fuliu (KI7) and Shenshu (BL23). All participants received 18 treatment sessions, distributed across a 6-week period. The treatment was administered on three occasions per week, adhering to a fixed weekday schedule (Monday, Wednesday, Friday or Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday) with a minimum interval of one day between sessions. Each patient received a 12-week follow-up. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The HF score was the primary outcome. Participants documented the frequency and severity of HFs in a 7-day symptom diary, which provided data for calculating the HF score. Secondary outcomes were the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS), Menopause-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire (MENQOL), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome Score Scale (TCMSSS), as well as estradiol (E₂), luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels. RESULTS: Both groups demonstrated significant reductions in HF scores after the treatment and during the follow-up (P < 0.001). Immediately after completion of the 6-week treatment cycle and at 12 weeks post-intervention, the HF scores were similar in both groups. At week 6, the intervention group showed significantly greater improvements in MRS, MENQOL (vasomotor, psychosocial, and physical), PSQI and TCMSSS scores (P < 0.05). The improvements in the MENQOL (vasomotor, and psychosocial) and PSQI total scores persisted through the follow-up (P < 0.05). However, the results showed no significant inter- or intragroup differences in sexual scores on the MENQOL (P > 0.05). EA did not significantly decrease E₂, LH or FSH levels compared to placebo. The incidence of adverse events was similar in both groups. CONCLUSION: EA does not significantly improve HFs in early postmenopausal patients. However, it enhances the quality of sleep and decreases menopausal symptoms across vasomotor, psychosocial and physical domains. TRIAL REGISTRATION Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (http://www.chictr.org.cn); Trial ID: ChiCTR2300072002. Please cite this article as: Wang HX, Yu XT, Hu J, Chen JJ, Mei YT, Chen YF. Electroacupuncture for hot flashes in early menopause: A randomized sham-controlled trial. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(5):519-527.
Humans ; Female ; Electroacupuncture ; Hot Flashes/therapy* ; Middle Aged ; Acupuncture Points ; Quality of Life ; Menopause ; Treatment Outcome ; Adult

A variety of plants are used as Gymnadenia conopsea(L.)R.Br medicine in some areas.According to statistics,there are 7 genera and 16 species of Orchidaceae.There is confusion in medicinal varieties,which seriously affects drug safety and rational utilization of resources.Based on the national standards,this article conducted a textual research from the aspects of ancient herbs,modern monographs,the name of the reference,base,property and taste and efficacy and other aspects.The results showed that,the Gymnadenia conopsea(L.)R.Br medicine is named Erheten nai gar,and the Tibetan medicine is named Wangla,and most of the herbs take"Gymnadenia conopsea(L.)R.Br"as the name.The mainstream varieties of Gymnadenia conopsea(L.)R.Br,a plant of the genus Gymnadenia of Orchidaceae,were born in arid grassland or wetland and meadow,with palmlike roots,green stems and leaves and pink and white flowers.Gymnadenia conopsea(L.)R.Br is different in property and taste and efficacy when used as different ethnic medicines,but it has the commonness of tonifying kidney,producing sperm and strengthening yang and nourishing.The conclusion of textual research could provide references for the resource conservation,rational research and utilization,and artificial cultivation of Gymnadenia conopsea(L.)R.Br resources.