ObjectiveThe present study aimed to investigate alterations in white matter microstructure and spontaneous neural activity in male college smokers, and to further explore their associations with nicotine dependence. Given that adolescence and early adulthood represent critical periods for brain maturation, particularly for white matter development, understanding the neural correlates of smoking behavior during this stage is of substantial importance for both neuroscience and public health. MethodsA total of 115 male undergraduate students were initially recruited for this study. After quality control and exclusion procedures, 52 male college smokers and 42 demographically matched healthy non-smokers were included in the final analysis. All participants underwent multimodal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), including diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI). White matter fiber tracts were reconstructed using the automated fiber quantification (AFQ) method, which enables precise identification and quantification of major fiber bundles. Eighteen major white matter tracts were segmented for each participant. Along the core trajectory of each tract, 100 equidistant nodes were sampled. Fractional anisotropy (FA) was calculated at each node to assess white matter microstructural integrity, while amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) was computed to evaluate spontaneous neural activity within white matter tracts. Between-group differences in FA and ALFF were assessed using two-sample t-tests, with appropriate corrections applied for multiple comparisons. Furthermore, Pearson correlation analyses were conducted to examine the relationships between imaging-derived metrics (FA and ALFF values in regions showing significant group differences) and nicotine dependence severity, as measured by the Fagerström test for nicotine dependence (FTND). ResultsCompared with healthy non-smokers, male college smokers exhibited significantly increased FA values in several white matter tracts, including the left thalamic radiation, right corticospinal tract, forceps major of the corpus callosum, left uncinate fasciculus, and right arcuate fasciculus. These findings suggest altered microstructural organization or increased directional coherence within these pathways. In addition, smokers demonstrated significantly elevated ALFF values in the forceps major, right uncinate fasciculus, and left arcuate fasciculus, indicating enhanced spontaneous neural activity in these white matter regions. Correlation analyses revealed that FA values in the left thalamic radiation and right corticospinal tract were negatively correlated with FTND scores, suggesting that higher levels of nicotine dependence were associated with reduced microstructural integrity or altered fiber organization in these regions. In contrast, ALFF values in the forceps major and right uncinate fasciculus were positively correlated with FTND scores, indicating that greater nicotine dependence was associated with increased spontaneous neural activity in specific white matter pathways. ConclusionThe present study provides evidence that male college smokers exhibit distinct alterations in both white matter microstructure and functional activity. These abnormalities are not uniformly distributed but rather localized to specific fiber tracts implicated in sensorimotor processing, interhemispheric communication, and higher-order cognitive and emotional regulation. Importantly, the observed associations between imaging metrics and nicotine dependence severity suggest that these structural and functional alterations may reflect neurobiological mechanisms underlying addiction. The combination of AFQ-based tract profiling and multimodal MRI offers a sensitive approach for detecting subtle changes along white matter pathways, highlighting its potential utility in identifying neuroimaging biomarkers of nicotine dependence. Overall, these findings indicate that smoking during early adulthood may disrupt ongoing white matter maturation, potentially leading to long-term consequences for brain function. This study provides novel insights into the neural basis of nicotine dependence and underscores the importance of early intervention and prevention strategies targeting young smokers.

Objective This study reports on the obligatory parasitism of water mites Arrenurus sp. on Anopheles messeae at the Manzhouli Port, Inner Mongolia, China. Methods Duing July 2024, a survey on the mosquito diversity was conducted at the Manzhouli Port. Captured mosquitoes and their ectoparasites were identified to species level. Results A total of 1840 adult mosquitoes were collected, representing species from three genera: Culex(Cx. modestus, Cx. pipiens pallens), Aedes(Ae. dorsalis, Ae. flavidorsalis, Ae. flavescens), and Anopheles (An. messeae). Among all the mosqutioes specimens,3 out of 150 captured An. messeae were found to carry ectoparasitic mites, with number of 2,4,27 mites separately. Morphological and molecular identification reached the same result as water mites(Hydrachnidiae, Hydracrina). COI gene sequence showed 94% similarity with the closest species Arrenurus truncatellus. Conlusions Literature review suggests water mites are host-specific parasitism of mosquito species and herein with the first record of Arrenurus sp. parasiting on An. Messeae in the most high-latitude region globally.

Objective To investigate the incidence of functional bowel disease(FBD)and its relationship with depression,anxiety and sleep in navy submarine forces.Methods A questionnaire survey on the incidence of FBD was conducted on 364 naval soldiers who were enrolled according to Rome Ⅳ classification and diagnostic criteria.The risk factors of FBD were analyzed.The incidence of specific diseases of FBD was compared among soldiers with different jobs.The depression,anxiety,and sleep quality were investigated in FBD patients.Results In the 364 participants,132(36.3%)were diagnosed with FBD according to Roman Ⅳcriteria.Military rank and marital status might be risk factors for FBD.There was no significant difference in the overall incidence of FBD among the participants with various jobs(P>0.05).The incidence of functional constipation in the submariners was significantly higher than that in the land soldiers,while the incidence of functional diarrhea in the land soldiers was higher than that in the submariners(all P<0.05).The incidences of depression,anxiety and sleep disorder in the participants with FBD were higher than those in the participants without FBD.Conclusion There is a high incidence of FBD in submariners,which may be related to their psychological states.

Empathy is a cornerstone in cultivating medical ethics.This article delves into the profound significance of empathy and underscores the importance of promoting it among medical students and practitioners.It also details methods for strengthening empathy and capacity building concerned in students through oral medicine instruction,with the goal of nurturing oral healthcare professionals who provide compassionate care.

Objective To explore the relationship between C-reactive protein/albumin ratio(CAR)and the disease severity in patients with severe pneumonia,and its predictive value for 28-day mortality risk.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on 152 patients with severe pneumonia admitted to Fuyang People's Hospital from January 2020 to January 2022.They were divided into non-critical illness group(n=51),critical illness group(n=63),and extremely critical illness group(n=38)based on the disease severity.The clinical data such as age and gender of patients was collected,and Pearson correlation analysis was used to explore the correlation between CAR and the severity of illness[determined by Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation Ⅱ(APACHE Ⅱ)score].Multivariate logistic regression was employed to identify independent influencing factors of the severity of illness.According to the survival status of patients after 28 days of treatment,they were divided into survival group(n=107)and death group(n=45).CAR was categorized into quintiles(Q1-Q5),and multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to explore the correlation between CAR and 28-day mortality risk in severe pneumonia patients.A restricted cubic spline(RCS)model was used to analyze the dose-response relationship between CAR and mortality risk.The predictive value of CAR and related indicators for patient mortality risk was evaluated using the receiver operating characteristic curve(ROC).Results CAR was significantly positively correlated with the severity of the disease(APACHE Ⅱ score)(r=0.716,P<0.05).Neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio(NLR),blood lactate(Lac),and high CAR were independent risk factors for the disease severity in patients with severe pneumonia(P<0.05).After adjusting for confounding factors,the mortality risk increased with the increase of CAR(P<0.05).Subgroup analysis of the screened confounding factors revealed that the correlation between CAR and 28-day mortality risk in severe pneumonia patients remained stable across different APACHE Ⅱ scores,GCS scores,SOFA scores,white blood cell counts(WBC),neutrophils(NEU),red cell volume distribution width(RDW),procalcitonin(PCT),and Lac,with interactions observed between NLR and Lac subgroups(P<0.05).The RCS model indicated that there was no non-linear dose-response relationship between CAR and 28-day mortality risk in patients with severe pneumonia of different genders.ROC curve analysis showed that CAR,Lac,and NLR had good predictive value for 28-day mortality in severe pneumonia patients,with the combined predictive efficacy being significantly higher than that of individual indicators.Conclusion There is a close relationship between CAR and the progression and prognosis of severe pneumonia,making it a new approach to assessing the severity of illness and predicting mortality risk in patients.

Objective To investigate the effects of parecoxib sodium on pain and Toll-like receptor 4(TLR4)/p38 mitogen activated protein kinase(p38MAPK)pathway in rats with femoral fracture.Methods Sixty rats were randomly separated into sham operation group,model group,TLR4 inhibitor(TAK-242)group(3 mg/kg),parecoxib sodium group(10 mg/kg),and parecoxib sodium+TLR4 activator lipopolysaccharide group(10 mg/kg parecoxib sodium+15 mg/kg LPS),with 12 rats in each group.Except for the sham operation group,rats in all other groups were used to establish a femoral fracture model by transverse cutting of the mid femur.After 28 days of treatment in each group,X-rays were used to detect the degree of fracture healing in rats.The mechanical pain threshold(PWMT)and thermal pain threshold(PWTL)of rats were measured.ELISA was applied to detect the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),interleukin-6(IL-6),and IL-10 in serum.Micro-CT method was applied to detect changes in femoral bone density(BMD),bone volume fraction(BV/TV),trabecular thickness(Tb.Th),and trabecular quantity(Tb.N)in rats.HE staining was applied to observe the pathological changes of bone tissue at the fracture site in rats.Western blot was applied to detect the expression of TLR4/p38MAPK pathway related proteins in bone tissue at the fracture site.Results Compared with the sham operation group,the fracture lines of rats in the model group were obvious,with a small amount of callus growth,the PWMT,PWTL,femoral BMD,BV/TV,Tb.Th,and Tb.N decreased,while the levels of serum IL-6,TNF-α,and IL-10,and the levels of TLR4 and p-p38MAPK/p38MAPK proteins in the bone tissue at the fracture site increased(P＜0.05).Compared with the model group,the fracture lines in the TAK-242 group and the parecoxib sodium group were blurred,and there was an increase in callus growth,the PWMT,PWTL,femoral BMD,BV/TV,Tb.Th,and Tb.N,the serum IL-10 level increased,while the serum IL-6,TNF-αlevels,the TLR4 and p-p38MAPK/p38MAPK protein levels in bone tissue at the fracture site decreased(P＜0.05).LPS could upregulate the phosphorylation levels of TLR4 and p38MAPK,and weaken the relieving effects on anti-inflammatory and pain of parecoxib sodium on fracture rats.Conclusion Paracoxib sodium may alleviate pain and accelerate fracture healing in rats with femoral fractures by inhibiting the TLR4/p38MAPK pathway and suppressing inflammatory responses.

Objective To investigate the effects of parecoxib sodium on pain and Toll-like receptor 4(TLR4)/p38 mitogen activated protein kinase(p38MAPK)pathway in rats with femoral fracture.Methods Sixty rats were randomly separated into sham operation group,model group,TLR4 inhibitor(TAK-242)group(3 mg/kg),parecoxib sodium group(10 mg/kg),and parecoxib sodium+TLR4 activator lipopolysaccharide group(10 mg/kg parecoxib sodium+15 mg/kg LPS),with 12 rats in each group.Except for the sham operation group,rats in all other groups were used to establish a femoral fracture model by transverse cutting of the mid femur.After 28 days of treatment in each group,X-rays were used to detect the degree of fracture healing in rats.The mechanical pain threshold(PWMT)and thermal pain threshold(PWTL)of rats were measured.ELISA was applied to detect the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),interleukin-6(IL-6),and IL-10 in serum.Micro-CT method was applied to detect changes in femoral bone density(BMD),bone volume fraction(BV/TV),trabecular thickness(Tb.Th),and trabecular quantity(Tb.N)in rats.HE staining was applied to observe the pathological changes of bone tissue at the fracture site in rats.Western blot was applied to detect the expression of TLR4/p38MAPK pathway related proteins in bone tissue at the fracture site.Results Compared with the sham operation group,the fracture lines of rats in the model group were obvious,with a small amount of callus growth,the PWMT,PWTL,femoral BMD,BV/TV,Tb.Th,and Tb.N decreased,while the levels of serum IL-6,TNF-α,and IL-10,and the levels of TLR4 and p-p38MAPK/p38MAPK proteins in the bone tissue at the fracture site increased(P＜0.05).Compared with the model group,the fracture lines in the TAK-242 group and the parecoxib sodium group were blurred,and there was an increase in callus growth,the PWMT,PWTL,femoral BMD,BV/TV,Tb.Th,and Tb.N,the serum IL-10 level increased,while the serum IL-6,TNF-αlevels,the TLR4 and p-p38MAPK/p38MAPK protein levels in bone tissue at the fracture site decreased(P＜0.05).LPS could upregulate the phosphorylation levels of TLR4 and p38MAPK,and weaken the relieving effects on anti-inflammatory and pain of parecoxib sodium on fracture rats.Conclusion Paracoxib sodium may alleviate pain and accelerate fracture healing in rats with femoral fractures by inhibiting the TLR4/p38MAPK pathway and suppressing inflammatory responses.

Objective:To investigate the influencing factors of mucosal healing under endoscopy in patients with Crohn′s disease (CD) and to establish a predictive model.Methods:From January 1, 2023 to August 31, 2024, 124 patients with CD were hospitalized at the Department of Gastroenterology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University were retrospectively enrolled as the modeling group. And from January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2022, 88 patients with CD were hospitalized at the Department of Gastroenterology in the same hospital were collected as the validation group. The data including simple Crohn′s disease activity index (CDAI) scores, serological markers such as fibrinogen (FIB), and medication regimens (including ustekinumab) of the patients in the modeling group were collected. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to screen the independent predictors of mucosal healing in CD patients, and the nomogram predictive model was established. The receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was plotted to evaluate the predictive performance, and calibration curve was drawn for validation. Mann-Whitney U test and Chi-square test were used for statistical analysis. Results:According to the simple endoscopic score for CD and endoscopic findings, among the 124 patients in the modeling group, 92 cases were diagnosed as mucosal healing, while 32 cases did not. The simple CDAI and FIB of patients with mucosal healing were lower than those of patients without mucosal healing (2.00(2.00, 3.00) vs. 3.00(2.25, 4.00), 2.37(2.03, 2.88) g/L vs.2.92(2.40, 4.40) g/L); the proportion of patients who used ustekinumab in mucosal healing patients was higher than that of patients without mucosal healing (62.0%, 57/92 vs. 31.2%, 10/32), and the differences were statistically significant ( Z=-2.98 and -3.57, χ2=9.01; all P<0.01).The results of multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that low simple CDAI score ( OR=0.560, 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 0.343 to 0.913), low FIB ( OR=0.475, 95% CI: 0.302 to 0.747), and ustekinumab usage ( OR=4.218, 95% CI: 1.621 to 10.977) were independent predictive factors of mucosal healing under endoscopy in CD patients (all P<0.05). The regression equation was derived as ln( p/(1- p)) mucosal healing=4.215-0.580×simple CDAI score -0.745×FIB(g/L)+ 1.439×ustekinumab usage(1 for use, 0 for unused), and the nomogram model was established. The results of ROC demonstrated that the area under the curve of the nomogram model in the modeling and validation group were 0.791(95% CI: 0.700 to 0.883) and 0.781 (95% CI: 0.666 to 0.895), with the sensitivity of 0.859 and 0.868, and with the specificity of 0.688 and 0.650, respectively. The results of calibration curve analysis showed that the average absolute errors of the nomogram model in the internal and external validation were 0.032 and 0.039, respectively, indicating a good consistency between the predicted and actual probability. Conclusions:Low simple CDAI score, low FIB, and ustekinumab usage are the independent predictive factors of mucosal healing under endoscopy in CD patients. The predictive model has certain reference value for CD management.

Fe/Mn/Gd polymetallic nanooxide(FMGN)were prepared by one-step solvent thermal reaction by using Fe(acac)3,Mn(acac)2 and Gd(acac)3 as reaction precursors.Next,hyaluronic acid(HA)was used to modify FMGN to fabricate tumor-targeting T 1-T 2 dual-mode magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)contrast agent(HA-FMGN)for accurate diagnosis of prostate cancer.The structure and morphology of FMGN were observed by transmission electron microscope(TEM).It was found that FMGN exhibited a uniform nanocluster spherical structure when the feeding ratio of iron acetylacetonate,manganese acetylacetonate,and gadolinium acetylacetonate was 3:2:1.X-ray diffraction(XRD)analysis showed that FMGN had a typical inverse spinel structure of Mn doped Fe 3O 4,with Gd existing in the form of amorphous gadolinium oxide.The longitudinal relaxivity(r 1)and transverse relaxivity(r 2)of FMGN were 13.395 and 428.535 L/(mmol·s),respectively,measured by 0.5 T MRI analyzer,which proved that FMGN had excellent T 1-T 2 dual-mode MRI contrast capability.The cytotoxicity and hemolysis test found that HA-FMGN didn't damage red cells and induce toxicity for normal cells,indicating that HA-FMGN had excellent cell biocompatibility.The internalization efficacy of HA-FMGN was observed by CLSM,and the results showed that HA-FMGN possessed excellent prostate tumor-targeting ability.In vivo MRI experiment showed that HA-FMGN significantly enhanced T 1 and T 2 weighted MRI signal to noise ratio(SNR)of prostate tumor,which promoted the accurate diagnosis of orthotopic prostate cancer.

Functional dyspepsia (FD), characterized by persistent or recurrent dyspeptic symptoms without identifiable organic, systemic or metabolic causes, is an increasingly recognized global health issue. The objective of this guideline is to equip clinicians and nursing professionals with evidence-based strategies for the management and treatment of adult patients with FD using traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). The Guideline Development Group consulted existing TCM consensus documents on FD and convened a panel of 35 clinicians to generate initial clinical queries. To address these queries, a systematic literature search was conducted across PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), VIP Database, China Biology Medicine (SinoMed) Database, Wanfang Database, Traditional Medicine Research Data Expanded (TMRDE), and the Traditional Chinese Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System (TCMLARS). The evidence from the literature was critically appraised using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. The strength of the recommendations was ascertained through a consensus-building process involving TCM and allopathic medicine experts, methodologists, pharmacologists, nursing specialists, and health economists, leveraging their collective expertise and empirical knowledge. The guideline comprises a total of 43 evidence-informed recommendations that span a range of clinical aspects, including the pathogenesis according to TCM, diagnostic approaches, therapeutic interventions, efficacy assessments, and prognostic considerations. Please cite this article as: Zhang SS, Zhao LQ, Hou XH, Bian ZX, Zheng JH, Tian HH, Yang GH, Hong WS, He YY, Liu L, Shen H, Li YP, Xie S, Shu J, Zeng BF, Li JX, Liu Z, Xiao ZH, Xiao JD, Zheng PY, Huang SG, Chen SL, Fei GJ. International clinical practice guideline on the use of traditional Chinese medicine for functional dyspepsia (2025). J Integr Med. 2025; 23(5):502-518.
Dyspepsia/drug therapy* ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional/methods* ; Practice Guidelines as Topic ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use*