BACKGROUND

Internationalization in medical education aims to align programs with global standards, foster intercultural competence, and expand academic collaboration. In private medical schools in Northern Luzon, clarifying how internationalization is conceptualized and enacted can enhance the medical curriculum.

To explore how private medical schools in Northern Luzon conceptualize and implement internationalization, identify associated challenges, and propose curriculum inputs to enhance delivery of the medical curriculum.

The qualitative study utilized a multiple case study design. The study was approved by the Saint Louis University Research Ethics Committee. Using purposive sampling, 45 participants from private institutions in Northern Luzon Philippines consented to engage in focus group discussions and in-depth interviews from February to April 2025. Data were analyzed through inductive content and thematic techniques.

Participants conceptualized internationalization as (1) alignment with international quality and practice standards; (2) global engagement and exchange encompassing knowledge, skills, culture, institutional networking, and collaboration; (3) inclusivity and multicultural responsiveness; and (4) pursuit of global recognition and accreditation. Implementation occurred via “internationalization at home” (embedding global perspectives in local learning environments), “internationalization abroad” (student/faculty mobility and external exposure), and alignment of philosophical and curricular frameworks. Reported challenges included institutional and curricular constraints, language and cultural barriers, sociocultural and financial limitations, and external/contextual pressures.

Addressing the identified barriers and scaling the documented practices can enhance the delivery of the medical curriculum. The study offers actionable curricular revisions that private institutions may adopt to strengthen internationalization in medical education.

The growing use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) has coincided with more timely manuscript submissions and improved efficiency in scientific writing. While AI tools help authors produce clear and well-structured work, excessive or undisclosed reliance raises concerns about originality, authenticity, and the integrity of scholarly publications. Editors increasingly recognize AI-assisted writing and face the challenge of preserving rigorous standards. Emerging guidelines emphasize transparency in AI use, alongside the need to retain individual voice and diversity in scientific expression. This editorial highlights the balance between leveraging AI’s benefits and safeguarding ethical publication practices, while acknowledging contributors to the current issue.

BACKGROUND

Internationalization in medical education aims to align programs with global standards, foster intercultural competence, and expand academic collaboration. In private medical schools in Northern Luzon, clarifying how internationalization is conceptualized and enacted can enhance the medical curriculum.

To explore how private medical schools in Northern Luzon conceptualize and implement internationalization, identify associated challenges, and propose curriculum inputs to enhance delivery of the medical curriculum.

The qualitative study utilized a multiple case study design. The study was approved by the Saint Louis University Research Ethics Committee. Using purposive sampling, 45 participants from private institutions in Northern Luzon Philippines consented to engage in focus group discussions and in-depth interviews from February to April 2025. Data were analyzed through inductive content and thematic techniques.

Participants conceptualized internationalization as (1) alignment with international quality and practice standards; (2) global engagement and exchange encompassing knowledge, skills, culture, institutional networking, and collaboration; (3) inclusivity and multicultural responsiveness; and (4) pursuit of global recognition and accreditation. Implementation occurred via “internationalization at home” (embedding global perspectives in local learning environments), “internationalization abroad” (student/faculty mobility and external exposure), and alignment of philosophical and curricular frameworks. Reported challenges included institutional and curricular constraints, language and cultural barriers, sociocultural and financial limitations, and external/contextual pressures.

Addressing the identified barriers and scaling the documented practices can enhance the delivery of the medical curriculum. The study offers actionable curricular revisions that private institutions may adopt to strengthen internationalization in medical education.

Apical microsurgery is accurate and minimally invasive, produces few complications, and has a success rate of more than 90%. However, due to the lack of awareness and understanding of apical microsurgery by dental general practitioners and even endodontists, many clinical problems remain to be overcome. The consensus has gathered well-known domestic experts to hold a series of special discussions and reached the consensus. This document specifies the indications, contraindications, preoperative preparations, operational procedures, complication prevention measures, and efficacy evaluation of apical microsurgery and is applicable to dentists who perform apical microsurgery after systematic training.
Microsurgery/standards* ; Humans ; Apicoectomy ; Contraindications, Procedure ; Tooth Apex/diagnostic imaging* ; Postoperative Complications/prevention & control* ; Consensus ; Treatment Outcome

Pulpotomy, which belongs to vital pulp therapy, has become a strategy for managing pulpitis in recent decades. This minimally invasive treatment reflects the recognition of preserving healthy dental pulp and optimizing long-term patient-centered outcomes. Pulpotomy is categorized into partial pulpotomy (PP), the removal of a partial segment of the coronal pulp tissue, and full pulpotomy (FP), the removal of whole coronal pulp, which is followed by applying the biomaterials onto the remaining pulp tissue and ultimately restoring the tooth. Procedural decisions for the amount of pulp tissue removal or retention depend on the diagnostic of pulp vitality, the overall treatment plan, the patient's general health status, and pulp inflammation reassessment during operation. This statement represents the consensus of an expert committee convened by the Society of Cariology and Endodontics, Chinese Stomatological Association. It addresses the current evidence to support the application of pulpotomy as a potential alternative to root canal treatment (RCT) on mature permanent teeth with pulpitis from a biological basis, the development of capping biomaterial, and the diagnostic considerations to evidence-based medicine. This expert statement intends to provide a clinical protocol of pulpotomy, which facilitates practitioners in choosing the optimal procedure and increasing their confidence in this rapidly evolving field.
Humans ; Calcium Compounds/therapeutic use* ; Consensus ; Dental Pulp ; Dentition, Permanent ; Oxides/therapeutic use* ; Pulpitis/therapy* ; Pulpotomy/standards*

Patients with periodontal disease often require combined periodontal-orthodontic interventions to restore periodontal health, function, and aesthetics, ensuring both patient satisfaction and long-term stability. Managing these patients involving orthodontic tooth movement can be particularly challenging due to compromised periodontal soft and hard tissues, especially in severe cases. Therefore, close collaboration between orthodontists and periodontists for comprehensive diagnosis and sequential treatment, along with diligent patient compliance throughout the entire process, is crucial for achieving favorable treatment outcomes. Moreover, long-term orthodontic retention and periodontal follow-up are essential to sustain treatment success. This expert consensus, informed by the latest clinical research and practical experience, addresses clinical considerations for orthodontic treatment of periodontal patients, delineating indications, objectives, procedures, and principles with the aim of providing clear and practical guidance for clinical practitioners.
Humans ; Consensus ; Orthodontics, Corrective/standards* ; Periodontal Diseases/complications* ; Tooth Movement Techniques/methods* ; Practice Guidelines as Topic

OBJECTIVE: This cross-sectional study assessed the methodological quality of systematic reviews (SRs) of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) published in Chinese between Jan 2021 and Sep 2022. METHODS: Chinese language CHM SRs were identified through literature searches across 3 international and 4 Chinese databases. Methodological quality was appraised using A MeaSurement Tool to Assess systematic Reviews 2. Logistic regressions were used to explore associations between bibliographical characteristics and quality. RESULTS: Analyses of methodological quality found that among the 213 sampled SRs, 69.5% were of critically low quality, 30.5% were of low quality, and none achieved high or moderate quality. Common shortcomings included the failure to identify the studies excluded from the analysis, failure to disclose funding sources, and limited evaluation of the potential impact of bias on conclusions. Logistic regressions revealed that SRs led by corresponding authors affiliated with universities or academic institutions tended to be of lower quality than SRs led by authors affiliated with hospitals or clinical facilities. CONCLUSION Recent Chinese language CHM SRs exhibited limited methodological quality, making them unlikely to support the development of clinical practice guidelines. Urgent initiatives are needed to enhance training for researchers, peer-reviewers and editors involved in the preparation and publication of SRs. Adoption of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses reporting guidelines in Chinese language journals is crucial to improve the relevance of SRs for Chinese medicine development. Addressing deficiencies in methodology and reporting is essential for promoting evidence-based practices and informed clinical decisions in Chinese medicine. Please cite this article as: Jiang Y, Zhong CC, Wang BH, Xu SS, Ho FF, Kwong MH, Ho L, Zhou JHS, Lam KC, Liu JP, Zhang BT, Chung VCH. Methodological quality of systematic reviews on orally administered Chinese herbal medicine published in Chinese between 2021 and 2022: A cross-sectional study. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(5):492-501.
Cross-Sectional Studies ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Systematic Reviews as Topic/standards* ; Humans ; China ; Administration, Oral ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

The research and development of new traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) drugs have progressively established a novel system founded on the integration of TCM theory, human experience, and clinical trials (termed the "Three Combinations"). However, considering TCM's distinctive features of "syndrome differentiation and treatment" and "multicomponent formulations and complex mechanisms", current TCM drug development faces challenges such as insufficient understanding of the material basis and the overall mechanism of action and an incomplete evidence chain system. Moreover, significant obstacles persist in gathering human experience data, evaluating clinical efficacy, and controlling the quality of active ingredients, which impede the innovation process in TCM drug development. Network pharmacology, centered on the "network targets" theory, transcends the limitations of the conventional "single target" reductionist research model. It emphasizes the comprehensive effects of disease or syndrome biological networks as targets to elucidate the overall regulatory mechanism of TCM prescriptions. This approach aligns with the holistic perspective of TCM, offering a novel method consistent with TCM's holistic view for investigating the complex mechanisms of TCM and developing new TCM drugs. It is internationally recognized as a "next-generation drug research model". To advance the research of new tools, methods, and standards for TCM evaluation and to overcome fundamental, critical, and cutting-edge technical challenges in TCM regulation, this consensus aims to explore the characteristics, progress, challenges, applicable pathways, and specific applications of network pharmacology as a new theory, method, and tool in TCM drug development. The goal is to enhance the quality of TCM drug research and development and accelerate the efficiency of developing new TCM products.
Humans ; Consensus ; Drug Development/standards* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Network Pharmacology/standards* ; Guidelines as Topic

The therapeutic efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine has been widely acknowledged due to its extensive history of clinical effectiveness. However, the precise active components underlying each prescription remain incompletely understood. Polysaccharides, as a major constituent of water decoctions-the most common preparation method for Chinese medicinals-may provide a crucial avenue for deepening our understanding of the efficacy principles of Chinese medicine and establishing a framework for its modern development. The structural complexity and diversity of Chinese herbal polysaccharides present significant challenges in their separation and analysis compared to small molecules. This paper aims to explore the potential of Chinese herbal polysaccharides efficiently by briefly summarizing recent advancements in polysaccharide chemical research, focusing on methods of acquisition, structure elucidation, and quality control.
Polysaccharides/isolation & purification* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/standards* ; Quality Control ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Humans ; Molecular Structure

Atrial fibrillation (AF) has emerged as a major global cardiovascular disease in the 21st century. In China, there are greater than 12 million patients with AF, and its incidence continues to rise. AF affects patients' quality of life and significantly increases the risks of mortality, stroke, heart failure, cognitive impairment, and dementia. In recent years, multiple clinical guidelines have expanded the indications for catheter ablation and raised its level of recommendation. Concurrently, there has been a rapid and sustained increase in the number of AF ablation procedures performed across China. Among these, radiofrequency catheter ablation remains the most used method. Consequently, the Chinese Heart Rhythm Society of the Chinese Society of Biomedical Engineering, in collaboration with 40 arrhythmia centers and 60 leading clinical experts specializing in AF catheter ablation, developed a comprehensive set of standards. These standards were developed based on extensive clinical experience accumulated in recent years and the latest national and international AF guidelines and consensus documents. They address five critical domains: periprocedural management, intra-atrial septal puncture, anatomical reconstruction and electroanatomic mapping, ablation, and complication identification and management. By providing a structured framework, these standards aim to guide AF catheter ablation practice, thereby enhancing procedural safety and efficacy.
Humans ; Catheter Ablation/standards* ; Atrial Fibrillation/surgery* ; China