The blood-brain barrier limits the brain delivery of most drugs and affects the treatment of central nervous system disorders. The transnasal drug delivery allows the drug to bypass the blood-brain barrier and reach the brain directly through pathways such as the olfactory and trigeminal nerves, thus improving the therapeutic efficacy of the drug while reducing drug degradation and avoiding hepatic first pass effect. With the rise of nanotechnology, the combination of nanoformulations with transnasal routes of administration is expected to achieve better brain targeting and treatment of brain diseases. On the basis of summarizing the characteristics of the various nose-to-brain pathways, this review summarizes the researches on novel transnasal nanopreparations such as exosomes and liquid crystals in recent years as well as new strategies to improve the efficiency of brain entry including focused ultrasound-mediated techniques. We also review the recent studies on transnasal brain entry nanopreparations in the treatment of various brain disorders and current research dilemmas, looking forward to the prospect of their future clinical applications.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract and is characterized by alternating periods of inflammation and remission. Although UC incidence is lower in Taiwan than in Western countries, its impact remains considerable, demanding updated guidelines for addressing local healthcare challenges and patient needs. The revised guidelines employ international standards and recent research, emphasizing practical implementation within the Taiwanese healthcare system. Since the inception of the guidelines in 2017, the Taiwan Society of Inflammatory Bowel Disease has acknowledged the need for ongoing revisions to incorporate emerging therapeutic options and evolving disease management practices. This updated guideline aims to align UC management with local contexts, ensuring comprehensive and context-specific recommendations, thereby raising the standard of care for UC patients in Taiwan. By adapting and optimizing international protocols for local relevance, these efforts seek to enhance health outcomes for patients with UC.

Crohn’s disease (CD) is a chronic, fluctuating inflammatory condition that primarily affects the gastrointestinal tract. Although the incidence of CD in Taiwan is lower than that in Western countries, the severity of CD presentation appears to be similar between Asia and the West. This observation indicates the urgency for devising revised guidelines tailored to the unique reimbursement system, and patient requirements in Taiwan. The core objectives of these updated guidelines include the updated treatment choices and the integration of the treat-to-target strategy into CD management, promoting the achievement of deep remission to mitigate complications and enhance the overall quality of life. Given the diversity in disease prevalence, severity, insurance policies, and access to medical treatments in Taiwan, a customized approach is imperative for formulating these guidelines. Such tailored strategies ensure that international standards are not only adapted but also optimized to local contexts. Since the inception of its initial guidelines in 2017, the Taiwan Society of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (TSIBD) has acknowledged the importance of continuous revisions for incorporating new therapeutic options and evolving disease management practices. The latest update leverages international standards and recent research findings focused on practical implementation within the Taiwanese healthcare system.

ObjectiveTo predict the potential targets and mechanism of Jingfang mixture in the treatment of H1N1 influenza and provide references for clinical application of Jingfang mixture. MethodThe active components and targets of Jingfang mixture against H1N1 influenza were screened out by Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform（TCMSP），SwissTargetPrediction， and TargetNet. The targets of H1N1 influenza were obtained from GeneCards，Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man （OMIM）， and DisGeNET and standardized by UniProt KB. The intersection targets were obtained by Venny 2.1.0. The "drug-component-target" network was constructed with Cytoscape 3.2.1 and analyzed for the topological attributes. The intersection targets were uploaded to STRING 11.5 to obtain the protein-protein interaction （PPI） network. Gene Ontology （GO） enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes （KEGG） analysis were carried out by Metascape. Finally，the top active components ranked by degree were docked to the core targets by Autodock vina and visually analyzed by PyMOL. Balb/c female rats were used for experimental verification. Hematoxylin-eosin（HE） staining was used to observe the pathological changes in lung tissues. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay（ELISA）was used to detect the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α（TNF-α），interleukin-10（IL-10）， and interleukin-17（IL-17）. Real-time fluorescence-based quantitative polymerase chain reaction（Real-time PCR） and Western blot were used to detect the mRNA and protein expression levels in lung tissues. ResultThere were 144 active components in Jingfang mixture. A total of 421 target genes of Jingfang mixture and 2 956 targets of H1N1 influenza were identified，including 199 common targets. Topological analysis showed that the core components of Jingfang mixture against H1N1 influenza included quercetin，luteolin， and kaempferol，and the core targets included prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2（PTGS2），estrogen receptor alpha（ESR1），inducible nitric oxide synthase 2（iNOS2），peroxisome proliferator-activated receptorγ（PPARγ），and cyclooxygenase-1（PTGS1）. GO enrichment yielded 697 items in biological process （BP） （P<0.01）， 59 items in molecular function （MF）（P<0.01）， and 21 items in cellular component （CC） （P<0.01）. A total of 132 signaling pathways （P<0.01） were obtained by KEGG enrichment analysis， including phosphatidylinositol 3-kinases（PI3K）/protein kinase B（Akt） signaling pathway and mitogen-activated protein kinase（MAPK） signaling pathway，most of which were related to the regulation of immune inflammation. Molecular docking showed that the binding energy of the active components of Jingfang mixture to the core targets was less than -5.0 kcal·mol^-1，indicating good binding activity. HE staining showed that the lung tissues were significantly improved after drug intervention，and Real-time PCR and Western blot showed that Jingfang mixture could reduce the mRNA and protein expression of PI3K and Akt in lung tissues. ConclusionJingfang mixture can play an anti-viral effect against the influenza A virus through multiple components，multiple targets， and multiple pathways. The active components quercetin，luteolin， and kaempferol may control the inflammation and regulate immunity on the PI3K/Akt，MAPK， and other signaling pathways by acting on targets such as PTGS2，ESR1，iNOS2，PPARγ， and PTGS1.

Borneol (Bo) and Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) co-modified docetaxel (DTX) loaded MPEG-PLGA nanoparticles (DTX-Bo-RGD-NPs) were prepared to improve the therapeutic effect of DTX against glioma after intranasal administration. DTX-Bo-RGD-NPs were prepared by emulsification-solvent evaporation method, and their morphology, particle size, zeta potential, drug loading capacity (DLC), stability, and in vitro release properties were investigated. The fluorescence probe coumarin-6 loaded NPs were prepared for investigating the NPs' uptake property on C6 and 16HBE cell models to evaluate in vitro targeting ability. The DiR loaded NPs were prepared for observing the fluorescence intensity at the brain tumor site after intranasal administration through in vivo imaging system in a C6 rat orthotropic model, evaluating the targeting ability in vivo. The anti-tumor effects of DTX-Bo-RGD-NPs were also investigated in such C6 rat orthotropic model in vivo. Animal welfare and experimental procedures are in compliance with the regulations of the Animal Ethics Committee of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The results showed that DTX-Bo-RGD-NPs were spherical and uniformly distributed, with a particle size of about 140 nm and a zeta potential of -20 to -30 mV. The drug delivery system showed good stability and sustained release property in vitro, and favorable brain tumor targeting effect in vitro and in vivo. Such novel drug delivery system significantly improved the accumulation of DTX-Bo-RGD-NPs in tumor sites and displayed a higher brain tumor targeting efficiency, providing promising therapeutics of DTX for the treatment of glioma after intranasal administration.

With digital satellite remote sensing image data of GF-1,in 2018 the object-oriented classification method was used to extract Zizyphus jujuba planting area in Jia county of Shaanxi province. The results showed that the remote sensing classification method based on rule set could extract and reckon Z. jujube planting area in the study area effectively. The planting area of Z. jujube in Jia county was about 5. 34×104 hm2 and the area of consistent accuracy was 97. 92%. The method used in this study could provide a technical reference for the area extraction of the same type of medicinal materials. And it is of great significance to provide decision support for the protection and utilization of Z. jujube resources.
Agriculture ; China ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Ziziphus

Crohn's disease (CD) is a chronic relapsing and remitting inflammatory disease of the gastrointestinal tract. CD is rare in Taiwan and other Asian countries, but its prevalence and incidence have been steadily increasing. A steering committee was established by the Taiwan Society of Inflammatory Bowel Disease to formulate statements on the diagnosis and management of CD taking into account currently available evidence and the expert opinion of the committee. Thorough clinical, endoscopic, and histological assessments are required for accurate diagnosis of CD. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging are complementary to endoscopic evaluation for disease staging and detecting complications. The goals of CD management are to induce and maintain remission, reduce the risk of complications, and improve quality of life. Corticosteroids are the mainstay for inducing re-mission. Immunomodulating and biologic therapies should be used to maintain remission. Patients should be evaluated for hepatitis B virus and tuberculosis infection prior to treatment and receive regular surveillance for cancer. These consensus statements are based on current local evidence with consideration of factors, and could be serve as concise and practical guidelines for supporting clinicians in the management of patients with CD in Taiwan.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Biological Therapy ; Consensus* ; Crohn Disease* ; Diagnosis ; Disease Management ; Expert Testimony ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Hepatitis B virus ; Humans ; Incidence ; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Prevalence ; Quality of Life ; Taiwan* ; Tuberculosis

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an inflammatory bowel disease characterized by chronic mucosal inflammation of the colon, and the prevalence and incidence of UC have been steadily increasing in Taiwan. A steering committee was established by the Taiwan Society of Inflammatory Bowel Disease to formulate statements on the diagnosis and management of UC taking into account currently available evidence and the expert opinion of the committee. Accurate diagnosis of UC requires thorough clinical, endoscopic, and histological assessment and careful exclusion of differential diagnoses, particularly infectious colitis. The goals of UC therapy are to induce and maintain remission, reduce the risk of complications, and improve quality of life. As outlined in the recommended treatment algorithm, choice of treatment is dictated by severity, extent, and course of disease. Patients should be evaluated for hepatitis B virus and tuberculosis infection prior to immunosuppressive treatment, especially with steroids and biologic agents, and should be regularly monitored for reactivation of latent infection. These consensus statements are also based on current local evidence with consideration of factors, and could be serve as concise and practical guidelines for supporting clinicians in the management of UC in Taiwan.
Biological Factors ; Colitis ; Colitis, Ulcerative* ; Colon ; Consensus* ; Diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Disease Management ; Expert Testimony ; Hepatitis B virus ; Humans ; Incidence ; Inflammation ; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases* ; Prevalence ; Quality of Life ; Steroids ; Taiwan* ; Tuberculosis ; Ulcer*

OBJECTIVEThis study was designed to evaluate the prevalence of thyroid nodules (TNs) and its relationship with urine iodine concentrations (UICs) after the regional rapid economic growth and lifestyle changes.

METHODSA cross-sectional survey was conducted in the general population aged 15-69 years. A questionnaire regarding general and personal characteristics and relevant information was administered. Ultrasonography of the thyroid was performed, and serum triiodothyronine (T3), tetraiodothyronine (T4), serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), free triiodothyronine (FT3), free tetraiodothyronine (FT4), thyroglobulin antibody (TgAb), thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb), and TSH receptor antibody (TRAb) levels were measured for each individual subject.

RESULTSThe prevalence rates of TNs in the whole population, females and males were 27.76%, 34.04%, and 21.60%, respectively. The prevalence of multiple nodules increased with age, whereas the prevalence peaks differed between males and females. The median UICs in the whole population and females with non-TNs were higher than those of subjects with TNs (P=0.0035, P=0.0068). The median UICs in subjects with a single TN were higher than those in subjects with multiple TNs (P=0.0164, P=0.0127). The result showed a U-shaped curve relationship between UIC and prevalence of TNs. The prevalence of TNs was the lowest when the UIC was 140-400 μg/L.

CONCLUSIONThe prevalence of TNs was nearly 30% and increased with age. The relationship between UIC and prevalence of TNs is U-shaped, with an increase in risk when the UIC was <140 μg/L and >400 μg/L. Very low or high UIC levels need attention and correction.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; China ; epidemiology ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Iodine ; urine ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nutritional Status ; Prevalence ; Thyroid Nodule ; chemically induced ; epidemiology ; Young Adult