Problemy sotsial'noi gigieny, zdravookhraneniia i istorii meditsinyV G Zilov, L V Kosmodemyansky
The article considers placement of methods of traditional and complementary medicine in the public health system of the Russian Federation, focusing on prevention and management of chronic non-communicable diseases. The analysis of the evidence base on key methods of traditional and complementary medicine (acupuncture, phytotherapy, homeopathy, manual therapy, osteopathy) was carried out, including differentiated estimate of level of evidence for forms of homeopathy based on the latest systematic review of meta-analyses. The legal framework of its application in Russia are explored. The corresponding collisions and barriers are identified. The following proposals concerning integrative health care model are formulated: differentiated register of methods, clinical guidelines, pilot integration into compulsory health insurance system and enhancement of research.
Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciencesQi Wu, Hui-Jun Xie, Xiao-Peng Chen, Zi-Ying Wang, Na Li, Bei-Li Chen, Ling-Yun Zhong, Jing Zhu, Song-Hong Yang
BACKGROUND: Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma (NRR), derived from Panax notoginseng, serves as both a functional food and a key medicinal material in traditional Chinese medicine. Its bioactivity is largely attributed to saponins, which undergo significant chemical transformations during processing (e.g., steaming), altering its pharmacological profile. OBJECTIVE: This review aims to systematically consolidate experimentally verified metabolites from authenticated NRR, elucidate the chemical transformations induced by processing and clarify the resulting shift in pharmacological effects, thereby providing a scientific basis for its targeted application. METHOD: A comprehensive literature search was conducted using CNKI, Wanfang Data, National Science and Technology Library, the Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China, PubMed and Web of Science. Keywords included Panax notoginseng (Burk.) F. H. Chen; Pharmacological activities; Phytochemisity; Saponin transformation; Traditional processing; Traditional Chinese medicine. Data were also sourced from classic texts, dissertations and unpublished materials. RESULTS: Processing, particularly steaming, converts high-polarity saponins into less polar ones via deglycosylation, dehydration and hydroxylation. This chemical shift underlies a functional transition: raw NRR primarily promotes blood activation and stasis dispersion, while processed NRR exhibits enhanced blood-nourishing, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory activities. CONCLUSION: The integration of ethnopharmacological knowledge with modern scientific perspectives clarifies the metabolite pathways and mechanistic basis for processing-induced changes in NRR. This review provides a reliable foundation for the precise use and further development of NRR in functional foods, nutraceuticals and evidence-based therapy.
Pain practice : the official journal of World Institute of PainPhilippe Lafuma, Laurent Magaud, Amna Abichou-Klich, Muriel Rabilloud, Julien Wegrzyn, Christian Baude, Pascal Rippert, Myriam Kaou, Julie Haesebaert, Frédéric…
BACKGROUND: Complex regional pain syndrome type 1 (CRPS1) is a disabling pain syndrome whose treatment remains challenging. Mesotherapy is a therapeutic method involving the injection of low doses of active substances through the skin. No studies assessed mesotherapy in CRPS1 patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy on pain relief of ketamine and lidocaine mixtures versus lidocaine alone administered by mesotherapy. METHODS: This three-arm, randomized, double-blind trial compared mesotherapy with lidocaine 20 mg alone or mixed with ketamine at a dose of 20 mg or 40 mg, in addition to standard treatment. The primary outcome was the difference in pain between inclusion and D56 after four mesotherapy sessions, assessed by a visual analog scale (VAS). RESULTS: Thirty-one patients were randomized to receive lidocaine 20 mg (n = 10), lidocaine 20 mg + ketamine 20 mg (n = 11), or lidocaine 20 mg + ketamine 40 mg (n = 10). The mean difference in VAS score between inclusion and D56 was -25.60 (95% CI: -42.81, -8.39) in the lidocaine 20 mg group, -10.13 (95% CI: -26.24, 5.99) in the lidocaine 20 mg + ketamine 20 mg group, and -19.06 (95% CI: -36.11, -2.02) in the lidocaine 20 mg + ketamine 40 mg group. There was no statistically significant difference in change of VAS score between the 3 groups (p = 0.36). No infectious or severe adverse events occurred. CONCLUSION: This study did not demonstrate the superiority of mesotherapy with ketamine and lidocaine mixtures compared to lidocaine alone in relieving pain for CRPS1 patients. Lidocaine alone or mixed with ketamine can be administered safely with a rigorous mesotherapy procedure. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT04650074, and EudraCT, number 2020-005557-24.
Humans begin tuning in to the prosody of their native language even before birth. Previous studies with newborns have reported language-specific processing of forward versus backward speech and of intonational contours, as well as sensitivity to iambic versus trochaic patterns in non-linguistic tone stimuli. The present study investigated newborns' processing of temporal rhythm patterns in naturalistic native-language speech. Czech-learning newborns (N = 44) listened to naturally recorded, well-formed Czech utterances with either native Czech rhythm (lacking prominent acoustic cues to word-level stress) or foreign-accented rhythm (featuring prolonged foot-initial syllables), while their hemodynamic activity was recorded. Results revealed larger hemodynamic responses to native-language speech with foreign rhythm than to native-language speech with native rhythm. This difference was most pronounced in the right hemisphere, indicating right-lateralized processing of speech rhythm differences. Traditional theories of language development have suggested that only broad, between-class rhythm differences among languages are processed at birth. By showing that newborns discriminate between native and foreign rhythmic patterns even when their native language falls outside traditional rhythm classifications, the present findings evidence that gradient temporal cues alone are sufficient for early language discrimination.
Neuropsychopharmacologia Hungarica : a Magyar Pszichofarmakologiai Egyesulet lapja = official journal of the Hungarian Association of PsychopharmacologyAdrienne Incze
Bodily awareness has become a central therapeutic factor in psychodynamic and body-oriented psychotherapies, yet its clinical effects and theoretical status remain insufficiently integrated. This paper offers a clinically grounded account of bodily awareness work in Psychodynamic Movement and Dance Therapy (PMT), conceptualising the body as the primary medium of lived experience rather than as an object of intervention. Drawing on phenomenology, developmental psychoanalysis, and clinical theory, the paper argues that therapeutic change in PMT unfolds through prereflective, embodied processes that precede verbal reflection and symbolic articulation. To integrate these perspectives, it introduces the concept of the global mode of experience, defined as an amodal, prereflective organisation of experience in which bodily sensation and affective vitality are lived as an integrated whole. Rooted in Daniel Stern's work, this mode is understood as a stable, activatable capacity rather than a regressive state, with orientation to the reality of the here-and-now fundamentally preserved. The paper positions the global mode of experience as a clinically orienting framework for understanding both the therapeutic effects and the limitations of bodily awareness work, highlighting the importance of timing, containment, and indication in psychodynamic movement and dance therapy. (Neuropsychopharmacol Hung 2026; 28(3): 141-154)
Global health actionNgcwalisa Amanda Jama, Maureen Joffe, Keletso Mmoledi, Seemela D Malope, Gugulethu Tshabalala, Charmaine Blanchard, Elizabeth F Msoka, Shane A Norris
BACKGROUND: Despite the rising cancer burden in Soweto, South Africa and the recognized role of Traditional Health Practitioners (THPs) in the pluralistic health system, their role in cancer care remains underexplored. This study provides novel insights into THPs' understanding of cancer and their potential contribution to community awareness and early detection within complex sociocultural and health system contexts. OBJECTIVE: To explore THPs perceptions of cancer and the factors influencing their role in community cancer awareness and early detection in Soweto. METHODS: An exploratory qualitative design was adopted. Purposive and snowball sampling were used to recruit 13 THPs in Soweto. Each participated in two in-depth interviews. Data were transcribed, coded, and thematically analyzed using Dedoose. RESULTS: Seven of the 13 THPs had encountered clients with cancer-related symptoms. The THPs described navigating cancer care with mixed certainty, drawing on experiential, spiritual, and limited biomedical knowledge. They often referred clients to biomedical facilities when symptoms appeared serious or unclear. Participants saw themselves as accessible community figures, offering psychosocial support and helping patients navigate the health system. While motivated to contribute to cancer awareness and early detection, they reported challenges related to limited recognition and legitimacy within the formal health sector. CONCLUSION: Traditional Health Practitioners play an informal but important intermediary role in community cancer care in Soweto. Their contributions are shaped by knowledge gaps, social dynamics, and systemic barriers. Strengthening their role in early detection requires interventions that improve training, build trust in biomedical services, and support integration within the health system.
Brain research bulletinYi Gao, Weimin Li, Qi Ma, Xuechong Zhao, Qiujun Wang
Electroacupuncture (EA) has been identified as an effective intervention for mitigating postoperative cognitive dysfunction in the elderly; however, its underlying mechanisms remain inadequately understood. This study aimed to elucidate the neuroprotective effects of EA on anesthesia/surgery-induced cognitive impairment in aged rats through a combination of behavioral testing, RNA sequencing analysis, Golgi-Cox staining, dendritic spine analysis, Sholl analysis, immunofluorescence assays, and western blot analysis. The findings demonstrated that EA ameliorates anesthesia/surgery-induced cognitive decline by inhibiting hippocampal synaptic dysfunction, with a notable enrichment in the downregulation of IL-17A signaling and upregulation of ERK signaling. Furthermore, the study confirmed that an exogenous increase in IL-17A expression can induce hippocampal synaptic dysfunction and partially negate the neuroprotective effects of EA by inhibiting the expression of the ERK/CREB signaling pathway. In conclusion, EA attenuates anesthesia/surgery-induced cognitive impairment in aged rats by inhibiting IL-17A-mediated hippocampal synaptic dysfunction via the ERK/CREB signaling pathway.
Global health actionConstance Boyde, Lara-Luna Ehrenschneider, Jana Brückner, Joy-Mariella Donisch, Mara Siebenmorgen, Katharina Thomas, Christina Hunger-Schoppe
Children and adolescents undergoing cancer treatment, along with their families, experience psychological and emotional distress. Music therapy is increasingly acknowledged as an intervention that may foster emotion regulation, coping, and communication; however, family involvement remains insufficiently delineated. This scoping review maps evidence on family involvement in music therapy for paediatric oncology, characterises the forms and intensity of participation, summarises intervention features and reported outcomes, and identifies limitations and research gaps. Following PRISMA-ScR guidelines, a systematic search was conducted in PSYNDEX, PubMed, The Cochrane Library, and Embase (2010-2025). Studies were eligible if they examined music therapy interventions or structured music-therapy-based interventions in paediatric oncology and involved family members at any level of participation. Eighteen studies met the inclusion criteria and were synthesised descriptively. Across the studies, reported outcomes included reductions in anxiety, stress, and pain, as well as improvements in mood, quality of life, and family interaction. Family involvement ranged from primarily observational and reflective roles to direct participation in shared music-making and, in some cases, therapist-guided parent-led facilitation. Interaction-focused and parent-directed approaches were most often described as supporting emotional connectedness, shared coping, and family resilience. Methodological heterogeneity, small sample sizes, and inconsistent conceptualisations of family involvement limited comparability. The reviewed literature suggests that family involvement in music therapy may support psychosocial well-being and relational functioning within paediatric oncology. However, the available evidence is heterogeneous and primarily descriptive. Future research would benefit from clearer conceptualisations of family involvement and more methodologically comparable studies to clarify mechanisms of change and long-term effects.
European journal of psychotraumatologyHui Fan, Jianing Zhang, Yishu Wang, Kunhao Yang, You Wang, Xueling Yang
Background: Evidence-based trauma interventions are predominantly developed in and for WEIRD (Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, Democratic) populations. In non-Western higher education settings, implementing these therapies is heavily hindered by severe shortages of mental health professionals and culturally rooted stigma against authority figures. Exploring scalable, context-sensitive models like task-sharing is crucial for global mental health equity.Objective: This study evaluated the efficacy and underlying mechanisms of a peer-delivered integrated intervention - combining Eye Movement Desensitization (EMD) and Imagery Rescripting (IR) - for traumatised Chinese university students.Method: In a randomised controlled trial (RCT) with an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design, 95 students with moderate post-traumatic stress were randomised to a peer-delivered EMD + IR group, a standalone IR group, or a care-as-usual (CAU) control. Outcomes (depression, anxiety, self-efficacy, resilience) were assessed across four 50-minute peer-led sessions at baseline, post-intervention, and one-month follow-up. Traumatic memory characteristics were monitored, and post-trial qualitative interviews were conducted to understand therapeutic mechanisms and the peer-led experience.Results: Both interventions showed improvements over time. While Group × Time interactions for depression, anxiety, and self-efficacy were non-significant, the EMD + IR group demonstrated superior stability in maintaining resilience gains at follow-up, whereas the standalone IR group showed a significant decline. Mediation analysis revealed resilience gains were driven by a multi-dimensional restructuring of traumatic memories (reduced vividness, arousal, and negative beliefs). Qualitatively, EMD provided a 'sensory-affective buffer' for clients and an operational 'safety net' for novices. The egalitarian peer identity dismantled hierarchical stigma, while robust supervision ensured provider safety.Conclusions: Task-sharing EMD + IR via trained peers is a feasible, culturally congruent strategy. This phased model offers a safe, destigmatizing pathway for accelerating symptom relief and fostering sustainable post-traumatic growth.This trial was registered at the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2400090611).
European journal of pharmaceutics and biopharmaceutics : official journal of Arbeitsgemeinschaft fur Pharmazeutische Verfahrenstechnik e.VXiaoyang Li, Xiaodan Wang, Yan Ming, Rongtao Li, Yun Yang, Jing Wang, Baiyu Chang, Qing Zhang, Jingling Tang, Jiaxin Liu, Hongyu Ji, Congcong Lin
Chronic wounds pose notable clinical challenges due to persistent infection, inflammation, and impaired tissue regeneration. We designed a multi-functional microneedle patch (MR-NPs-MNs) comprising chitosan-based microneedles encapsulating PLGA nanoparticles co-loaded with mupirocin and L-arginine. As a key component, L-arginine significantly enhances anti-inflammatory effects by reducing pro-inflammatory cytokines and effectively promotes tissue repair by regulating oxidative stress and facilitating angiogenesis. The PLGA nanoparticles MR-NPs exhibited stable physical properties (181.7 ± 5.875 nm particle size, 22.4 ± 0.529 mV zeta potential) and were incorporated into microneedles capable of withstanding 40.38 N compression. Notably, MR-NPs-MNs outperformed conventional mupirocin ointment, achieving a 99.82 ± 0.15% antibacterial rate (vs. 90.69 ± 1.11% for the ointment), superior biofilm inhibition (96.82 ± 0.83% and 77.8 ± 5.32%), and enhanced transdermal drug delivery. In vitro, MR-NPs-MNs increased NO production, reduced TNF-α, IL-6 and ROS levels, and promoted wound healing. In diabetic wound models, MR-NPs-MNs increased the healing rate by 1.54-fold, significantly reduced bacterial counts (P < 0.01) by day 9, and improved key healing parameters including collagen matrix reorganization, robust neovascularization, and functional tissue formation. With its biocompatible components, this system provides a potential local therapeutic platform for infected diabetic wound treatment.
Complementary therapies in medicineXin Liu, Xiaona He, Yuyue Yang, Jiayan Chen, Jun Xiong, Wei Gao
OBJECTIVE: This review evaluates the effects of wearable device-telemonitored Baduanjin on exercise tolerance and cardiac function in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). METHODS: A comprehensive literature search was performed in PubMed, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Database, VIP Database and Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM) from their inception to 1 January 2026. The search aimed to identify randomised controlled trials investigating Baduanjin for CHF that explicitly used wearable devices. Study screening, data extraction and Cochrane RoB 2.0 bias assessment were performed independently by two reviewers with discrepancies were resolved by a third. Given significant clinical heterogeneity across the included studies, a narrative synthesis of the findings was conducted, supported by tabulated presentation of outcome data. RESULTS: Three randomized controlled trials involving 248 participants were included. Individual studies reported that wearable device-telemonitored Baduanjin was associated with improvements in several clinical outcomes in patients with CHF. Reported benefits included increased 6-minute walking distance (568.58 m vs. 367.47 m, P < 0.05), higher peak oxygen uptake (19.00 vs. 17.00 ml/[kg·min], P < 0.001) and improved left ventricular ejection fraction (52.60% vs. 45.28% and 42.79%, P < 0.05). Improvements were also observed in quality of life, depression symptoms, cardiovascular readmission in the intervention group of individual studies. No exercise-related adverse events were reported. CONCLUSION: Current evidence suggests that wearable device-telemonitored Baduanjin may potentially improve key outcomes in patients with chronic heart failure, However, these findings are based on a narrative synthesis of individual studies and should therefore be interpreted cautiously. Further high-quality, standardised randomised controlled trials are urgently needed.
Brain research bulletinQiang Chen, Yating Zhang, Chenrui Liu, Yu Fu, Quan Gan, Zhuangfei Chen
BACKGROUND: This scoping review systematically compares the neural mechanisms underlying trait mindfulness and hypnosis susceptibility, focusing on three key dimensions: brain region activation, electroencephalographic (EEG) signals, and core brain networks. The aim is to elucidate potential shared mechanisms involved in conscious state modulation. METHODS: Through a comprehensive review of existing brain imaging and EEG studies, we found that both phenomena involve the prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex, enhanced theta and alpha EEG rhythms, and are closely related to the dynamic interaction between the salience network and the central executive network. RESULTS: These findings suggest their potential role in attentional regulation. Guided by the theory of predictive coding for interoception, we propose an integrative framework: trait mindfulness and hypnosis susceptibility jointly influence cognitive processes and alter self-conscious states through differential regulation. Specifically, trait mindfulness enhances perceptual inference and metacognitive awareness, whereas hypnosis susceptibility facilitates the acceptance of high-precision prior cues (suggestions) and promotes active inference. CONCLUSIONS: This framework provides a unified perspective for understanding the foundation of the two constructs and identifies directions for future research and clinical translation (e.g., anxiety interventions).
Although electroacupuncture (EA) yields favorable clinical outcomes for vascular dementia (VD), its mechanisms remain poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate the protective effects of EA on VD by regulating growth hormone (GH). A rat VD model was induced by multiple microinfarction (MMI). EA was applied at Baihui (GV20) and Shenting (GV24), and its effects on cognitive function and synaptic lesions were assessed. Hippocampal synaptic morphology and synaptic protein expression, as well as GH level were detected using transmission electron microscopy and biochemical methods. Finally, GH and PGC-1α agonists were used for mechanistic validation. Our results showed that MMI rats presented severe cognitive deficits and synaptic dysfunction relative to sham rats, and EA successfully alleviated these abnormalities. The expression of GH-related and mitochondrial proteins in the hippocampus continuously decreased on D7, D14 and D21 post-modeling, and EA significantly prevented such reductions. EA also increased hippocampal GH level and repaired damaged mitochondria in VD rats. Of note, GH receptor and PGC-1α agonists exerted similar beneficial effects as EA, validating the proposed mechanism. Collectively, EA at GV20 and GV24 increases hippocampal GH levels, rescues mitochondrial and synaptic dysfunction in VD rats, and possesses great potential for clinical application.
Sensory attenuation refers to the reduced neural or perceptual responses elicited by self-generated stimuli relative to externally generated ones. Yet behavioral findings remain inconsistent. These inconsistencies may reflect the widely differing operationalizations of the strength of the action-outcome coupling (SAOC), that is, how reliably an action predicts its sensory consequence. The present study systematically examined how four factors related to the SAOC influence perceptual sound attenuation. Participants performed an auditory discrimination task in which test tones of varying intensities were generated either after a keypress (overlearned coupling), after an ocular saccade (novel coupling), or following a visual cue (passive listening). We also varied the action-tone delay (150 vs. 1500 ms) and the tone occurrence rate (100% vs. 50% contingency). After each test tone, a reference tone was presented and participants judged which one was louder. In the 50%-contingency condition, trial-wise expectations of tone occurrence were estimated with a Rescorla-Wagner model. Keypress-generated tones were perceived as less loud than passively presented tones, consistent with attenuation typically observed for such overlearned couplings. By contrast, saccade-generated tones were judged quieter when their occurrence was more strongly expected. Overall, this between-task difference indicates that perceptual attenuation scales with SAOC, differently for overlearned and novel couplings. Our findings are compatible with the hybrid account proposed by Dogge et al. (2019), according to which overlearned couplings rely on motor-based forward models, whereas novel couplings engage broader predictive mechanisms.
Sensory processing sensitivity (SPS) is a personality trait characterized by heightened responsiveness to environmental stimuli, yet its neurophysiological mechanisms remain unclear. Sensory gating (SG), an inhibitory process that suppresses redundant or irrelevant sensory inputs, is often assessed through event-related potentials (ERPs) but may also rely on non-phase-locked oscillatory activity. The present study examined SG in individuals with high versus low SPS using both time-domain and time-frequency electrophysiological measures while strictly controlling for serotonin transporter polymorphism (5-HTTLPR). From an initial cohort of 518 adults, participants in the top and bottom 10 % of Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) Scale scores who were homozygous for the S allele (SS genotype) completed a paired-stimulus auditory SG paradigm (26 high SPS; 25 low SPS). Time-domain analyses showed no group differences in SG ratios or SG differences of the N100 component. In contrast, time-frequency analyses revealed that individuals with high SPS exhibited significantly stronger gating in theta oscillations compared to low-SPS individuals (false discovery rate corrected p < 0.05). These findings suggest that SPS is not characterized by uniformly weaker sensory inhibition, but rather by altered oscillatory sensory-gating dynamics during repetitive sensory processing. In conclusion, theta-band SG may represent a candidate electrophysiological correlate of SPS and highlights the potential value of oscillatory measures for understanding individual differences in sensory responsiveness.
Complementary therapies in medicineFritzi Pilar Villalba-Ugarte, Raúl H Sandoval-Ato, Jamee Guerra Valencia, Gustavo Quispe-Villegas, Carlos Enrique Martínez Castro, José Montes-Alvis, Álvaro Ta…
BACKGROUND: Cancer and its treatments affect patients' physical and psychological well-being. Laughter therapy is a non-pharmacological intervention with potential to relieve these effects. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of laughter therapy in patients with cancer. METHODS: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was conducted to evaluate laughter therapy in cancer patients. Searches were performed in MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL, and ClinicalTrials.gov through September 1 of 2025. In pairs, the authors independently performed study selection, data extraction, and risk of bias assessment. Meta-analyses used random-effects models, and evidence certainty was assessed using the GRADE approach. RESULTS: Sixteen RCTs including 1127 patients were analyzed. Laughter therapy probably results in an important reduction in anxiety (SMD: -0.54, 95% CI: -0.84 to -0.24). It probably results in little to no difference in quality of life (MD: -0.65, 95% CI: -7.15-5.86), and in nausea-vomiting severity (MD: -0.45, 95% CI: -0.80 to -0.09; moderate certainty). It may also lead to an important reduction in pain, and in stress, but may result in little to no difference in nausea frequency (low certainty). However, the evidence regarding depressive symptoms, fatigue, mood, and vomiting frequency is very uncertain (very low certainty). CONCLUSION: Laughter therapy probably reduces anxiety and may reduce pain and stress in patients with cancer. However, these findings should be interpreted considering limitations related to risk of bias, heterogeneity among interventions, and imprecision due to small sample sizes. Further high-quality RCTs are needed to confirm these findings and compare different modalities of laughter therapy.
Behavioural brain researchDaniel Santos-Carrasco, Luis G De la Casa
Prepulse inhibition (PPI) of the acoustic startle response is a robust index of sensorimotor gating that is sensitive to emotional and environmental factors, yet the effects of acute stress on PPI in rats remain inconsistent. The present study reports findings from three experiments aimed at examining the effects of stress on the startle response and PPI in male Wistar rats using between- and within-subjects designs to disentangle the unique contributions of contextual conditioning and environmental illumination. In Experiment 1 (n = 32), acute stress was induced by the forced swim test (FST) and inescapable footshocks, and only the FST was found to reduce PPI during the stress period relative to a no-stress period, suggesting that stress effects may depend on contextual factors. Experiment 2 (n = 16) assessed contextual conditioning by pairing inescapable footshocks with either a dark or an illuminated testing context. Results showed that PPI changes were primarily driven by environmental illumination rather than by context-shock associations. Given the relatively low-to-moderate light intensity used in Experiment 2, Experiment 3 (n = 16) directly compared the startle response and PPI under dark and light conditions. Illumination significantly increased the acoustic startle response and reduced PPI relative to darkness. Together, these findings identify illumination as a powerful modulator of sensorimotor gating in nocturnal rodents, capable of masking stress-related effects. Our results highlight environmental lighting as a critical, yet often overlooked, methodological confound and underscore the necessity of controlling lighting conditions to accurately interpret stress-induced alterations in sensorimotor gating studies.
Journal of investigative surgery : the official journal of the Academy of Surgical ResearchHao Gao, Chunlan Hu, Xi Chen, Lili Li, Xiaohui Wu, Haoliang Cai, Hai Zhu, Wenting Chen, Jiangang Song
OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated whether moxibustion at the Dazhui point (GV14) reduces intraoperative hypothermia during cesarean delivery under spinal anesthesia. METHODS: Sixty - four parturients (32/group) scheduled for cesarean section were randomly assigned 30 min before surgery to receive either moxibustion at Dazhui or sham moxibustion (pre-combusted cooled moxa pack); both groups received standard blanket warming. The primary outcome was hypothermia incidence (core temperature <36.0 °C). Secondary outcomes included shivering, thermal comfort (0-100 scale), Apgar scores, hospital stay, and postoperative complications (fever, blood loss, infection). RESULTS: Baseline characteristics were similar between groups. Hypothermia incidence was significantly lower in the intervention group (62.50%) than in the sham group (84.38%; p = 0.048). From 10 min after surgery start until operating room departure, core temperature remained consistently higher in the moxibustion group (p < 0.05). Shivering occurred less often in the intervention group (43.75% vs. 68.75%, p < 0.05). Thermal comfort scores were higher in the intervention group (87.19 ± 9.24 vs. 78.75 ± 10.08, p < 0.05). No significant differences were found in Apgar scores, hospital stay, or postoperative complications. CONCLUSION: Preoperative moxibustion at Dazhui reduces intraoperative hypothermia and improves maternal comfort during cesarean delivery without adverse neonatal effects. Although it cannot completely eliminate hypothermia or shivering, it may serve as an effective non - pharmacological adjunct for thermoregulation in obstetric anesthesia.
Sleep medicineBhanu Prakash Kolla, Caroline S Mifsud, Alessio A Gugliotta, Jarrett W Richardson, Meghna P Mansukhani
BACKGROUND: Clinical hypnosis has shown some benefit for non-rapid eye movement (NREM) parasomnias; however, data regarding its effectiveness across the full spectrum of parasomnia subtypes, particularly rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder (RBD), remain limited. We evaluated clinical outcomes of hypnosis for parasomnias treated at a quaternary sleep center. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients referred for clinical hypnosis for parasomnia management. Demographic characteristics, parasomnia subtype, polysomnographic data, and concurrent medication use were extracted from the medical record. Treatment response was assessed using patient-reported symptom change and retrospectively assigned Clinical Global Impression-Improvement (CGI-I) scores derived from follow-up documentation. RESULTS: A total of 131 patients underwent at least one hypnosis session. Follow-up data were available for 76 patients (58%). Median follow-up was approximately six months. Overall, 41 patients (53.9%) reported subjective improvement. Among the 74 patients with assignable CGI-I scores, 24 (32.4%) were classified as responders (very much improved or much improved). An additional 19 (25.7%) showed minimal improvement. Treatment response varied by parasomnia subtype, with the highest response rate observed in NREM parasomnias (46.7% very much/much improved) and overlap parasomnias (44.4% very much/much improved). Modest improvement was observed in patients with RBD (33.3% very much/much improved). CONCLUSION: In this large retrospective cohort, clinical hypnosis was associated with subjective improvement in a subset of patients with NREM and REM parasomnias. Given its favorable safety profile, hypnosis may warrant further investigation as a low-risk adjunctive intervention for selected patients, including those with RBD.
Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysisXiao-Ya Shi, Ming-Tong Zhang, Xiao Ma, Juan Chen
In this work, α-glucosidase was successfully immobilized on commercially available cellulose filter paper and applied to screen inhibitors from traditional Chinese medicines combined with capillary electrophoresis analysis. For the immobilization of α-glucosidase, cellulose filter paper was employed as the carrier. Which was first coated with a chitosan-polyvinyl alcohol blend solution and subsequently activated with polyethyleneimine to introduce a positively charged surface. Finally, α-glucosidase was immobilized onto the modified cellulose filter paper via electrostatic adsorption. The carrier was characterized, and several parameters affecting the catalytic activity of immobilized enzymes were optimized. The results showed that the tensile strength of chitosan-polyvinyl alcohol-modified cellulose filter paper was 1.8 times that of the original cellulose filter paper, indicating that the mechanical properties of the carrier were enhanced. Moreover, the immobilized α-glucosidase showed good storage stability (retained 51.7 ± 0.43% of its initial activity after storing at 4℃ for 30 days), excellent reusability (retained 79.5 ± 1.18% of its initial activity after reusing 10 times), improved environmental tolerance (70°C and pH 8.0). In addition, the reliability of the immobilized enzyme for enzyme inhibitor screening was verified using acarbose as a model inhibitor, and its half-maximal inhibitory concentration was 0.85 ± 0.02 μM. Eventually, the immobilized α-glucosidase was used to screen inhibitors from 12 traditional Chinese medicine extracts combined with capillary electrophoresis analysis, and Sanguisorbae Radix exhibited the strongest inhibitory effect. This established platform provides a rapid and reliable strategy for screening α-glucosidase inhibitors from traditional Chinese medicine.