ObjectiveTo observe the effect of Qishao capsules on renal injury in db/db mice with diabetic kidney disease （DKD），and explore its mechanism of protecting the kidney by inhibiting podocyte apoptosis. Methodsdb/m mice （7 mice） were used as the normal group，and db/db mice （35 mice） were randomly divided into a model group，a dapagliflozin group （0.001 g·kg^-1·d^-1），and low-，medium-，and high-dose groups of Qishao capsules （0.341 3，0.682 5，and 1.365 g·kg^-1·d^-1，respectively）. Drug intervention lasted for 8 consecutive weeks. After sampling，the serum renal function indicators ［creatinine（SCr），and urea nitrogen（BUN）］，fasting blood glucose （FBG），24 h urinary protein quantification （24 h-UTP）， and other indicators of the mice were measured. The pathological tissue morphology of the kidney was observed by periodic acid-silver methenamine （PASM） and Masson's trichrome （Masson） staining. Immunohistochemical detection of cysteine-dependent aspartate-specific protease （Caspase）-3 and B-cell lymphoma 2 （Bcl-2） was performed. Western blot was used to detect the protein expression of Caspase-8，Caspase-7，Caspase-3， and other molecules. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick End labeling （TUNEL） staining was used to observe apoptosis in renal tissue. Immunofluorescence staining of Wilms tumor suppressor gene-1 （WT-1） was used to observe podocyte injury. Real-time polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） was employed to detect Caspase-8 and Caspase-3 mRNA expression in the kidneys of experimental mice. Data analysis was conducted using statistical software GraphPad Prism 10. ResultsCompared with the normal group，the model group showed significantly increased 24 h-UTP，SCr，BUN，and FBG （P<0.01）. Additionally， PASM staining of renal tissue showed increased glycogen deposition，glomerular hypertrophy，and thickening of the basement membrane. Masson staining showed collagen fiber proliferation in renal tissue. Transmission electron microscopy showed thickening of the renal tissue basement membrane and fusion or loss of foot processes in the model group. The immunohistochemical results showed that Caspase-3 in the kidneys of the mice in the model group significantly increased （P<0.01），while the Bcl-2 protein expression level decreased significantly （P<0.01）. The number of TUNEL positive cells in renal tissue significantly increased （P<0.01）. The positive expression of WT-1 in podocytes was significantly reduced （P<0.01）. Western blot analysis showed significant upregulation of Caspase-8，Caspase-7，and Caspase-3 protein expression in renal tissue （P<0.01）. The mRNA expression levels of Caspase-8 and Caspase-3 in the kidneys increased significantly （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group，the Qishao capsules groups can significantly reduce the levels of 24 h-UTP，SCr，BUN，and FBG （P<0.01）. The pathological damage of renal tissue and podocyte injury were improved to some extent. Immunohistochemistry in the kidney showed a significant decrease in Caspase-3 （P<0.01） and a significant increase in Bcl-2 protein expression level （P<0.01）. Additionally， there were a significant decrease in the number of TUNEL positive cells in renal tissue （P<0.01），a significant increase in WT-1 positive expression in podocytes （P<0.01），marked downregulation of Caspase-8，Caspase-7，and Caspase-3 protein expression in renal tissue （P<0.05，P<0.01），and a significant decrease in Caspase-8 and Caspase-3 mRNA expression levels （P<0.01）. ConclusionQishao capsules can inhibit podocyte apoptosis by regulating the expression of Caspase-8，Caspase-7， and Caspase-3，thereby improving the diabetic renal injury in db/db mice.

AIM: To explore the risk factors for postoperative anterior chamber exudation in cataract patients and construct a nomogram prediction model.METHODS: Retrospective study. From July 2019 to October 2024, 450 patients(467 eyes)with age-related cataract who underwent surgery in our hospital were collected as the study subjects. They were randomly grouped into a modeling group(315 cases, 327 eyes)and a validation group(135 cases, 140 eyes)roughly estimated at a 7:3 ratio using the random number table method. Both groups were separated into a non-exudative group and an exudative group based on whether anterior chamber exudation occurred after surgery. Clinical basic data was collected; multivariate Logistic regression was applied to analyze the influencing factors of anterior chamber exudation in patients with age-related cataract after surgery; R software was applied to draw a nomogram prediction model of anterior chamber exudation in patients with age-related cataract after surgery; the calibration curve and Hosmer Lemeshow(H-L)test were applied to evaluate the calibration of the column plot model in predicting the occurrence of anterior chamber exudation in patients with age-related cataract after surgery; ROC was applied to evaluate the efficacy of anterior chamber exudation in patients with age-related cataract after surgery.RESULTS:The clinical characteristics of the modeling group and the validation group were comparable. The high myopia, history of uveitis, preoperative intraocular pressure, lens nuclear grade, intraoperative cumulative dissipated energy, and intraoperative posterior capsular rupture of the lens were the influencing factors for postoperative anterior chamber exudation in patients with age-related cataract(all P<0.05). The results of the modeling group verifying the occurrence of anterior chamber exudation in patients with age-related cataract after surgery showed that the area under the ROC curve(AUC)was 0.986(95% CI: 0.966-0.996), the H-L test was χ2=6.494, P=0.592, indicating that the risk of anterior chamber exudation in patients with age-related cataract after surgery predicted by model had good consistency with actual risks, the AUC of postoperative anterior chamber exudation in patients with age-related cataract based on external validation was 0.982(95% CI: 0.960-0.994); and the H-L test suggested that the risk of anterior chamber exudation in CAT patients after surgery predicted by model had good consistency with actual risks(χ2=6.117, P=0.634).CONCLUSION:High myopia, history of uveitis, preoperative intraocular pressure, lens nuclear grade, intraoperative cumulative dissipated energy, and intraoperative posterior capsular rupture of the lens are risk factors for postoperative anterior chamber exudation in patients with age-related cataract; the nomogram prediction model constructed based on this has high predictive value, and can provide reference for individualized prevention of anterior chamber exudation in patients with age-related cataract after surgery.

AIM: To investigate the correlation of serum leukocyte-derived chemotaxin 2(LECT2)and complement C1q/tumor necrosis factor-related protein 5(CTRP5)with diabetic retinopathy(DR).METHODS:A single-center cross-sectional analysis was conducted on 138 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)admitted to our hospital from April 2023 to April 2025. According to the diagnostic results, they were divided into a non-DR group(60 cases)and a DR group(78 cases). The DR group was further divided into a proliferative DR(PDR)group(29 cases)and a non-proliferative DR(NPDR)group(49 cases). Pearson correlation analysis was used to assess the correlation of LECT2 and CTRP5 with glucose-lipid metabolism indicators. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify the influencing factors for the occurrence of DR in T2DM patients. ROC curve analysis was performed to evaluate the diagnostic value of serum LECT2 and CTRP5 for DR in T2DM patients.RESULTS: A comparison of general patient data between the two groups showed no significant differences. The DR group had higher serum levels of LECT2, CTRP5, total cholesterol(TC), triglycerides(TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C), and homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance(HOMA-IR)than the non-DR group, while high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C)was lower(all P<0.05). The serum levels of LECT2 and CTRP5 in the PDR group were higher than those in the NPDR group(all P<0.05). Serum LECT2 and CTRP5 positively correlated with TC, TG, LDL-C, and HOMA-IR, and negatively correlated with HDL-C(all P<0.001). Logistic results showed that duration of diabetes, TC, TG, LDL-C, HOMA-IR, LECT2, and CTRP5 were risk factors for DR occurrence in T2DM patients(all P<0.05). The ROC curve showed that the AUCs for serum LECT2, CTRP5 alone, and combined in diagnosing DR in T2DM patients were 0.830, 0.839, and 0.915, respectively. The AUC for the combined diagnosis was higher than that of LECT2 or CTRP5 alone according to the DeLong test(Z=2.818, 2.824, P=0.015, 0.012).CONCLUSION:Serum LECT2 and CTRP5 levels are closely related to the development of DR in T2DM patients, and joint detection has certain clinical value in diagnosing DR in T2DM patients.

AIM:To evaluate the efficacy and safety of trypsin irrigation in the treatment of lacrimal duct obstruction after Nd:YAG laser dacryoplasty.METHODS:This retrospective cohort study included 160 patients(160 eyes)with lacrimal duct obstruction who underwent Nd:YAG laser dacryocystoplasty at our institution. Based on the postoperative irrigation protocol, patients were allocated into two groups: the experimental group, which received lacrimal irrigation with a 25% trypsin solution once weekly for 4 wk postoperatively, and the control group, which received irrigation with normal saline on the same schedule. Patient data was obtained by reviewing electronic medical records, including baseline characteristics, surgical records, postoperative irrigation protocols, and follow-up outcomes at 1, 2, 4, and 6 mo post-surgery.RESULTS:The baseline characteristics were comparable between the two groups. At 1 mo postoperatively, the success rate in the experimental group was 90.0%, significantly higher than 71.3% in the control group(P<0.05). Preoperatively, the tear meniscus height in obstructed eyes was higher than in healthy eyes in all patients(all P<0.01). At 1 mo postoperatively, the tear meniscus height in obstructed eyes decreased significantly compared to preoperative levels(all P<0.01), and was lower in the experimental group than in the control group(P<0.01). The recurrence rates of obstruction at 2, 4, and 6 mo were 1.4%, 6.9%, and 5.6% in the experimental group, compared to 5.3%, 17.5%, and 12.3% in the control group, respectively. The total recurrence rate was significantly lower in the experimental group(13.9%)than in the control group(35.1%; P<0.05). No severe complications occurred in either group. Patient satisfaction with the treatment outcome was significantly higher in the experimental group than in the control group(P<0.01).CONCLUSION:Lacrimal irrigation with trypsin following Nd:YAG laser dacryocystoplasty demonstrates superior efficacy and a lower recurrence rate in the treatment of lacrimal duct obstruction. Trypsin shows promising application prospects for improving surgical success rate and reducing recurrence rate after laser treatment for lacrimal duct obstruction.

AIM:To investigate the prevalence of visual impairment and its correction status among junior high school students in Xi'an, so as to provide evidence for the development of targeted myopia prevention and control strategies.METHODS: A stratified cluster sampling design was adopted. From March to May 2025, students in grades 7-9 were recruited from three schools in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China: Dongfang Middle School, the Middle School Attached to Xi'an University of Technology, and the Xingqing Campus of the High School Affiliated to Xi'an Jiaotong University. In total, 3 974 students were invited, including 1 726 in grade 7, 1 206 in grade 8, and 1 042 in grade 9. The visual acuity was measured monocularly using a 5 m standard logarithmic visual acuity chart, with the fellow eye occluded; the line corresponding to the smallest optotype that could be correctly identified was recorded as the visual acuity value. Non-cycloplegic autorefraction was performed with a desktop autorefractor to obtain spherical equivalent(SE)values for refractive error screening.RESULTS: This study initially included 3 974 students, of whom 32 did not participate in the vision test, resulting in 3 942 students being included in the final analysis. Among them, 3 067(77.80%)were identified with poor vision. The prevalence of myopia was 81.47%(1 746)in males and 87.55%(1 575)in females(P<0.01). A stratified analysis by grade showed myopia rates of 81.72%(1 386)in junior grade one, 84.47%(1 017)in junior grade two, and 88.10%(918)in junior grade three, demonstrating a significant upward trend with increasing grade level(χ2=19.8484, P<0.01). Among the 3 321 myopic students, 2 287 adopted corrective measures. The rates of full correction, under-correction, and non-correction among all myopic students were 48.15%(1 599), 20.71%(688), and 31.14%(1 034), respectively. The rate of non-correction was significantly higher in male students than in females(32.70% vs 29.40%, χ2=4.2222, P<0.05).CONCLUSION: The findings indicate a high prevalence of visual impairment among junior high school students in Xi'an, coupled with suboptimal spectacle-wearing and full-correction rates. There is an urgent need for collaborative efforts across society, schools, and families to implement effective interventions to slow the onset and progression of myopia in this population.

Objective: To fabricate a hydrogel loaded with inositol hexaphosphate-zinc and preliminarily evaluate its performance in self-mineralization and osteoinduction, thereby providing a theoretical basis for the development of bone regeneration materials. Methods: The hydrogel framework (designated DF0) was formed by copolymerizing methacryloyloxyethyltrimethylammonium chloride and four-armed poly(ethylene glycol) acrylate, followed by sequentially loading inositol hexaphosphate anions via electrostatic interaction and zinc ions via chelation. The hydrogel loaded only with inositol hexaphosphate anions was named DF1, while the co-loaded hydrogel was named DF2. The self-mineralization efficacy of the DF0 , DF1 and DF2 hydrogels was characterized using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and selected area electron diffraction (SAED). The biocompatibility was assessed via live/dead cell staining and a CCK-8 assay. The osteoinductive capacity of the DF0 , DF1 and DF2 hydrogels on MC3T3-E1 cells was assessed via alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and Alizarin Red S (ARS) staining. In the aforementioned cell experiments, cells cultured in standard medium served as the control group Results: The DF0, DF1, and DF2 hydrogels were successfully synthesized. Notably, DF1 and DF2 exhibited distinct self-mineralization within 6 days. Results from TEM, EDS, and SAED confirmed that the mineralization products were amorphous calcium phosphate in group DF1, and amorphous calciumzinc phosphate in group DF2. Biocompatibility tests revealed that none of the hydrogels (DF0, DF1, and DF2) adversely affected cell viability or proliferation. In osteogenic induction experiments, both ALP and ARS staining were intensified in the DF1 and DF2 groups, with the most profound staining observed in the DF2 group. Conclusion The developed inositol hexaphosphate-zinc hydrogel (DF2) demonstrates the dual capacity to generate calcium-phosphate compounds through self-mineralization while exhibiting excellent osteoinductive properties. This biocompatible, dual-promoting osteogenic hydrogel presents a novel strategy for bone regeneration.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the efficacy and safety of immune checkpoint inhibitors （ICIs） combined with neoadjuvant chemotherapy in the treatment of early triple-negative breast cancer （TNBC）. METHODS Randomized controlled trials （RCTs） comparing ICIs combined with neoadjuvant chemotherapy （experimental group） versus neoadjuvant chemotherapy alone （control group） were retrieved from PubMed， Cochrane Library， Embase， Web of Science， CNKI， Wanfang Data， and VIP databases， as well as relevant studies published at oncology academic conferences. The search period was from database inception to June 30， 2025. After literature screening， data extraction， and quality assessment， a meta-analysis was performed by using RevMan 5.4 software. RESULTS A total of 6 RCTs involving 3 786 patients were finally included. The meta-analysis results showed that the experimental group had superior event-free survival [HR＝0.73， 95%CI （0.62， 0.85）， P＜0.000 1]， overall survival [HR＝0.69， 95%CI （0.57， 0.84）， P＝0.000 3]， and pathological complete response （pCR） [OR＝1.57， 95%CI （1.37， 1.80）， P＜0.000 01] compared to the control group. The incidence of ≥grade 3 adverse event （AE）， severe AE （SAE）， and ≥ grade 3 immune-related adverse event （irAE） in the experimental group was significantly higher than that in the control group. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in the incidence of any AE or any irAE （P＞0.05）. Subgroup analysis revealed that， regardless of programmed cell death ligand 1 expression status （negative or positive），the pCR in the experimental group was significantly higher than that in the control group （P＜0.05）. Additionally， the pCR of the patients with positive lymph nodes in the experimental group was significantly higher to that in the ontrol group （P＜0.05）. There was no statistically significant difference in pCR between the two groups with negative lymph nodes （P＝0.09）. CONCLUSIONS ICIs combined with neoadjuvant chemotherapy can significantly improve event-free survival and overall survival in patients with TNBC， providing patients with long-term survival benefits. However， the risk of ≥ grade 3 AE， SAE and ≥ grade 3 irAE has increased.

ObjectiveTo observe the clinical efficacy of Shentong Zhuyutang combined with Dilongtang in the treatment of lumbar disc herniation （LDH） with Qi stagnation and blood stasis syndrome， and its effect on nucleus pulposus reabsorption and immune-inflammatory factors， exploring its therapeutic mechanism from the perspective of reabsorption. MethodsA total of 120 patients with LDH from the Fourth Clinical Medical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine， treated between June 2020 and January 2023， were randomly divided into the control group （52 cases， with 8 dropouts） and the observation group （49 cases， with 11 dropouts） according to a random number table. The control group received routine treatment， while the observation group was treated with Shentong Zhuyutang combined with Dilongtang in addition to routine treatment. Visual Analogue Scale （VAS）， Oswestry Disability Index （ODI）， Japanese Orthopaedic Association （JOA） score， and traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndrome score were measured before treatment and after 3 courses of treatment. Venous blood samples were collected for the determination of serological indexes. MR examination was performed during the 6-month follow-up to calculate the absorption rate. ResultsAfter treatment， both groups showed significant reductions in VAS， ODI， TCM syndrome score， serum tumor necrosis factor （TNF）-α， matrix metalloproteinase （MMP）-9， and vascular endothelial growth factor （VEGF） levels， and a significant increase in JOA score compared with pre-treatment values （P<0.05）. Compared with the control group， the observation group showed significantly lower VAS， ODI， TCM syndrome score， serum TNF-α， MMP-9， and VEGF levels， and a significantly higher JOA score （P<0.05）. The proportion of nucleus pulposus reabsorption in the observation group was 57.14% （28/49）， significantly higher than 21.15% （11/52） in the control group （χ²=6.161， P<0.05）. ConclusionShentong Zhuyutang combined with Dilongtang can effectively relieve pain， improve lumbar function， and alleviate TCM clinical symptoms in LDH patients with Qi stagnation and blood stasis syndrome. Imaging findings suggest that the treatment promotes the reabsorption of nucleus pulposus protrusion， while laboratory testing shows reduced serum levels of TNF-α， MMP-9， and VEGF， which contribute to the rehabilitation of patients.

POEMS syndrome is a rare condition associated with plasma cell disorders， and it often involves multiple systems and has diverse clinical manifestations. This article reports two cases of POEMS syndrome with hepatosplenomegaly as the initial manifestation. During the course of the disease， the patients presented with lower limb weakness， hepatosplenomegaly， lymph node enlargement， ascites， hypothyroidism， positive M protein， and skin hyperpigmentation， and ¹⁸F-FDG PET-CT imaging revealed bone lesions mainly characterized by osteolytic changes and plasma cell tumors. There was an increase in the serum level of vascular endothelial growth factor. The patients were finally diagnosed with POEMS syndrome， and the symptoms were relieved after immunomodulatory treatment.

With the development of artificial intelligence， machine learning has shown great potential in the field of medical health. Machine learning conducts a comprehensive analysis of patient data including clinical features， blood tests， and imaging examinations and establishes corresponding mathematical models to achieve the diagnosis and treatment of diseases and the prediction of disease conditions， thereby guiding disease management. With reference to the latest research findings， this article reviews the application of machine learning in chronic hepatitis C and related research advances.