Objective: To develop a dual-branch deep learning framework for accurate multi-label classification of fundus diseases, addressing the key limitations of insufficient complementary feature extraction and inadequate cross-modal feature fusion in existing automated diagnostic methods. Methods: The fundus multi-label classification dataset with 12 disease categories (FMLC-12) dataset was constructed by integrating complementary samples from Ocular Disease Intelligent Recognition (ODIR) and Retinal Fundus Multi-Disease Image Dataset (RFMiD), yielding 6 936 fundus images across 12 retinal pathology categories, and the framework was validated on both FMLC-12 and ODIR. Inspired by the holistic multi-regional assessment principle of the Five Wheels theory in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) ophthalmology, the dual-branch multi-label network (DBMNet) was developed as a novel framework integrating complementary visual feature extraction with pathological correlation modeling. The architecture employed a TransNeXt backbone within a dual-branch design: one branch processed red-green-blue (RGB) images to capture color-dependent features, such as vascular patterns and lesion morphology, while the other processed grayscale-converted images to enhance subtle textural details and contrast variations. A feature interaction module (FIM) effectively integrated the multi-scale features from both branches. Comprehensive ablation studies were conducted to evaluate the contributions of the dual-branch architecture and the FIM. The performance of DBMNet was compared against four state-of-the-art methods, including EfficientNet Ensemble, transfer learning-based convolutional neural network (CNN), BFENet, and EyeDeep-Net, using mean average precision (mAP), F1-score, and Cohen's kappa coefficient. Results: The dual-branch architecture improved mAP by 15.44 percentage points over the single-branch TransNeXt baseline, increasing from 34.41% to 44.24%, and the addition of FIM further boosted mAP to 49.85%. On FMLC-12, DBMNet achieved an mAP of 49.85%, a Cohen’s kappa coefficient of 62.14%, and an F1-score of 70.21%. Compared with BFENet (mAP: 45.42%, kappa: 46.64%, F1-score: 71.34%), DBMNet outperformed it by 4.43 percentage points in mAP and 15.50 percentage points in kappa, while BFENet achieved a marginally higher F1-score. On ODIR, DBMNet achieved an F1-score of 85.50%, comparable to state-of-the-art methods. Conclusion DBMNet effectively integrates RGB and grayscale visual modalities through a dual-branch architecture, significantly improving multi-label fundus disease classification. The framework not only addresses the issue of insufficient feature fusion in existing methods but also demonstrates outstanding performance in balancing detection across both common and rare diseases, providing a promising and clinically applicable pathway for standardized, intelligent fundus disease classification.

Objective To explore the relationship between ambulatory blood pressure changes and health-related behaviors as well as sleep quality in hypertensive patients. Methods A retrospective study was conducted on 684 patients who underwent 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring at Chengdu Fifth People's Hospital between January 2023 and April 2025. The cohort included 502 hypertensive patients and 182 non-hypertensive patients. Clinical data from both groups of patients were collected. Their health-related behaviors and sleep quality were investigated. Pearson correlation analysis was conducted to explore the relationship between ambulatory blood pressure changes and health-related behaviors as well as sleep quality in hypertensive patients. Results The differences in dSBP, dDBP, nSBP, nDBP, 24-hour SBP, 24-hour DBP, 24-hour SBP CV, and 24-hour DBP CV levels between the two groups were statistically significant (P<0.05). The scores of the Active Health Behavior Scale (AHBS) in the hypertension group were lower than those in the non-hypertension group, while the scores of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) in the hypertension group were higher than those in the non-hypertension group (P<0.05). AHBS showed a negative correlation with dSBP, dDBP, nSBP, nDBP, 24 h SBP, 24 h DBP, 24 h SBP CV, and 24 h DBP CV (P<0.05), while PSQI showed a positive correlation with dSBP, dDBP, nSBP, nDBP, 24 h SBP, 24 h DBP, 24 h SBP CV, and 24 h DBP CV (P<0.05). Conclusion Health-related behaviors and sleep quality can influence ambulatory blood pressure through various mechanisms, including neural, endocrine, and vascular functions.

ObjectiveTo clarify whether METTL14 mediates the core role of acupuncture at Neiguan (PC6) in promoting myelination and improving behavior in young autistic rats through gene intervention technology. MethodsThe ASD model was established by intraperitoneal injection of valproic acid (VPA) in pregnant rats. Male offspring were intracerebroventricularly injected with adenovirus-packaged METTL14 shRNA (sh-METTL14) or its control (sh-NC) on postnatal day 1, with a model group set as well. Subsequently, the juvenile rats were divided into model group, acupuncture group, acupuncture+sh-NC group, and acupuncture+sh-METTL14 group. The acupuncture group received acupuncture at Neiguan (PC6) from postnatal day 7, once daily for 21 consecutive days. Neurobehavioral changes were evaluated by behavioral tests; METTL14 knockdown efficiency and the expression of METTL14, METTL3, and PTEN were detected by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western blot (WB); PTEN m⁶A levels were measured by RNA immunoprecipitation-qPCR (RIP-qPCR); myelin ultrastructure, expression of myelin basic protein (MBP) and neurofascin 155 (NF155), and dendritic spine density were observed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), immunofluorescence, qRT-PCR, and primary neuron culture. ResultsBehaviorally, knockdown of METTL14 significantly counteracted the beneficial effects of acupuncture in improving self-grooming, open field exploration, three-chamber social interaction, and Morris water maze learning and memory (P<0.05, P<0.01). Compared with the acupuncture+sh-NC group, the acupuncture+sh-METTL14 group showed significantly decreased mRNA and protein expression of hippocampal METTL14 (P<0.01), and the upregulating effects of acupuncture on METTL3 and PTEN expression were reversed (P<0.01). Meanwhile, knockdown of METTL14 significantly inhibited the acupuncture-induced increase in PTEN m⁶A levels (P<0.01). Morphologically, knockdown of METTL14 attenuated the improvement of myelin structure by acupuncture, reversed the downregulation of MBP and upregulation of NF155 induced by acupuncture, and blocked the increase in dendritic spine density (P<0.05, P<0.01). ConclusionMETTL14 is a key molecule mediating the therapeutic effect of acupuncture at Neiguan. Acupuncture at Neiguan upregulates METTL14, thereby enhancing m⁶A methylation modification of PTEN mRNA to stabilize its expression, ultimately promoting myelin development and improving behavioral symptoms in ASD juvenile rats. This preliminarily reveals the modern biological connotation of “opening Xuanfu and dredging myelin”.

ObjectiveTo clarify whether METTL14 mediates the core role of acupuncture at Neiguan (PC6) in promoting myelination and improving behavior in young autistic rats through gene intervention technology. MethodsThe ASD model was established by intraperitoneal injection of valproic acid (VPA) in pregnant rats. Male offspring were intracerebroventricularly injected with adenovirus-packaged METTL14 shRNA (sh-METTL14) or its control (sh-NC) on postnatal day 1, with a model group set as well. Subsequently, the juvenile rats were divided into model group, acupuncture group, acupuncture+sh-NC group, and acupuncture+sh-METTL14 group. The acupuncture group received acupuncture at Neiguan (PC6) from postnatal day 7, once daily for 21 consecutive days. Neurobehavioral changes were evaluated by behavioral tests; METTL14 knockdown efficiency and the expression of METTL14, METTL3, and PTEN were detected by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western blot (WB); PTEN m⁶A levels were measured by RNA immunoprecipitation-qPCR (RIP-qPCR); myelin ultrastructure, expression of myelin basic protein (MBP) and neurofascin 155 (NF155), and dendritic spine density were observed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), immunofluorescence, qRT-PCR, and primary neuron culture. ResultsBehaviorally, knockdown of METTL14 significantly counteracted the beneficial effects of acupuncture in improving self-grooming, open field exploration, three-chamber social interaction, and Morris water maze learning and memory (P<0.05, P<0.01). Compared with the acupuncture+sh-NC group, the acupuncture+sh-METTL14 group showed significantly decreased mRNA and protein expression of hippocampal METTL14 (P<0.01), and the upregulating effects of acupuncture on METTL3 and PTEN expression were reversed (P<0.01). Meanwhile, knockdown of METTL14 significantly inhibited the acupuncture-induced increase in PTEN m⁶A levels (P<0.01). Morphologically, knockdown of METTL14 attenuated the improvement of myelin structure by acupuncture, reversed the downregulation of MBP and upregulation of NF155 induced by acupuncture, and blocked the increase in dendritic spine density (P<0.05, P<0.01). ConclusionMETTL14 is a key molecule mediating the therapeutic effect of acupuncture at Neiguan. Acupuncture at Neiguan upregulates METTL14, thereby enhancing m⁶A methylation modification of PTEN mRNA to stabilize its expression, ultimately promoting myelin development and improving behavioral symptoms in ASD juvenile rats. This preliminarily reveals the modern biological connotation of “opening Xuanfu and dredging myelin”.

ObjectiveAs a common lifestyle habit, alcohol consumption has a controversial association with the onset of Parkinson’s disease (PD). To demonstrate the correlation between alcohol consumption and PD and to identify associated genes, we integrated findings from clinical surveys, genomics, transcriptomics, and animal experiments. MethodsWe investigated the alcohol consumption rates (including both before and after disease onset) among 244 PD patients in China and 177 PD patients from the U.S. NHANES database. Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was performed using genome-wide association study (GWAS) data for three alcohol-related traits and seven PD-related datasets from the MRC IEU OpenGWAS database. Transcriptomic data from the substantia nigra of PD patients were obtained from three GEO datasets (GSE7621, GSE20141, and GSE49036) to analyze RIT2 gene transcription. Finally, three groups of animal experiments (water/20% ethanol/20% liquor, with 4 C57BL/6J mice per group) were conducted to examine changes in brain RIT2 gene expression and transcriptomic profiles following alcohol consumption. ResultsThe alcohol consumption rates among PD patients in China and the U.S. (9%-18.87%) were significantly lower than the general population rates of 15%-45% in their respective regions (P<0.001), suggesting a possible negative association between alcohol consumption and PD. Subsequently, in 21 bidirectional MR analyses using 3 alcohol-related GWAS datasets and 7 PD-related GWAS datasets, the forward MR analyses (alcohol intake as exposure, PD as outcome) yielded 12 negative associations (OR_IVW<1) and 9 positive associations (OR_IVW>1). Among these, only two negative associations reached statistical significance: alcohol intake frequency (OR_IVW=0.75, 95% CI: 0.60-0.93, P=0.010) and alcohol consumption (OR_IVW=0.20, 95% CI: 0.05-0.83, P=0.026). The forward MR analysis (alcohol intake→PD) identified 235 SNPs, annotated to 316 genes, while the reverse MR analyses (PD→alcohol intake) identified 37 SNPs, annotated to 53 genes. Notably, only the RIT2 gene appeared in both the forward and reverse MR analyses (alcohol intake→PD: rs28597806, rs8083110; PD→alcohol intake: rs4588066). RIT2 is selectively expressed in the human brain (FPKM: 5.259±2.103), with low or no expression in peripheral tissues (FPKM: <1). Analysis of three human substantia nigra transcriptomic datasets revealed a decreasing trend in RIT2 gene expression in PD patients (GSE20141 array signal: 3.49±1.23 vs. 2.33±0.87, P=0.044). Animal experiments demonstrated that administration of 20% ethanol or 20% liquor (approximately 8% ethanol) stimulated a >2-fold upregulation of RIT2 gene expression in the mouse brain. Furthermore, transcriptomic sequencing revealed that the two alcohol-treated groups exhibited 96 (20% ethanol vs. water control) and 4 (20% liquor vs. water control) differentially expressed genes, respectively, indicating that low-dose alcohol consumption can achieve RIT2 upregulation while minimizing impact on other brain genes. In addition to its anti-infective effects, low-dose alcohol consumption primarily influences signaling pathways related to neurodegenerative diseases such as PD and Prion diseases. ConclusionAlcohol consumption is generally considered as a harmful lifestyle habit. However, some studies have also shown a lower risk of mortality among individuals who consume low doses of alcohol (100 g/week of ethanol) or drink occasionally. Currently, one of the research focuses on alcohol consumption is whether the human body can benefit from low-dose alcohol intake. This study provides new evidence supporting a negative association between alcohol consumption and PD, and for the first time, through MR analysis, identifies the RIT2 gene as a potential mediator of the effect of alcohol consumption on PD. RIT2 is selectively expressed in the human brain. Building upon existing evidence indicating downregulated RIT2 gene expression in PD pathogenesis, our experiments confirm that low-dose alcohol consumption can upregulate RIT2 expression in the brain. In brief, alcohol consumption may suppress the pathogenesis of PD by upregulating RIT2 expression in the substantia nigra. China is facing a serious problem of population aging. This study offers important insights for long-term PD prevention and treatment strategies, with the aim of benefiting more potential PD patients through lifestyle modifications, thereby improving the quality of life of the aging population and reducing the economic burden on healthcare.

Objective To analyze the infection status and epidemic trends of soil-borne nematode infections in Yubei, Chongqing City, in 2010,2021, and 2022. Methods The local populations from four survey sites of four towns in 2010 and five sites of five towns in 2021 and 2022 were surveyed regarding their basic information using a unified form. Fecal samples of the participants were collected and tested for soil-borne nematode infections using the modified Kato-Katz thick smear method. Results In 2010, 2 049 participants were surveyed, followed by 1 000 participants in 2021 and 2022. The overall prevalence of parasitic infections declined significantly from 3.86% to 0.20%. In 2010, soil-transmitted nematode included hookworms(3.81%) and roundworms(0.29%). In 2021, the infection rates of roundworms and hookworms were 1.70% and 0.10% respectively. Notably, only Ascaris was identified in 2022(0.20%). The≥60 age group consistently exhibited the highest infection rates across all surveys, followed by the 40-59 age group. The infection rates of males in the three surveys were 3.31%,1.92%, and 0.20% respectively, and those of females were 4.37%, 1.46%, and 0.20% respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in the infection rates between males and females. Educational attainment was inversely associated with infection; in 2010, the highest prevalence was observed among those with primary education or below, whereas in 2021, illiterate or semi-literate individuals showed the highest susceptibility. The occupational distribution of infections in 2010 indicated that retirees (8.33%), farmers(4.86%), and homemakers or unemployed individuals(3.45%)were the most affected. However, in 2021 and 2022, farmers emerged as the predominant occupational group with soil-transmitted nematode infections. Conclusions The infection rate of soil-borne nematodes showed a decreasing trend in Yubei, and the infection species changed from hookworms in 2010 to Ascaris in 2022. Farmers, the elderly, and people with low education levels should continue to be the focus of preventive and control efforts.

Objective To investigate the status and predictive factors of future acute exacerbation of asthma in adults. Methods Adult patients with asthma who were admitted to the hospital from March 2023 to July 2025 were selected. Based on the acute exacerbation status after follow-up, the patients were categorized into acute exacerbation group (n=107) and control group (n=245). The clinical data, pulmonary function [peak expiratory flow (PEF) and forced expiratory volume in the 1st second/forced vital capacity (FEV₁/FVC)] and health status [asthma control questionnaire (ACQ), Morisky medication adherence scale (MMAS-8), short form 36-item health survey (SF-36)] of the study subjects were collected. The correlation between the indicators and acute exacerbation was explored by logistic regression analysis, and the predictive efficiency was evaluated by ROC curve. Results The age, smoking history, asthma course, allergen exposure and ACQ in the acute exacerbation group were higher than those in the control group, while the average monthly family income, glucocorticoid treatment, PEF, FEV₁/FVC, MMAS-8 and SF-36 were lower (P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression suggested that ACQ score, glucocorticoid treatment, MMAS-8 score, FEV₁/FVC, PEF and smoking history were the influencing factors of acute asthma exacerbation (P<0.05). ROC analysis revealed that the diagnostic efficiency of combined prediction was the highest (AUC=0.965), with sensitivity of 0.944 and specificity of 0.857 (P<0.05). Conclusion It is necessary to pay more attention to the medication compliance and asthma control level of patients, and integrate multi-dimensional information such as smoking history, pulmonary function and treatment conditions to accurately identify patients with high-risk acute exacerbation and implement targeted intervention measures.

This article systematically analyzes the historical evolution of the name， medicinal parts， origin， harvesting， processing and other aspects of Houttuyniae Herba（HH） by referring to the medical books， prescription books and other documents of the past dynasties， combined with the research materials related to modern and contemporary times， in order to provide a basis for the development of famous classical formulas containing this herb. In ancient literature， HH was often referred to as "Ji" and "Jicai"， the name of "Ji" was first recorded in Mingyi Bielu during the Han and Wei dynasties， and the name of Yuxingcao was first seen in Lyuchanyan Bencao during the southern Song dynasty and has continued to this day. The origin of HH used throughout history is consistent， all of which are the whole herb or aboveground parts of Houttuynia cordata in Saururaceae family. HH recorded throughout history has a wide range of production areas， mostly self-produced self-marketing. In ancient times， fresh HH was often used as medicine by pounding its juice without involving any processing steps. Both fresh and dried products can be used as medicine， the fresh products uses the whole plant， while the dried products uses the aboveground parts， which are cleaned， selected and processed before use. Fresh products are harvested regardless of season， while dried products are harvested in both summer and autumn， with summer as the best. In ancient times， there were no specific requirements for the quality of HH， while in modern times， "intact stems and leaves with a strong fishy smell" are preferred. In addition， the medicinal properties of HH have undergone significant changes from ancient to modern times. In the early period， it was believed that its medicinal property was slightly warm， until the 1977 edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia officially changed it to slightly cold. Both ancient and modern literature states that HH can be used for the treatment of carbuncle and malignant sores， Lyuchanyan Bencao for the first time introduced HH fresh juice can relieve summer heat， since Diannan Bencao recorded that it can be used for lung carbuncle， and gradually developed into the first choice for the treatment of lung carbuncle. Based on the research results， it is suggested that fresh herb or dried aboveground parts of H. cordata are used as medicine when developing famous classical formulas.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effects of metformin （Met） on liver injury in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis （NASH） rats by regulating the PI3K/AKT/PDGF signaling pathway. METHODS NASH model was constructed by feeding rats with a high- glucose and high-fat diet， and assigned into Model group， Met low-dose group （Met-L group， 100 mg/kg）， Met medium-dose group （Met-M group， 200 mg/kg）， Met high-dose group （Met-H group， 400 mg/kg）， and high dose of Met+PI3K activator group （Met-H+740 Y-P group， 400 mg/kg Met+50 mg/kg 740 Y-P）， with 12 rats in each group. Another 12 rats were regarded as the Control group. Each group of rats was orally administered/injected with the corresponding medication once a day for 6 consecutive weeks. The changes in body weight and liver index of rats were recorded and analyzed. The pathological damage [evaluation of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease activity score （NAS）]， lipid deposition （calculation of the proportion of oil red O-positive staining area）， and fibrosis （calculation of collagen deposition score） were observed in liver tissue of rats. The levels of inflammatory factors [interleukin-6 （IL-6） and tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）] in serum and liver tissue， the levels of serum lipid metabolism indicators [total cholesterol （TC）， triglyceride （TG）， and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol （LDL-C）] and liver function indicators [aspartate aminotransferase （AST） and alanine Δ 基金项目 武汉市知识创新专项项目（No.2022020801010588）； aminotransferase （ALT）] were measured. The expression levels of PI3K/AKT/PDGF signaling pathway-related proteins and Caspase-3 in liver tissue of rats were determined. RESULTS Compared with the Control group， body weight， liver index， the levels of serum lipid metabolism indicators and liver function indicators， the levels of IL-6 and TNF-α in serum and liver tissue， the NAS， the proportion of oil red O-positive staining area， the collagen deposition fraction， and the levels of phosphorylated PI3K and AKT proteins， as well as the expression levels of PDGF and Caspase-3 proteins in liver tissue， were all significantly increased （P＜0.05）. The liver tissue showed severe pathological damage， characterized by an abundance of lipid droplets and pronounced collagen deposition. After the intervention with Met， the aforementioned quantitative indicators and pathological changes in rats were significantly improved in a dose- dependent manner （P＜0.05）. 740 Y-P could reverse the improvement effects of high dose of Met on the above indexes of rats （P＜ 0.05）. CONCLUSIONS Met can improve liver damage， and alleviate inflammatory reactions and liver fibrosis of NASH rats， the mechanism of which may be associated with inhibiting PI3K/AKT/PDGF signaling pathway.

Biomolecular condensates are formed through phase separation of biomacromolecules such as proteins and RNAs. These condensates exhibit liquid-like properties that can futher transition into more stable material states. They form complex internal structures via multivalent weak interactions, enabling precise spatiotemporal regulations. However, the use of inconsistent and non-standardized terminology has become increasingly problematic, hindering academic exchange and the dissemination of scientific knowledge. Therefore, it is necessary to discuss the terminology related to biomolecular condensates in order to clarify concepts, promote interdisciplinary cooperation, enhance research efficiency, and support the healthy development of this field.