Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of an intelligent handheld ultrasound (US) device for assisting non-expert general practitioners (GPs) in detecting carotid plaques (CPs) in community populations. Methods: This prospective parallel controlled trial recruited 111 consecutive community residents. All of them underwent examinations by non-expert GPs and specialist doctors using handheld US devices (setting A, setting B, and setting C). The results of setting C with specialist doctors were considered the gold standard. Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and the features of CPs were measured and recorded. The diagnostic performance of GPs in distinguishing CPs was evaluated using a receiver operating characteristic curve. Inter-observer agreement was compared using the intragroup correlation coefficient (ICC). Questionnaires were completed to evaluate clinical benefits. Results: Among the 111 community residents, 80, 96, and 112 CPs were detected in settings A, B, and C, respectively. Setting B exhibited better diagnostic performance than setting A for detecting CPs (area under the curve, 0.856 vs. 0.749; P<0.01). Setting B had better consistency with setting C than setting A in CIMT measurement and the assessment of CPs (ICC, 0.731 to 0.923). Moreover, measurements in setting B required less time than the other two settings (44.59 seconds vs. 108.87 seconds vs. 126.13 seconds, both P<0.01). Conclusion Using an intelligent handheld US device, GPs can perform CP screening and achieve a diagnostic capability comparable to that of specialist doctors.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of an intelligent handheld ultrasound (US) device for assisting non-expert general practitioners (GPs) in detecting carotid plaques (CPs) in community populations. Methods: This prospective parallel controlled trial recruited 111 consecutive community residents. All of them underwent examinations by non-expert GPs and specialist doctors using handheld US devices (setting A, setting B, and setting C). The results of setting C with specialist doctors were considered the gold standard. Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and the features of CPs were measured and recorded. The diagnostic performance of GPs in distinguishing CPs was evaluated using a receiver operating characteristic curve. Inter-observer agreement was compared using the intragroup correlation coefficient (ICC). Questionnaires were completed to evaluate clinical benefits. Results: Among the 111 community residents, 80, 96, and 112 CPs were detected in settings A, B, and C, respectively. Setting B exhibited better diagnostic performance than setting A for detecting CPs (area under the curve, 0.856 vs. 0.749; P<0.01). Setting B had better consistency with setting C than setting A in CIMT measurement and the assessment of CPs (ICC, 0.731 to 0.923). Moreover, measurements in setting B required less time than the other two settings (44.59 seconds vs. 108.87 seconds vs. 126.13 seconds, both P<0.01). Conclusion Using an intelligent handheld US device, GPs can perform CP screening and achieve a diagnostic capability comparable to that of specialist doctors.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of an intelligent handheld ultrasound (US) device for assisting non-expert general practitioners (GPs) in detecting carotid plaques (CPs) in community populations. Methods: This prospective parallel controlled trial recruited 111 consecutive community residents. All of them underwent examinations by non-expert GPs and specialist doctors using handheld US devices (setting A, setting B, and setting C). The results of setting C with specialist doctors were considered the gold standard. Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and the features of CPs were measured and recorded. The diagnostic performance of GPs in distinguishing CPs was evaluated using a receiver operating characteristic curve. Inter-observer agreement was compared using the intragroup correlation coefficient (ICC). Questionnaires were completed to evaluate clinical benefits. Results: Among the 111 community residents, 80, 96, and 112 CPs were detected in settings A, B, and C, respectively. Setting B exhibited better diagnostic performance than setting A for detecting CPs (area under the curve, 0.856 vs. 0.749; P<0.01). Setting B had better consistency with setting C than setting A in CIMT measurement and the assessment of CPs (ICC, 0.731 to 0.923). Moreover, measurements in setting B required less time than the other two settings (44.59 seconds vs. 108.87 seconds vs. 126.13 seconds, both P<0.01). Conclusion Using an intelligent handheld US device, GPs can perform CP screening and achieve a diagnostic capability comparable to that of specialist doctors.

BACKGROUND:Patients with chronic ankle instability tend to overpronate when walking,which increases the risk of ankle sprain during the stance phase of the walking cycle.Clinicians often use Kinesio taping or athletic taping for ankle taping.Since Kinesio taping is elastic and athletic taping cannot be stretched,there are differences in technical applications and physiological mechanisms between them,which may result in different rehabilitation effects.OBJECTIVE:To compare the effects of Kinesio taping and athletic taping on the frontal plane of the foot motion and the horizontal plane of the tibia motion in patients with chronic ankle instability during the stance phase of walking.METHODS:Forty patients with chronic ankle instability were randomly divided into Kinesio taping group and athletic taping group.In the Kinesio taping group,two patches were pasted from the inside to the outside of the hind foot to generate pulling tension that facilitates foot eversion;in the athletic taping group,ankle locking basket taping was used.Walking tests were conducted on an electric treadmill before and after taping.A three-dimensional motion analysis system was used to obtain the kinematic parameters of the subjects'foot and tibia.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:After taping,in the Kinesio taping group,the foot valgus angle increased in the early stance phase(P<0.05),but there was no effect on foot position in the late stance phase(P>0.05).After taping,in the athletic taping group,internal rotation of the tibia increased in the late stance phase(P<0.05);however,there was no significant change in tibial position in the early stance phase(P>0.05).To conclude,compared with athletic taping,Kinesio taping can provide a flexible pulling force that is beneficial for foot eversion in the early stance phase of the gait cycle,while not restricting normal foot inversion in the late stance phase.Therefore,Kinesio taping may be a practical rehabilitation therapy for patients with chronic ankle instability,correcting abnormal motion of the ankle joint without restricting its natural motion.

Objective:To investigate the clinical efficacy of autologous ear cartilage biomimetic nasal tip framework construction combined with dermal fat dorsal grafting in rhinoplasty.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on clinical data of patients who underwent rhinoplasty at the Department of Plastic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine from June 2021 to May 2023. Autologous ear cartilage with preserved perichondrium was harvested from patients, and fashioned into a nasal tip framework simulating the natural nasal tip structure. Dermal fat grafts were harvested from the lateral gluteal crease region where the dermis was thicker, and implanted into the nasal dorsum for augmentation rhinoplasty. Postoperative follow-up included observation of incision healing, nasal tip morphology, and complications. Pre- and postoperative photographs were taken to measure nasal length and nasal tip height. Ultrasound was used to measure subcutaneous fat thickness at the nasal root before and after surgery, and absorption rates were calculated. The absorption rate at 6, 12, and 24 months postoperatively = (1 -subcutaneous fat thickness at 6 or 12 or 24 months postoperatively/subcutaneous fat thickness at 1 month postoperatively) × 100%. Aesthetic satisfaction was evaluated based on surgeon assessment, patient self-evaluation, and third-party physician evaluation (satisfaction by all three parties was rated as markedly effective, by two parties as effective, by one party as fair, and by none as poor). The aesthetic satisfaction rate = (markedly effective + effective) cases/total cases × 100%. Comparisons of preoperative and postoperative nasal tip height and nasal length were performed using paired t-tests, with P<0.05 considered statistically significant. Comparisons of subcutaneous fat thickness at the nasal root at different time points and absorption rates at different postoperative time points were performed using repeated measures ANOVA, with post-hoc pairwise comparisons using Bonferroni correction. For subcutaneous fat thickness comparisons, P<0.007 was considered statistically significant; for absorption rate comparisons, P<0.017 was considered statistically significant. Results:A total of 38 patients were included, consisting of 5 males and 33 females, with a mean age of 29.42 years (range 20-38 years). All patients were followed up for 24 months postoperatively. All incisions healed well; nasal appearance was aesthetically pleasing; nasal dorsal height was satisfactory; nasal tip mobility was good; the framework was stable; and no complications occurred. At 24 months postoperatively, nasal tip height [(22.87±0.52) mm vs. (19.94±0.53) mm] and nasal length [(47.18±0.61) mm vs. (44.20±0.55) mm] were significantly increased compared to preoperative measurements (both P<0.01). Comparison of subcutaneous fat thickness at the nasal root between preoperative and postoperative time points (1, 6, 12, and 24 months) showed statistically significant differences ( P<0.007). Post-hoc comparisons revealed statistically significant differences between: postoperative 1 month and 6 months vs. preoperative; postoperative 12 months vs. postoperative 1 and 6 months; and postoperative 24 months vs. postoperative 1 and 6 months (all P<0.007). However, the comparison between postoperative 24 months and 12 months showed no statistically significant difference ( P>0.007). Comparison of absorption rates at postoperative time points (6, 12, and 24 months) showed statistically significant differences ( P<0.017). Comparisons between postoperative 12 months vs. 6 months, and postoperative 24 months vs. 6 months showed statistically significant differences (both P<0.017), while the comparison between postoperative 24 months and 12 months showed no statistically significant difference ( P>0.017). In the aesthetic satisfaction survey, 37 cases were markedly effective and 1 case was fair, achieving an aesthetic satisfaction rate of 97%. Conclusion:The use of autologous ear cartilage for constructing a biomimetic nasal tip framework combined with dermal fat dorsal grafting in rhinoplasty results in natural postoperative appearance and high patient satisfaction, demonstrating significant value for extensive clinical use.

Two novel diketopiperazines (1 and 5), along with ten known compounds (2-4, 6-12) demonstrating significant skin inflammation inhibition, were isolated from a marine-derived fungus identified as Aspergillus sp. FAZW0001. The structural elucidation and configurational reassessments of compounds 1-5 were established through comprehensive spectral analyses, with their absolute configurations determined via single crystal X-ray diffraction using Cu Kα radiation, Marfey's method, and comparison between experimental and calculated electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra. Compounds 1, 2, and 8 exhibited significant anti-inflammatory activities in Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes)-induced human monocyte cell lines. Compound 8 demonstrated the ability to down-regulate interleukin-1β (IL-1β) expression by inhibiting Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) expression and modulating the activation of myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) signaling pathways, thus reducing the cellular inflammatory response induced by P. acnes. Additionally, compound 8 showed the capacity to suppress mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome activation, thereby reducing IL-1β maturation and secretion. A three-dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationships (3D-QSAR) model was applied to compounds 5-12 to analyze their anti-inflammatory structure-activity relationships.
Humans ; Aspergillus/chemistry* ; Diketopiperazines/isolation & purification* ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents/isolation & purification* ; Interleukin-1beta/genetics* ; Toll-Like Receptor 2/immunology* ; Propionibacterium acnes/drug effects* ; NF-kappa B/genetics* ; Molecular Structure ; Myeloid Differentiation Factor 88/immunology* ; Monocytes/immunology* ; NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein/genetics* ; Cell Line

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of an intelligent handheld ultrasound (US) device for assisting non-expert general practitioners (GPs) in detecting carotid plaques (CPs) in community populations. Methods: This prospective parallel controlled trial recruited 111 consecutive community residents. All of them underwent examinations by non-expert GPs and specialist doctors using handheld US devices (setting A, setting B, and setting C). The results of setting C with specialist doctors were considered the gold standard. Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and the features of CPs were measured and recorded. The diagnostic performance of GPs in distinguishing CPs was evaluated using a receiver operating characteristic curve. Inter-observer agreement was compared using the intragroup correlation coefficient (ICC). Questionnaires were completed to evaluate clinical benefits. Results: Among the 111 community residents, 80, 96, and 112 CPs were detected in settings A, B, and C, respectively. Setting B exhibited better diagnostic performance than setting A for detecting CPs (area under the curve, 0.856 vs. 0.749; P<0.01). Setting B had better consistency with setting C than setting A in CIMT measurement and the assessment of CPs (ICC, 0.731 to 0.923). Moreover, measurements in setting B required less time than the other two settings (44.59 seconds vs. 108.87 seconds vs. 126.13 seconds, both P<0.01). Conclusion Using an intelligent handheld US device, GPs can perform CP screening and achieve a diagnostic capability comparable to that of specialist doctors.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of an intelligent handheld ultrasound (US) device for assisting non-expert general practitioners (GPs) in detecting carotid plaques (CPs) in community populations. Methods: This prospective parallel controlled trial recruited 111 consecutive community residents. All of them underwent examinations by non-expert GPs and specialist doctors using handheld US devices (setting A, setting B, and setting C). The results of setting C with specialist doctors were considered the gold standard. Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and the features of CPs were measured and recorded. The diagnostic performance of GPs in distinguishing CPs was evaluated using a receiver operating characteristic curve. Inter-observer agreement was compared using the intragroup correlation coefficient (ICC). Questionnaires were completed to evaluate clinical benefits. Results: Among the 111 community residents, 80, 96, and 112 CPs were detected in settings A, B, and C, respectively. Setting B exhibited better diagnostic performance than setting A for detecting CPs (area under the curve, 0.856 vs. 0.749; P<0.01). Setting B had better consistency with setting C than setting A in CIMT measurement and the assessment of CPs (ICC, 0.731 to 0.923). Moreover, measurements in setting B required less time than the other two settings (44.59 seconds vs. 108.87 seconds vs. 126.13 seconds, both P<0.01). Conclusion Using an intelligent handheld US device, GPs can perform CP screening and achieve a diagnostic capability comparable to that of specialist doctors.

Objective:To explore the prognostic value of artificial intelligence-based P53 and Ki67 detection in stage I non-mucinous adenocarcinoma(INMA)of lung.Methods:A retrospective analysis was made of patients treated by radical surgical resection for INMA of lung in the Department of Thoracic Surgery of Peking University First Hospital from Jan.2015 to Dec.2016,with complete clinicopathological and 5-year follow-up data.Immunohistochemical staining for P53 and Ki67 was performed on all cases and the index of P53 and Ki67 was calculated with the assistance of artificial intelligence(AI).The optimal cut-off values for P53 and Ki67 were determined using X-Tile software,and based on these values,the patients were divided into low-expression and high-expression groups.Pearson chi-square test and Fisher's exact test were used to compare the differences in clinicopathological characteristics between the different groups.Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed to assess the impact of various indicators on 5-year overall survival(OS)and disease-free survival (DFS)for stage I INMA.The time-dependent receiver operating characteristic(ROC) curves and the area under the curve(AUC)was used to analyze the predictive performance of P53 and Ki67 for the prognosis of stage I INMA.Results:Among the 191 patients, the median follow-up time was 60(54, 60) months. The index of P53 and Ki67 were 0%-100% and 1.0%-78.0%,respectively. The X-Tile software revealed optimal cut-off values of 62% for P53 and 20% for Ki67.Then the patients were divided into P53 low-expression group (<62%), P53 high-expression (≥62%) group and Ki67 low-expression (<20%)group,Ki67 high-expression group (≥20%). High expression of P53 was associated with male ( χ2=12.45, P<0.001), smoking ( χ2=12.24, P<0.001), pTNM stage ( χ2=16.28, P<0.001), and histological grade ( P<0.001). High expression of Ki67 was associated with male ( χ2=17.33, P<0.01), smoking ( χ2=21.67, P<0.01), and histological grade ( P<0.001). Male ( HR=2.612, 95% CI: 1.173-5.815, P=0.019), smoking ( HR=2.651, 95% CI: 1.246-5.642, P=0.011), high pTNM stage ( HR=3.815, 95% CI: 1.792-8.122, P<0.001), high histological grade ( HR=5.277, 95% CI: 2.400-11.606, P<0.001), high P53 expression ( HR=5.950, 95% CI: 2.792-12.680, P<0.001), and high Ki67 expression ( HR=3.349, 95% CI: 1.554-7.221, P=0.002) were associated with poorer disease-free survival (DFS). Male ( HR=9.050, 95% CI: 1.113-73.586, P=0.039), smoking ( HR=8.428, 95% CI: 1.701-41.765, P=0.009), high histological grade ( HR=6.865, 95% CI: 1.756-26.834, P=0.006), high P53 expression ( HR=16.699, 95% CI: 3.369-82.761, P<0.001), and high Ki67 expression ( HR=7.558, 95% CI: 1.806-31.632, P=0.006) were associated with poorer overall survival. P53 high-expression was identified as an independent risk factor for both DFS ( HR=2.843, 95% CI: 1.192-6.778, P=0.018) and OS( HR=6.909, 95% CI: 1.202-39.720, P=0.030) in stage I INMA patients. The area under the time-dependent ROC curves for predicting 5-year overall survival after surgery were 0.738 for p53, 0.674 for Ki67, 0.638 for pTNM staging, and 0.587 for histological grade. Among these, p53 demonstrated the highest predictive efficacy. Conclusions:AI-assisted interpretation of P53 and Ki67 indices improves test result repeatability. With critical values of 62% and 20%, high P53 and Ki67 expression indicates poor prognosis, while high P53 expression is an independent risk factor for lower OS and DFS, serving as a reference for postoperative adjuvant therapy screening.

AIM To prepare the oral lyophilized tablets of gastrodin-coated micropowder.METHODS Fluidized bed bottom spray method was adopted in the preparation of coated micropowder,after which the oral lyophilized tablets were further prepared.With mannitol consumption,pullulan consumption and xanthan gum consumption as influencing factors,comprehensive score for appearance traits,moisture,disintegration time and the sedimentation volume ratio as an evaluation index,the formulation was optimized by Box-Behnken method,then the taste-masking effect,appearance traits,moisture,disintegration time,content uniformity and dissolution rate were investigated.RESULTS The optimal formulation was determined to be 44.20 mg/tablet for mannitol consumption,3.70 mg/tablet for pullulan consumption,1.30 mg/tablet for xanthan gum consumption,66.67 mg/tablet for coated micropowder,and 1.5 mg/tablet for sucralose micropowder,the comprehensive score was 17.43.The obtained oral lyophilized tablets demonstrated good taste-masking effect,appearance traits and content uniformity with the disintegration time of 3-5 s,whose dissolution rates were less than 5％within 3 min in the simulated oral environment(phosphate buffer solution at pH 6.8)and more than 85％within 15 min in the simulated gastric environment(hydrochloric acid solution at pH 1.2).CONCLUSION The oral lyophilized tablets of gastrodin-coated micropowder display good taste,ease of swallowing and simple and feasible preparation process,which can provide a new idea for the taste improvement of other oral lyophilized tablets and unpleasant-smelling raw medicines.