ObjectiveThe widespread adoption of portable fundus cameras for primary care and community screening is hindered by limitations in current autofocus(AF) technologies. Image-based methods relying on sharpness evaluation require iterative searches, resulting in slow convergence, while projection-based techniques are susceptible to optical artifacts and calibration errors. To address these challenges, this study introduces a novel AF system based on direct wavefront sensing, designed to deliver simultaneous high speed, high precision, and operational robustness within the compact form factor essential for portable ophthalmic devices. MethodsOur approach fundamentally reimagines the AF process by directly measuring the ocular wavefront aberration. We developed a custom portable fundus camera integrating a miniaturized Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor (SHWS) into the optical path. An 850 nm laser diode projects a point source onto the retina via oblique illumination to minimize corneal reflections. Light scattered from this spot carries the eye’s refractive error through the imaging optics and is directed to the SHWS, positioned at a plane optically conjugate to the primary color CMOS imaging sensor. A microlens array within the SHWS samples the incident wavefront, generating a pattern of focal spots on a CCD. Real-time centroid analysis of these spots provides a map of local wavefront slopes. These measurements are processed through a singular value decomposition (SVD) algorithm to fit a Zernike polynomial basis set, enabling real-time reconstruction of the wavefront phase. The defocus component (S) is extracted from the second-order Zernike coefficients, providing a direct, quantitative measure of the refractive error in diopters. This value serves as a precise error signal in a closed-loop control system, which commands a voice-coil actuated focusing lens to its null position in a single, deterministic step, eliminating the need for iterative search algorithms. ResultsComprehensive evaluation demonstrated the system’s high performance. Testing on a calibrated model eye (OEMI-7) established a highly linear relationship between the computed defocus S and the focusing lens position across a ±20 Diopter (D) compensation range, achievable within a 5 mm mechanical travel. The system achieved a focusing precision of 0.08 D, corresponding to an 18-fold improvement over a conventional projection spot-size method tested under identical conditions. The total focus acquisition time, encompassing wavefront measurement, computation, and lens actuation, averaged under 0.5 s. Clinical validation with 25 human volunteers (50 eyes, refractive range -15 D to +10 D) confirmed practical efficacy. The wavefront-sensing AF succeeded in 92% of attempts with a mean time of 0.5 s, substantially outperforming a projection-based benchmark which achieved only a 32% success rate with an average time of 4.25 s. The system provided instantaneous directional guidance and maintained stability during minor ocular movements. Objective assessment of image quality, via amplitude contrast of retinal vasculature, showed consistent and significant enhancement following AF correction across the entire tested diopter range. ConclusionThis work successfully implements and validates a direct wavefront-sensing autofocus paradigm for portable fundus cameras. By directly quantifying and compensating for the optical defocus aberration, this method bypasses the fundamental limitations of image-processing and projection-based techniques, enabling rapid, precise, and deterministic diopter compensation. The developed system delivers an exceptional combination of a wide operational range (±20 D), high accuracy (0.08 D), fast convergence (0.5 s), and a compact physical footprint. This technology provides a practical and high-performance focusing solution capable of enhancing the reliability, throughput, and diagnostic utility of portable retinal imaging in large-scale screening applications. Future efforts will be directed towards system cost optimization and performance adaptation for diverse ocular conditions.

Objective:To investigate the expression and clinical significance of long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) AP006284.1 in bladder cancer tissues, and to analyze the regulatory effect and downstream mechanism of AP006284.1 knockdown on the proliferation and migration of bladder cancer cells. Methods:The expression of AP006284.1 in bladder cancer tissues, and the relationship between AP006284.1 expression and tumor stage and disease-free survival of bladder cancer patients were analyzed in the gene expression omnibus (GEO) database. AP006284.1 gene expression in bladder cancer cell lines, including MGH-U3, T24, UMUC-3, J82 and 5637, and bladder epithelial immortalized SV-HUC-1 cell were detected by real-time reverse transcription-PCR (RT-qPCR) assay. J82 cells were divided into the control group and the transfection group, and transfected with control plasmid and AP006284.1 knockdown plasmid, respectively. The effect of AP006284.1 knockdown on the proliferation of J82 cells was detected by RT-qPCR and cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. The effect of AP006284.1 knockdown on the migration of J82 cells was determined by the scratch healing assay. The target gene of AP006284.1 was predicted by LncRNA2Target and LncRNome databases. The target fragment of wild-type AP006284.1 ( AP006284.1-Wt) or mutant AP006284.1 ( AP006284.1-Mut) was constructed into pGL3 plasmid by dual luciferase gene reporter assay. J82 cells were co-transfected with miR-205-3p or miR-negtive control (miR-NC) to validate the targeting relationship between AP006284.1 and miR-205-3p. The correlation between miR-205-3p and AP006284.1 expression in bladder cancer tissues was further analyzed by the GEO database. The effect of AP006284.1 knockdown on the expression of miR-205-3p gene in J82 cells was detected by RT-qPCR assay. The effect of AP006284.1 knockdown on the expression of phosphorylated Ras protein (p-Ras), phosphorylated Raf protein (p-Raf), phosphorylated mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (p-MEK), and phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (p-ERK) of the ERK pathway was detected by Western blotting in J82 cells. Results:GEO database analysis showed that the relative expression of AP006284.1 in bladder cancer tissues ( n=304) was significantly higher than that in normal tissues ( n=28, P<0.01). The relative expression of AP006284.1 was positively correlated with the tumor stage of the bladder cancer patients ( P<0.01). Compared with bladder cancer patients with low expression of AP006284.1, patients with high expression had a lower disease-free survival ( P<0.01). Compared with the SV-HUC-1 cell (1.02±0.34), the expression level of AP006284.1 gene was upregulated in MGH-U3 cell (5.77±0.37), T24 cell (3.02±0.40), UMUC-3 cell (3.62±0.59), J82 cell (7.19±0.24) and 5637 cell (5.59±0.30) (all P<0.01). The expression level of the AP006284.1 gene was the highest in J82 cells, therefore, the J82 cells were selected for the study. The expression level of AP006284.1 gene in the control group (7.20±0.26) was 6.92 times higher than that in the transfection group (1.04±0.28, t=16.16, P<0.01). Compared with the control group (0.74±0.11, 1.35±0.09, 1.63±0.14, 1.74±0.11), the absorbance ( A) values of J82 cells in the transfection group (0.49±0.06, 0.95±0.14, 1.09±0.08, 1.13±0.11) were reduced than those in the control group at the 24, 36, 48 and 60 h after AP006284.1 knockdown (all P<0.05). The migration distance of J82 cells in the control group was significantly longer than that in the transfection group. The migration rate of the control group [(65.03±6.20)%], which was 2.58 times higher than that of the transfection group [(25.22±3.45)%, t=5.61, P<0.01]. The target site of miR-205-3p containing AP006284.1 was predicted by LncRNA2Target and LncRNome databases. Compared with miR-NC group (1.00±0.11), the relative activity of dual luciferase of AP006284.1-Wt gene was significantly downregulated in the miR-205-3p group (0.31±0.07, t=5.47, P<0.01). Compared with the miR-NC group (0.97±0.14), the relative activity of dual luciferase of AP006284.1-Mut vector (0.98±0.07) was not significantly change ( t=0.09, P>0.05). The GEO database analysis showed that the expression of AP006284.1 in bladder cancer tissues was negatively correlated with the expression of miR-205-3p ( P<0.01). The expression level of miR-205-3p gene in the transfection group (5.42±0.24) was 5.21 times higher than that in the control group (1.04±0.40, t=9.40, P<0.01). Compared with the control group (3.22±0.17, 5.56±0.19, 4.38±0.17, 5.74±0.36), the expressions of p-Ras (2.33±0.12), p-Raf (1.61±0.20), p-MEK (1.57±0.25), and p-ERK (2.40±0.28) of the ERK pathway were decreased in the transfected J82 cells (all P<0.01). Conclusions:AP006284.1 is highly expressed in bladder cancer tissues. Knockdown of AP006284.1 can inhibit the proliferation and migration of bladder cancer cells by regulating the miR-205-3p and ERK pathway proteins.

BACKGROUND:Osteosarcoma has a complex pathogenesis and a poor prognosis.While advancements in medical technology have led to some improvements in the 5-year survival rate,substantial progress in its treatment has not yet been achieved. OBJECTIVE:To screen key molecular markers in osteosarcoma,analyze their relationship with osteosarcoma treatment drugs,and explore the potential disease mechanisms of osteosarcoma at the molecular level. METHODS:GSE99671 and GSE284259(miRNA)datasets were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus database.Differential gene expression analysis and Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis(WGCNA)on GSE99671 were performed.Functional enrichment analysis was conducted using Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes separately for the differentially expressed genes and the module genes with the highest positive correlation to the disease.The intersection of these module genes and differentially expressed genes was taken as key genes.A Protein-Protein Interaction network was constructed,and correlation analysis on the key genes was performed using CytoScape software,and hub genes were identified.Hub genes were externally validated using the GSE28425 dataset and text validation was conducted.The drug sensitivity of hub genes was analyzed using the CellMiner database,with a threshold of absolute value of correlation coefficient|R|>0.3 and P<0.05. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Differential gene expression analysis identified 529 differentially expressed genes,comprising 177 upregulated and 352 downregulated genes.WGCNA analysis yielded a total of 592 genes with the highest correlation to osteosarcoma.(2)Gene Ontology enrichment results indicated that the development of osteosarcoma may be associated with extracellular matrix,bone cell differentiation and development,human immune regulation,and collagen synthesis and degradation.Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment results showed the involvement of pathways such as PI3K-Akt signaling pathway,focal adhesion signaling pathway,and immune response in the onset of osteosarcoma.(3)The intersection analysis revealed a total of 59 key genes.Through Protein-Protein Interaction network analysis,8 hub genes were selected,which were LUM,PLOD1,PLOD2,MMP14,COL11A1,THBS2,LEPRE1,and TGFB1,all of which were upregulated.(4)External validation revealed significantly downregulated miRNAs that regulate the hub genes,with hsa-miR-144-3p and hsa-miR-150-5p showing the most significant downregulation.Text validation results demonstrated that the expression of hub genes was consistent with previous research.(5)Drug sensitivity analysis indicated a negative correlation between the activity of methotrexate,6-mercaptopurine,and pazopanib with the mRNA expression of PLOD1,PLOD2,and MMP14.Moreover,zoledronic acid and lapatinib showed a positive correlation with the mRNA expression of PLOD1,LUM,MMP14,PLOD2,and TGFB1.This suggests that zoledronic acid and lapatinib may be potential therapeutic drugs for osteosarcoma,but further validation is required through additional basic experiments and clinical studies.

Medical institutions, with their clinical practice foundation and abundant human use experience data, have become important carriers for the inheritance and innovation of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) and the "cradles" of the preparation of new TCM. To effectively promote the transformation of new TCM originating from the TCM clinical practice in medical institutions and establish an effective evaluation index system for the transformation of new TCM conforming to the characteristics of TCM, consensus experts adopted the literature research, questionnaire survey, Delphi method, etc. By focusing on the policy and technical evaluation of new TCM originating from the TCM clinical practice in medical institutions, a comprehensive evaluation from the dimensions of drug safety, efficacy, feasibility, and characteristic advantages was conducted, thus forming a comprehensive evaluation system with four primary indicators and 37 secondary indicators. The expert consensus reached aims to encourage medical institutions at all levels to continuously improve the high-quality research and development and transformation of new TCM originating from the TCM clinical practice in medical institutions and targeted at clinical needs, so as to provide a decision-making basis for the preparation, selection, cultivation, and transformation of new TCM for medical institutions, improve the development efficiency of new TCM, and precisely respond to the public medication needs.
Medicine, Chinese Traditional/standards* ; Humans ; Consensus ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Kidney-Yang deficiency syndrome is a common geriatric disease that underlies chronic conditions such as diabetic nephropathy, chronic kidney disease, and osteoporosis. As age progresses, the kidney-Yang deficiency syndrome showcases increasingly pronounced manifestations, emerging as a key factor in the comorbidities experienced by elderly patients and affecting their quality of life and overall health status. Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) has been extensively utilized in the treatment of kidney-Yang deficiency syndrome, with Epimedii Folium, Cinnamomi Cortex, and Lycii Fructus widely used in clinical settings. Despite the complexity of the molecular mechanisms involved in treating kidney-Yang deficiency syndrome, the potential therapeutic value of TCM remains compelling. Delving into the mechanisms of TCM treatment of kidney-Yang deficiency syndrome by regulating the neuro-endocrine-immune system can provide a scientific basis for targeted treatments of this syndrome and lay a foundation for the modernization of TCM. The pathophysiology of kidney-Yang deficiency syndrome involves multiple systems, including the interaction of the neuro-endocrine-immune system, the decline in renal function, the intensification of oxidative stress responses, and energy metabolism disorders. Understanding these mechanisms and their interrelationships can help untangle the etiology of kidney-Yang deficiency syndrome, aiding clinicians in making more precise diagnoses and treatments. Furthermore, the research on the specific applications of TCM in research on these pathological mechanisms can enhance the international recognition and status of TCM, enabling it to exert a greater global influence.
Humans ; Yang Deficiency/physiopathology* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Kidney Diseases/physiopathology* ; Neurosecretory Systems/physiopathology* ; Animals ; Kidney/physiopathology* ; Endocrine System/physiopathology* ; Immune System/physiopathology*

OBJECTIVE: Asthma imposes a significant global health burden. This study examines changes in the asthma-related disease burden from 1990 to 2021 and projects future burdens for 2050 under different scenarios. METHODS: Using data from the Global Burden of Disease 2021 study, we analyzed asthma incidence, prevalence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) from 1990 to 2021. We projected the disease burden for 2050 based on current trends and hypothetical scenarios in which all risk factors are controlled. Temporal trends in age-standardized incidence, prevalence, mortality, and DALY rates were explored using Annual Percent Change. RESULTS: In 2021, the age-standardized rates for asthma incidence, prevalence, mortality, and DALYs in China were 364.17 per 100,000 (95% uncertainty interval [ UI]: 283.22-494.10), 1,956.49 per 100,000 (95% UI: 1,566.68-2,491.87), 1.47 per 100,000 (95% UI: 1.15-1.79), and 103.76 per 100,000 (95% UI: 72.50-145.46), respectively. A higher disease burden was observed among Chinese men and individuals aged 70 years or older. Compared to the current trend, a combined scenario involving improvements in environmental factors, behavioral and metabolic health, child nutrition, and vaccination resulted in a greater reduction in the disease burden caused by asthma. CONCLUSION Addressing modifiable risk factors is essential for further reducing the asthma-related disease burden.
Humans ; Asthma/mortality* ; China/epidemiology* ; Male ; Female ; Adult ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; Child ; Adolescent ; Global Burden of Disease/trends* ; Child, Preschool ; Young Adult ; Infant ; Cost of Illness ; Disability-Adjusted Life Years ; Prevalence ; Incidence ; Infant, Newborn ; Aged, 80 and over ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVES: To propose a hypothesis that aloe-emodin may inhibit scar tissue fibrosis through thrombospondin-1(THBS1)-PI3K-Akt pathway. METHODS: By cultivating fibroblasts derived from scar tissue after cleft palate surgery in humans, aloe emodin of different concentrations (10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 μmol/L) was added to the cells which activity was detected. At the same time, transcriptome sequencing was performed on scar tissue and cells, and bioinformatics methods were used to explore potential targets and signaling pathways of scar tissue fibrosis. RESULTS: Aloe-emodin had a concentration dependent inhibitory effect on fibroblast proliferation,with the 40 μmol/L concentration group showing the most significant effect. The results of tissue and cell sequencing indicated that differentially expressed genes were significantly enriched in extracellular matrix-receptor interaction pathway, and shared a common differential gene which was THBS1. The ORA analysis results indicated that differentially expressed genes, including THBS1, were significantly enriched in the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. CONCLUSIONS Aloe emodin may inhibit the PI3K-Akt pathway by downregulating THBS1, thereby reducing the proliferation activity of fibroblasts derived from postoperative palatal scar tissue.
Thrombospondin 1/genetics* ; Humans ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Fibroblasts/cytology* ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/metabolism* ; Fibrosis ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases/metabolism* ; Cicatrix/metabolism* ; Cell Proliferation/drug effects* ; Anthraquinones/pharmacology* ; Cells, Cultured

Ovarian sclerosing stromal tumor(OSST)is a benign tumor originating from the ovarian sex cord-stroma,accounting for only 2%-6%of ovarian stromal tumors.It predominantly occurs in young women,and cases of OSST concurrently presenting with Meigs syndrome are extremely rare.This study reports a case of OSST,summarizes its clinical manifestations,and reviews relevant literature.The patient,a 22-year-old female,was admitted due to abdominal distension for 2 months,worsening over the past week.The physical examination results revealed abdominal distension,shifting dullness,mild tenderness,and no muscle tension or rebound tenderness.A mass measuring approximately 16.0 cm×14.0 cm×8.0 cm was palpated in the pelvic and abdominal cavity,with a firm texture,moderate mobility,and no tenderness.The gynecological ultrasound results showed a mixed cystic-solid echo of about 15.3 cm×14.0 cm×8.4 cm above the left side of the uterus,with clear boundaries,and fluid-filled dark areas in the pelvic and abdominal cavity,with a maximum anteroposterior diameter of about 11.9 cm.The-CT results revealed a cystic-solid mixed-density mass in the lower abdomen and right adnexal area,suggestive of a neoplastic lesion,with increased glucose metabolism in the solid portion,leaning toward malignancy.Carbohydrate antigen 125(CA125)was>800 U·mL-1,and pelvic puncture cytology indicated no cancer cells.The findings suggested a benign or borderline ovarian tumor,requiring differentiation from ovarian malignant tumors.Based on intraoperative observations and rapid pathological results,a left ovarian tumor enucleation was performed.Postoperative pathology confirmed ovarian sclerosing stromal tumor.Follow-up over 2 years showed no abnormalities.As a benign ovarian tumor,the clinical manifestations of OSST often mimic those of malignant tumors,leading to frequent misdiagnosis.Early diagnostic accuracy should be improved to develop the optimal treatment plan for patients.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical utility of novel of new hematological markers in the preoperative diagnosis of periprosthetic joint infection (PJI). METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on a total of 149 patients who underwent revision of total hip arthroplasty (THA) or total knee arthroplasty (TKA) at a single center between January 2016 and June 2022, including 63 males and 86 females, aged from 47 to 93 years old with an average of (69.5±11.8) years old. Of them, 46 were diagnosed as PJI(PJI group), including 22 males and 24 females. The mean age was (71.3±12.5) years old. The body mass index (BMI) was (26.4±3.1) kg·m^-2. And 103 patients were diagnosed as aseptic prosthesis loosening (aseptic group), including 41 males and 62 females. The mean age was (68.7±11.4) years old. The BMI was (25.8±3.5) kg·m^-2. Preoperatively analyzed clinical parameters included C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), albumin, globulin, albumin-to-globulin ratio (AGR), plasma D-dimer, and plasma fibrinogen. The receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC), sensitivity, and specificity analysis were employed to compare the diagnostic value of each blood marker in preoperative PJI diagnosis. RESULTS: In the PJI group, the levels of CRP were 16.6 (7.6, 4.5) mg·L^-1, ESR was 17.0 (12.8, 35.5) mm·h^-1, plasma D-dimer was 1.0 (0.5, 3.1) μg·L^-1, and plasma fibrinogen was 4.2 (3.2, 3.1) mg·L^-1;all of which were higher compared to the aseptic group with CRP at 4.2 (2.6, 7.8) mg·L^-1, ESR at 12.0(8.0, 20.0 )mm·h^-l, D-dimer at 0.4(0.2, 0.7)μg·L^-1, and fibrinogen at 2.8(2.4, 3.3 ) g·L^-1(P<0.05). However, the albumin level of 35.3 (32.3, 37.5) g·L^-1 and the WBC ratio of 1.0(0.9, 1.1) in the PJI group were significantly lower compared to the aseptic group with levels of 39.8 (36.1, 41.8) g·L^-1 and 1.4 (1.3, 1.5), respectively (P<0.05). Only the area under the curve (AUC) of AGR and plasma fibrinogen were greater than 0.8. The optimal predictive cut-1off, AUC, sensitivity and specificity were 3.4 g·L-1, 0.820, 69.57% and 84.47% for plasma fibrinogen; 1.18, 0.813, 82.61% and 78.64% for AGR, respectively. CONCLUSION AGR and plasma fibrinogen are promising blood markers for improving the diagnosis of PJI.
Humans ; Female ; Fibrinogen/metabolism* ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; Prosthesis-Related Infections/blood* ; Retrospective Studies ; Biomarkers/blood* ; Aged, 80 and over ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee/adverse effects* ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip/adverse effects* ; Leukocyte Count

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinical efficacy of manual reduction combined with 3D printing small splint external fixation and synchronous manual reduction combined with traditional small splint external fixation in the treatment of humeral shaft. METHODS: Between January 2021 and December 2022, 40 patients with humeral shaft fractures were treated with 3D printing small splints and traditional small splints. They were divided into 3D group and traditional group according to different fixation methods. Among them, there were 15 males and 5 females in the 3D group, aged from 20 to 52 years old with an average of (36.3±15.6) years old. In the traditional group there were 17 males and 3 females, aged from16 to 51 years old with an average of (32.9±17.2) years old. The occurrence of complications, duration of fracture healing, rate of fracture healing, subjective evaluation scores for brace comfort at 1 week and 4 weeks, as well as the Constant-Murley shoulder function score and Mayo elbow function score at 8 weeks and 16 weeks were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: All patients were followed up for 16 weeks. The 3D group did not experience any complications, while there were two cases of complications in the traditional group. However, this difference was not found to be statistically significant (χ²=2.105, P=0.146). The fracture healing time of the 3D group (90.1±4.5) days was significantly shorter compared to that of the traditional group (93.3±3.8) days (P<0.05). The subjective evaluation scores for brace comfort in the 3D group (53.7±2.3) points and (62.8±1.1) points were significantly higher than those in the traditional group (45.6±2.4) points and (52.3±1.4) points at 1 and 4 weeks after reduction (P<0.05). After 8 weeks of reduction, the Constant-Murley shoulder function score in the 3D group was(68.1±5.3) points, which demonstrated a statistically significant improvement compared to the traditional group(54.3±4.9) points (P<0.05). However, at 16 weeks post-reduction, there were no significant differences observed between the two groups (P>0.05). The Mayo elbow function score of the 3D group (84.1±7.5) points was significantly superior to that of the traditional group (79.5±6.8) points at 8 weeks post-reduction (P<0.05). However, there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups at 16 weeks post-reduction (P>0.05). CONCLUSION For humeral shaft fractures with conservative treatment indications, manual reduction combined with 3D printed small splints is a good choice for treatment. The patient's comfort level is higher, which can not only reduce the occurrence of complications, but also improve the fracture healing rate and joint function to a certain extent, and improve the patient's quality of life.
Humans ; Female ; Male ; Adult ; Middle Aged ; Humeral Fractures/physiopathology* ; Printing, Three-Dimensional ; Splints ; Adolescent ; Young Adult ; Fracture Healing