1.Staged Efficacy of Qijia Rougan Prescription Combined with Entecavir for Chronic Hepatitis B-related Hepatic Fibrosis with Qi Deficiency and Collateral Stasis Syndrome Based on "Zhu Ke Jiao" Theory
Baixue LI ; Xin WANG ; Jibin LIU ; Li WEN ; Cen JIANG ; Wenjun WU ; Dong WANG ; Shuwan LIU ; Huabao LIU ; Yongli ZHENG ; Liang HUANG ; Yue SU ; Song ZHANG ; Yanan SHANG ; Hang ZHOU ; Quansheng FENG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(9):180-188
ObjectiveThis paper aims to investigate and evaluate the staged efficacy and safety of the representative empirical prescription of the “Zhu Ke Jiao” theory, Qijia Rougan prescription, combined with entecavir in the treatment of hepatic fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B. MethodsA multicenter randomized controlled clinical study was conducted, and 101 patients diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B-related hepatic fibrosis (CHB-HF) who met the diagnosis and inclusion criteria were randomly assigned to an observation group (Qijia Rougan prescription + entecavir) and a control group (entecavir). The treatment duration was 24 weeks. Liver stiffness measurement (LSM), fibrosis-4 index (FIB-4), portal vein diameter, hepatitis B serology, biochemical indicators, hepatic fibrosis markers in serum [hyaluronic acid (HA), laminin (LN), procollagen Ⅲ peptide (PⅢP), and type Ⅳ collagen (Ⅳ-C)], and traditional Chinese medicine syndrome scores were used as efficacy evaluation indicators. Efficacy assessments and explorations of different staged subgroups of Qijia Rougan prescription were conducted according to LSM values based on the Metavir pathological staging standard. ResultsA total of 98 cases were included for statistical analysis, with 49 cases in the observation group and 49 in the control group. The general data of the patients in both groups were comparable. Compared with the same group before treatment, the observation group showed a significant reduction in LSM and FIB-4 (P<0.01), as well as notable improvements in LN, Ⅳ-C, and various TCM syndrome scores (P<0.05, P<0.01). When compared to the control group after treatment, the observation group demonstrated significant improvements in LSM, FIB-4, and various TCM syndrome score indicators (P<0.05, P<0.01), indicating that the observation group performed better than the control group. Subgroup analysis of the regression of hepatic fibrosis stages showed that compared to the same group before treatment, the observation group had better improvement in regression of stages F2 and F3 (P<0.05). When compared to the control group after treatment, the observation group exhibited superior improvement in regression of stage F3 (P<0.05). No adverse events occurred in either group during the treatment period. ConclusionCompared with entecavir alone, the combination of Qijia Rougan prescription and entecavir significantly improves the degree of hepatic fibrosis and clinical TCM symptoms in patients. The optimal intervention period is primarily during stage F3, which is a potential “interception” point of the “Zhu Ke Jiao” theory.
2.Research progress in the role of c-Fos protein of in eye diseases
Acta Universitatis Medicinalis Anhui 2026;61(2):362-368
As a functional anatomical marker of cellular activity and neural circuitry, c-Fos protein has been extensively utilized in studies which investigate neuroendocrine regulation, autonomic nervous system activity, and behavioral responses to stress. Recent research in ophthalmology has revealed that dynamic c-Fos expression is closely associated with pathophysiological processes such as retinal ganglion cell apoptosis, visual cortical plasticity, photodamage repair, and angiogenesis. This review aims to summarize the mechanistic roles of c-Fos protein in ocular diseases including glaucoma, amblyopia, and retinopathy, as well as exploring potential therapeutic approaches targeting c-Fos modulation. The studies have shown that the activation of c-Fos protein can promote the development of neurons in the visual cortex, and the inhibition of c-Fos can delay the apoptosis of retinal ganglion cells, neuroglia and photoreceptors in retinal and optic nerve diseases.
3.An Attention-weighted Tri-modal Ultrasound Network (TUS-Net) for Screening of Atypical Hepatocellular Carcinoma From LR-M Liver Nodules
He-Chong ZHANG ; Liang-Hui HUANG ; Xue-Hua WANG ; Shang-Lin JIANG ; Ying-Ying CHEN ; Ya-Guang ZENG ; Wei ZHENG
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(5):1485-1498
ObjectiveDiscriminating atypical hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) from other malignancies in liver nodules classified as Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System category M (LR-M) remains a significant diagnostic challenge on conventional ultrasound examination. The LR-M category, originally intended to capture non-HCC malignancies, paradoxically contains up to 63% of atypical HCCs that deviate from classic enhancement patterns, leading to potential misdiagnosis and suboptimal treatment planning. While deep learning has shown promise in HCC diagnosis, most existing models rely exclusively on single-modality ultrasound, overlooking the diagnostic benefits of integrating complementary information from multiple imaging sources. To address this gap, we propose a novel attention-weighted tri-modal ultrasound network (TUS-Net) that integrates contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS), B-mode ultrasound (BUS), and time-intensity curves (TICs) to improve diagnostic accuracy for these clinically challenging lesions. MethodsOur framework incorporates a three-dimensional convolutional neural network (C3D) backbone to extract spatiotemporal features from CEUS videos, capturing dynamic vascular patterns critical for lesion characterization. To effectively fuse complementary modalities, we introduce a dual-channel feature fusion module (DCFFM) that adaptively combines features from CEUS and BUS through channel-wise attention mechanisms, allowing the model to dynamically weigh the contribution of each modality based on diagnostic relevance. Additionally, we propose a temporal intensity feature fusion module (TIFFM) that leverages quantitative hemodynamic information from TICs to guide the model’s attention toward diagnostically critical temporal phases, such as arterial wash-in and portal venous washout. The model is further enhanced by automated lesion localization using YOLOX and class activation mapping for interpretability, ensuring that predictions align with clinically meaningful imaging features. ResultsEvaluated on a tri-modal ultrasound dataset comprising 161 patients with pathologically confirmed LR-M nodules (131 atypical HCC and 30 non-HCC malignancies), our model achieved an accuracy of 86.83%, a sensitivity of 92.50%, a specificity of 75.50%, and an AUC of 89.32% in screening atypical HCC. Compared to single-modality baselines, TUS-Net demonstrated superior specificity, a clinically critical metric given the higher risk associated with misclassifying non-HCC malignancies. Ablation studies confirmed the contribution of each module, with the full model outperforming both standard C3D and 3D ResNet backbones integrated with attention mechanisms. A reader study involving junior and senior radiologists further validated the clinical utility of AI assistance, showing consistent improvements in specificity and inter-reader consistency, particularly for less experienced clinicians. ConclusionThese results surpass existing benchmark models and demonstrate the potential of our approach to enhance diagnostic precision in clinically specific cases. By intelligently fusing multi-modal ultrasound data with attention-guided mechanisms, TUS-Net offers a reliable and interpretable tool that holds promise for improving the non-invasive diagnosis of atypical HCC in challenging LR-M liver nodules.
4.An Attention-weighted Tri-modal Ultrasound Network (TUS-Net) for Screening of Atypical Hepatocellular Carcinoma From LR-M Liver Nodules
He-Chong ZHANG ; Liang-Hui HUANG ; Xue-Hua WANG ; Shang-Lin JIANG ; Ying-Ying CHEN ; Ya-Guang ZENG ; Wei ZHENG
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(5):1485-1498
ObjectiveDiscriminating atypical hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) from other malignancies in liver nodules classified as Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System category M (LR-M) remains a significant diagnostic challenge on conventional ultrasound examination. The LR-M category, originally intended to capture non-HCC malignancies, paradoxically contains up to 63% of atypical HCCs that deviate from classic enhancement patterns, leading to potential misdiagnosis and suboptimal treatment planning. While deep learning has shown promise in HCC diagnosis, most existing models rely exclusively on single-modality ultrasound, overlooking the diagnostic benefits of integrating complementary information from multiple imaging sources. To address this gap, we propose a novel attention-weighted tri-modal ultrasound network (TUS-Net) that integrates contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS), B-mode ultrasound (BUS), and time-intensity curves (TICs) to improve diagnostic accuracy for these clinically challenging lesions. MethodsOur framework incorporates a three-dimensional convolutional neural network (C3D) backbone to extract spatiotemporal features from CEUS videos, capturing dynamic vascular patterns critical for lesion characterization. To effectively fuse complementary modalities, we introduce a dual-channel feature fusion module (DCFFM) that adaptively combines features from CEUS and BUS through channel-wise attention mechanisms, allowing the model to dynamically weigh the contribution of each modality based on diagnostic relevance. Additionally, we propose a temporal intensity feature fusion module (TIFFM) that leverages quantitative hemodynamic information from TICs to guide the model’s attention toward diagnostically critical temporal phases, such as arterial wash-in and portal venous washout. The model is further enhanced by automated lesion localization using YOLOX and class activation mapping for interpretability, ensuring that predictions align with clinically meaningful imaging features. ResultsEvaluated on a tri-modal ultrasound dataset comprising 161 patients with pathologically confirmed LR-M nodules (131 atypical HCC and 30 non-HCC malignancies), our model achieved an accuracy of 86.83%, a sensitivity of 92.50%, a specificity of 75.50%, and an AUC of 89.32% in screening atypical HCC. Compared to single-modality baselines, TUS-Net demonstrated superior specificity, a clinically critical metric given the higher risk associated with misclassifying non-HCC malignancies. Ablation studies confirmed the contribution of each module, with the full model outperforming both standard C3D and 3D ResNet backbones integrated with attention mechanisms. A reader study involving junior and senior radiologists further validated the clinical utility of AI assistance, showing consistent improvements in specificity and inter-reader consistency, particularly for less experienced clinicians. ConclusionThese results surpass existing benchmark models and demonstrate the potential of our approach to enhance diagnostic precision in clinically specific cases. By intelligently fusing multi-modal ultrasound data with attention-guided mechanisms, TUS-Net offers a reliable and interpretable tool that holds promise for improving the non-invasive diagnosis of atypical HCC in challenging LR-M liver nodules.
5.Predictive Modeling of Symptomatic Intracranial Hemorrhage Following Endovascular Thrombectomy: Insights From the Nationwide TREAT-AIS Registry
Jia-Hung CHEN ; I-Chang SU ; Yueh-Hsun LU ; Yi-Chen HSIEH ; Chih-Hao CHEN ; Chun-Jen LIN ; Yu-Wei CHEN ; Kuan-Hung LIN ; Pi-Shan SUNG ; Chih-Wei TANG ; Hai-Jui CHU ; Chuan-Hsiu FU ; Chao-Liang CHOU ; Cheng-Yu WEI ; Shang-Yih YAN ; Po-Lin CHEN ; Hsu-Ling YEH ; Sheng-Feng SUNG ; Hon-Man LIU ; Ching-Huang LIN ; Meng LEE ; Sung-Chun TANG ; I-Hui LEE ; Lung CHAN ; Li-Ming LIEN ; Hung-Yi CHIOU ; Jiunn-Tay LEE ; Jiann-Shing JENG ;
Journal of Stroke 2025;27(1):85-94
Background:
and Purpose Symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) following endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) is a severe complication associated with adverse functional outcomes and increased mortality rates. Currently, a reliable predictive model for sICH risk after EVT is lacking.
Methods:
This study used data from patients aged ≥20 years who underwent EVT for anterior circulation stroke from the nationwide Taiwan Registry of Endovascular Thrombectomy for Acute Ischemic Stroke (TREAT-AIS). A predictive model including factors associated with an increased risk of sICH after EVT was developed to differentiate between patients with and without sICH. This model was compared existing predictive models using nationwide registry data to evaluate its relative performance.
Results:
Of the 2,507 identified patients, 158 developed sICH after EVT. Factors such as diastolic blood pressure, Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score, platelet count, glucose level, collateral score, and successful reperfusion were associated with the risk of sICH after EVT. The TREAT-AIS score demonstrated acceptable predictive accuracy (area under the curve [AUC]=0.694), with higher scores being associated with an increased risk of sICH (odds ratio=2.01 per score increase, 95% confidence interval=1.64–2.45, P<0.001). The discriminatory capacity of the score was similar in patients with symptom onset beyond 6 hours (AUC=0.705). Compared to existing models, the TREAT-AIS score consistently exhibited superior predictive accuracy, although this difference was marginal.
Conclusions
The TREAT-AIS score outperformed existing models, and demonstrated an acceptable discriminatory capacity for distinguishing patients according to sICH risk levels. However, the differences between models were only marginal. Further research incorporating periprocedural and postprocedural factors is required to improve the predictive accuracy.
6.Expert consensus on clinical randomized controlled trial design and evaluation methods for bone grafting or substitute materials in alveolar bone defects.
Xiaoyu LIAO ; Yang XUE ; Xueni ZHENG ; Enbo WANG ; Jian PAN ; Duohong ZOU ; Jihong ZHAO ; Bing HAN ; Changkui LIU ; Hong HUA ; Xinhua LIANG ; Shuhuan SHANG ; Wenmei WANG ; Shuibing LIU ; Hu WANG ; Pei WANG ; Bin FENG ; Jia JU ; Linlin ZHANG ; Kaijin HU
West China Journal of Stomatology 2025;43(5):613-619
Bone grafting is a primary method for treating bone defects. Among various graft materials, xenogeneic bone substitutes are widely used in clinical practice due to their abundant sources, convenient processing and storage, and avoidance of secondary surgeries. With the advancement of domestic production and the limitations of imported products, an increasing number of bone filling or grafting substitute materials isentering clinical trials. Relevant experts have drafted this consensus to enhance the management of medical device clinical trials, protect the rights of participants, and ensure the scientific and effective execution of trials. It summarizes clinical experience in aspects, such as design principles, participant inclusion/exclusion criteria, observation periods, efficacy evaluation metrics, safety assessment indicators, and quality control, to provide guidance for professionals in the field.
Humans
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Bone Substitutes/therapeutic use*
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Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic/methods*
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Consensus
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Bone Transplantation
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Research Design
7.Distribution of Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome Elements in Different Risk Populations of Heart Failure Complicated with Type 2 Diabetes: A Retrospective Study Based on Nomogram Model and Factor Analysis
Tingting LI ; Zhipeng YAN ; Yajie FAN ; Wenxiu LI ; Wenyu SHANG ; Yongchun LIANG ; Yiming ZUO ; Yuxin KANG ; Boyu ZHU ; Junping ZHANG
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;66(11):1140-1146
ObjectiveTo analyze the distribution characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome elements in different risk populations of heart failure complicated with type 2 diabetes. MethodsClinical data of 675 type 2 diabetes patients were retrospectively collected. Lasso-multivariate Logistic regression was used to construct a clinical prediction nomogram model. Based on this, 441 non-heart failure patients were divided into a low-risk group (325 cases) and a high-risk group (116 cases) according to the median risk score of heart failure complicated with type 2 diabetes. TCM diagnostic information (four diagnostic methods) was collected for both groups, and factor analysis was applied to summarize the distribution of TCM syndrome elements in different risk populations. ResultsLasso-multivariate Logistic regression analysis identified age, disease duration, coronary heart disease, old myocardial infarction, arrhythmia, absolute neutrophil count, activated partial thromboplastin time, and α-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase as independent risk factors for heart failure complicated with type 2 diabetes. These were used as final predictive factors to construct the nomogram model. Model validation results showed that the area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for the modeling group and validation group were 0.934 and 0.935, respectively. The Hosmer-Lemeshow test (modeling group P = 0.996, validation group P = 0.121) indicated good model discrimination. Decision curve analysis showed that the curves for All and None crossed in the upper right corner, indicating high clinical utility. The low-risk and high-risk groups each obtained 14 common factors. Preliminary analysis revealed that the main disease elements in the low-risk group were qi deficiency (175 cases, 53.85%), dampness (118 cases, 36.31%), and heat (118 cases, 36.31%), with the primary locations in the spleen (125 cases, 38.46%) and lungs (99 cases, 30.46%). In the high-risk group, the main disease elements were yang deficiency (73 cases, 62.93%), blood stasis (68 cases, 58.62%), and heat (49 cases, 42.24%), with the primary locations in the kidney (84 cases, 72.41%) and heart (70 cases, 60.34%). ConclusionThe overall disease characteristics in different risk populations of type 2 diabetes patients with heart failure are a combination of deficiency and excess, with deficiency being predominant. Deficiency and heat are present throughout. The low-risk population mainly shows qi deficiency with dampness and heat, related to the spleen and lungs. The high-risk population shows yang deficiency with blood stasis and heat, related to the kidneys and heart.
8.Robotic surgery at the forefront:highlights from the 97th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Gastric Cancer Association 2025
Fanghui DING ; Tao FU ; Shougen CAO ; Peng CUI ; Jun LU ; Hao CHEN ; Zhen FANG ; Leping LI ; Liang SHANG
Chinese Journal of General Surgery 2025;34(5):1012-1017
The 97th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Gastric Cancer Association was held from March 12 to March 14,2025,in Nagoya,Japan.The conference was chaired by Professor Kazuhiro Uyama from Fujita Medical University and attracted nearly 2 000 scholars from around the world,including Japan,China,the republic of Korea,the United States,and Europe.With the theme of"Digital Innovation in Gastric Tumors,"the conference focused on the application of artificial intelligence,robotic surgery,and other innovations in the treatment of gastric cancer.It explored how high-precision and highly reproducible robotic surgical techniques are transforming traditional approaches to gastric cancer surgery,along with topics such as digital innovation,future medical policies,and strategies that herald a new era in healthcare.The meeting featured one main venue and 60 sub-venues with different themes,ultimately accepting 1 003 submissions.A total of 158 oral presentations covering 80 topics and 203 poster presentations were delivered.Among them,approximately 145 lectures were related to robotic surgery for gastric cancer,and when including poster presentations,nearly 255 topics were associated with gastric cancer robotic surgery.Additionally,the 7th edition of the Japanese Gastric Cancer Treatment Guidelines was released during the meeting.Our team had the honor of participating in this prestigious event.Drawing from our experience at both this conference and the 17th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society for Robotic Surgery held in Utsunomiya,Japan,from March 7 to March 8,2025,we provide a detailed report on the latest advancements in robotic surgery for gastric cancer,hoping to offer valuable insights and references for fellow surgeons both in China and abroad.
9.Application prospects of robotic gastrectomy for gastric carcinoma
Leping LI ; Yongjian ZHANG ; Ronghua ZHANG ; Zhen FANG ; Kun XIAO ; Qi ZOU ; Liang SHANG
Chinese Journal of General Surgery 2025;40(8):597-600
Radical gastrectomy is the most important treatment for gastric cancer. In recent years, robot-assisted surgical systems have demonstrated significant potential in gastric cancer treatment, thanks to their minimally invasiveness, precise, and fast recovery features. As clinical research continues to deepen, a growing body of evidence has confirmed that robot-assisted gastrectomy offers distinct advantages, such as improved efficiency in lymph node dissection and a reduced incidence of postoperative complications. But at the same time, robotic surgery still has some shortcomings such as high cost, long operation time and lack of force feedback. With the emergence of high-level evidence-based medical evidence and the application of domestic robot system, robot radical gastrectomy will be further promoted and applied. Robotic surgery has broad application prospects, and further advances in techniques are expected in future in the direction of single-port, intelligent, automation and multi-technology integration .
10.Application of remifentanil combined with propofol intravenous anesthesia in children undergoing laparoscopic surgery for oblique inguinal hernia and its effect on hemodynamics
Journal of Chinese Physician 2025;27(1):47-51
Objective:To investigate the effects of remifentanil and fentanyl combined with propofol intravenous anesthesia on hemodynamics and quality of anesthesia recovery in children undergoing laparoscopic surgery for oblique inguinal hernia.Methods:A total of 98 children with oblique inguinal hernia admitted to the Urumqi First People′s Hospital from January 2022 to January 2023 were selected as the study objects, and randomly divided into control group and observation group with 49 cases in each group according to the 1∶1 ratio number list method. The control group received fentanyl+ propofol anesthesia, and the observation group received remifentanil+ propofol anesthesia. The hemodynamics, quality of anesthesia recovery, stress response indexes and adverse reactions were compared at different time points between the two groups.Results:The recovery time and extubation time of the observation group were shorter than those of the control group ( P<0.05). There was no significant difference in Steward and 15-item Recovery Quality Scale (QoR-15) scores between the two groups (all P>0.05). The scores of Steward, QoR-15 and revised Wang Baker Facial Expression Pain Assessment Scale (FPSR) in both groups were higher than those in the recovery room and 24 h after surgery, and the scores of Steward and QoR-15 in the observation group were higher than those in the control group at the recovery room and 24 h after surgery ( P<0.05). The FPSR scores of the observation group were lower than those of the control group at the time of recovery, exit from the recovery room and 24 h after operation (all P<0.05). There was no significant difference in mean arterial pressure and heart rate between the two groups at T 1 ( P>0.05). Compared with T 1, the mean arterial pressure and heart rate of T 2, T 3 and T 4 in both groups showed significant fluctuations (all P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the mean arterial pressure and heart rate of T 2, T 3 and T 4 in the observation group were significantly smaller (all P<0.05). There was no significant difference in T 1 stress response between the two groups (all P>0.05). The levels of epinephrine (E), C-reactive protein (CRP) and cortisol (Cor) in serum at T 2, T 3 and T 4 were higher than those at T 1 (all P<0.05). The levels of E, CRP and Cor in serum at T 2, T 3 and T 4 in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group (all P<0.05). The incidence of adverse reactions in the observation group was lower than that in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (χ 2=4.159, P<0.05). Conclusions:Intravenous anesthesia with remifentanil combined with propofol can reduce the effect on hemodynamics, improve the quality of anesthesia recovery and alleviate the stress response of the body in children with laparoscopic oblique inguinal hernia.

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