To investigate the clinical characteristics and prognosis of extracranial malignant rhabdoid tumor (eMRT) in children, and to provide a reference for the clinical treatment of this disease.

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.

Osteoarthritis (OA), a highly prevalent degenerative joint disease worldwide, is defined by articular cartilage degradation, abnormal bone remodeling, and persistent chronic inflammation. It severely compromises patients’ quality of life, and currently, there is no radical cure. Abnormal mechanical stress is widely regarded as a core driver of OA pathogenesis, and the exploration of mechanical signal perception and transduction mechanisms has become crucial for deciphering OA’s pathophysiological processes. Piezo1, a key mechanosensitive cation channel belonging to the Piezo protein family, has recently gained significant attention due to its pivotal role in mediating cellular responses to mechanical stimuli in joint tissues. This review systematically examines Piezo1’s expression patterns, regulatory mechanisms, and pathological functions in OA, with a particular focus on its dual roles in modulating chondrocyte homeostasis and bone metabolism disorders, while also delving into the underlying molecular signaling pathways and potential therapeutic implications. Piezo1, consisting of approximately 2 500 amino acids and forming a unique trimeric propeller-like structure, is widely expressed in chondrocytes, osteocytes, mesenchymal stem cells, and synovial cells. It exhibits permeability to cations such as Ca²⁺, K⁺, and Na⁺, and directly responds to membrane tension changes induced by mechanical stimuli like fluid shear stress and mechanical overload. In OA patients and animal models, Piezo1 expression is significantly upregulated, especially in cartilage regions subjected to abnormal mechanical stress (e.g., human temporomandibular joint cartilage). This overexpression is closely associated with aggravated cartilage degeneration, increased chondrocyte apoptosis, accelerated cellular senescence, and intensified inflammatory responses. Mechanical overload and pro-inflammatory cytokines (e.g., IL-1β) are key inducers of Piezo1 upregulation: IL-1β activates the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway to enhance Piezo1 expression, forming a pathogenic positive feedback loop that inhibits chondrocyte autophagy, promotes apoptosis, and further accelerates joint degeneration. Mechanistically, Piezo1 mediates OA progression through multiple interconnected pathways. When activated by mechanical stress, Piezo1 triggers excessive Ca²⁺ influx, leading to endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) and mitochondrial dysfunction, which directly induce chondrocyte apoptosis. This process involves the activation of downstream signaling cascades such as cGAS-STING and YAP-MMP13/ADAMTS5. YAP, a transcriptional regulator, upregulates the expression of matrix metalloproteinase 13 (MMP13) and aggrecanase (ADAMTS5), thereby accelerating cartilage matrix degradation. Additionally, Piezo1-driven Ca²⁺ overload promotes the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and upregulates senescence markers (p16 and p21), accelerating chondrocyte senescence via the p38MAPK and NF-κB pathways. Senescent chondrocytes secrete senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) factors (e.g., IL-6, IL-1β), further amplifying joint inflammation. In terms of bone metabolism, Piezo1 maintains joint homeostasis by promoting the differentiation of fibrocartilage stem cells into chondrocytes and balancing bone formation and resorption through regulating the FoxC1/YAP axis and RANKL/OPG ratio. Therapeutically, targeting Piezo1 shows promising potential. Preclinical studies have demonstrated that Piezo1 inhibitors (e.g., GsMTx4) can reduce joint damage and alleviate pain in OA mice. Simultaneously, siRNA-mediated co-silencing of Piezo1 and TRPV4 (another mechanosensitive channel) decreases intracellular Ca²⁺ concentration, inhibits chondrocyte apoptosis, and promotes cartilage repair. Conditional knockout of Piezo1 using Gdf5-Cre transgenic mice alleviates cartilage degeneration in post-traumatic OA models by downregulating MMP13 and ADAMTS5 expression. Despite existing challenges, such as off-target effects of inhibitors, inefficient local drug delivery, and interindividual genetic variability, strategies like developing selective Piezo1 antagonists, optimizing targeted nanocarriers, and combining Piezo1-targeted therapy with physical therapy provide viable avenues for clinical translation. The authors propose that Piezo1 serves as a critical therapeutic target for OA, and future research should focus on deciphering its context-dependent regulatory networks, developing tissue-specific intervention strategies, and validating their efficacy and safety in clinical trials to address the unmet medical needs of OA patients.

Background: s/Aims: Postoperative pancreatic fistulas (POPF) remain a major cause of morbidity and mortality following pancreatoduodenectomy (PD). Pancreatogastrostomy (PG) and pancreatojejunostomy (PJ) are the two most commonly used reconstruction techniques, yet evidence favoring one over the other is inconclusive. This study evaluates postoperative outcomes following open PD at a single institution that transitioned from PG to PJ as the preferred reconstruction method. Methods: This retrospective comparative study included patients who underwent PD between April 2005 and August 2022. Of 757 patients identified, 522 met the inclusion criteria. Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed to adjust for clinically relevant covariates. Primary endpoints were clinically relevant (CR) POPF (grade B/C) and Clavien–Dindo (CD) grade ≥ 3 POPFs. Secondary outcomes included post-pancreatectomy hemorrhage (PPH), delayed gastric emptying (DGE), systemic complications, length of hospital stay, and mortality. Results: Overall, CR-POPF and CD grade ≥ 3 POPFs occurred in 21.3% and 8.0% of patients, respectively. Thirty-day and in-hospital mortality rates were 3.1% and 4.2%. After PSM, 368 patients (184 PG and 184 PJ) were analyzed. Grade B POPFs were more frequent following PJ than PG (24.5% vs. 15.8%, p < 0.001). Although CR-POPF and CD grade ≥ 3 POPFs were numerically higher in the PJ group, differences were not statistically significant. In contrast, DGE, PPH, and in-hospital mortality were significantly higher following PG (37.0% vs. 25.0%, p = 0.025; 16.3% vs. 8.7%, p = 0.025; and 7.6% vs. 2.7%, p = 0.049, respectively). Conclusions PG was associated with a lower incidence of grade B POPFs but higher rates of DGE, PPH, and in-hospital mortality.

Objective: To analyze the characteristics of latent classes of dietary patterns among children and adolescents in Qinghai Province, and their association with overweight and obesity, so as to provide a scientific basis for conducting targeted nutritional interventions and weight management for the local population. Methods: From May to October 2025, a multi stage stratified cluster random sampling method was employed to recruit 1 611 children and adolescents aged 6-17 years from Chengdong District of Xining City and Gonghe County of Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Qinghai Province. Questionnaire survey was conducted using a questionnaire developed by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and physical examination was conducted by using unified measurement standards. Latent class analysis (LCA) was performed on the food intake frequency of the participants. The χ 2 test and Logistic regression analysis were applied to explore the relationship between dietary patterns and overweight/obesity. Results: The detection rates of overweight, obesity, and overall overweight/obesity among the participants were 10.4%, 5.8%, and 16.2%, respectively. Latent class analysis identified three dietary patterns: modern mixed pattern ( n =399, 24.8%), low diversity pattern ( n =476, 29.5%), and traditional dietary pattern ( n =736, 45.7%). The potential category distribution differences of three dietary patterns among children and adolescents with and without overweight or obesity were statistically significant (non overweight and obesity: 22.5%, 29.1%, 48.4%; overweight and obesity: 36.4%, 31.8%, 31.8%) ( χ 2=30.69, P <0.01). Logistic regression showed that, compared with the traditional dietary pattern, the modern mixed pattern was associated with a higher risk of overweight and obesity ( OR =1.68, 95% CI =1.13-2.49); female sex was associated with a lower risk of overweight/obesity compared with male sex ( OR =0.66, 95% CI =0.50-0.86) (both P <0.05). Conclusions A positive association exists between the modern mixed dietary pattern and obesity in children and adolescents. It is recommended to reduce the intake of grains and unhealthy foods among overweight and obese children and adolescents, while increasing the consumption of legumes, fish, and shrimp, in order to cultivate healthy and rational dietary habits.

Objective:To analyze the clinical characteristics and prognosis of children with hematological malignancies complicated by secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis(HLH).Methods:A total of 67 children with HLH admitted to Jinan Second Maternal and Child Health Hospital between June 2020 and June 2024 were selected.Children without hematological malignancies were divided into the non-combined group,and those with hematological malignancies were divided into the combined group.The clinical characteristics and prognosis of the two groups were analyzed.Results:There were no significant differences in clinical characteristics such as WBC,Hb,PLT between the two groups(P＞0.05).During the follow-up,the 1-and 2-year overall survival(OS)rates for all children were(88.6±4.1)％and(73.1±7.7)％,respectively.In the non-combined group,43 children survived and 6 died,with 1-and 2-year OS rates of(95.2±3.3)％and(77.4±9.3)％,respectively.In the combined group,12 children survived and 6 died,with 1-and 2-year OS rates of(71.8±10.7)％and(62.8±12.6)％,respectively.The OS rate of the combined group was significantly lower than that of the non-combined group(x2=4.787,P=0.029).The 1-and 2-year event free survival(EFS)rates of the combined group were(61.1±11.5)％and(50.9±13.3)％,respectively.Conclusion:Children with hematological malignancies complicated by secondary HLH exhibit complex and diverse clinical characteristics.Although favorable short-term therapeutic effects can be achieved,their long-term prognosis tends to be less optimistic.

There is a complex biological mechanism in the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase(PI3K)/protein kinase B(PKB/Akt)/mammalian target of rapamycin(mTOR)signaling pathway,which plays a key role in the development and development of lymphoma.In this review,the relevant literature of PI3K inhibitor research in the past five years summarized and analyzed,and found that the research and development,application,efficacy,and adverse reactions of PI3K inhibitors are the current research hotspots,and the positive results of PI3K inhibitors in clinical trials and basic research have strongly demonstrated the potential of PI3K inhibitors in personalized treatment of lymphoma.In order to maximize the clinical benefits,a variety of strategies need to be explored,including novel drugs with better selectivity and safety,and related combination therapies.

This study was aimed at investigating the immunoregulatory function of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Rv3641c gene in modulating host type Ⅰ interferon responses.The shuttle plasmid pMV261 was used to construct Rv3641c overexpression recombinant Mycobacterium smegmatis,and the biological characteristics of the recombinant bacteria were analyzed to explore the effect of Rv3641c on the growth curve,colony morphology and stress resistance of Mycobacterium.Subsequently,RAW264.7 cells were infected with Rv3641c overexpressing Mycobacterium smegmatis,and the transcriptional expression of genes related to the inhibition of type I inter-feron pathway was determined by RT-PCR.The expression level of IFN-βprotein was determined by ELISA,and the intracellular sur-vival level was determined.As a result,the recombinant rMS::pMV261-Rv3641c was successfully constructed.The results of biologi-cal characteristics analysis showed that Rv3641c did not affect the growth of mycobacteria,but significantly changed the colony mor-phology of mycobacteria and improved its resistance to H2O2.The results of recombinant bacteria infection experiments showed that Rv3641c significantly down-regulated the transcription levels of IFN-α,IFN-βand downstream ISGs genes CXCL10,IFIT2 and IL-1β in host cells,and Rv3641c significantly down-regulated the transcription levels of IFN-α,IFN-βand downstream ISGs genes CXCL10,IFIT2 and IL-1βin host cells.The results of intracellular colonization experiments showed that the intracellular mycobacte-ria in the overexpression recombinant bacteria infection group were significantly higher than those in the empty vector group,indicat-ing that Rv3641c could promote the intracellular surviv al of mycobacteria.In summary,the Rv3641c gene of M.tuberculosis can inhibit the host type I interferon response and promote the intracellular survival of M.tuberculosis,which provides a new idea for further explor-ing the immune escape function of M.tuberculosis and the discovery of new targets for anti-tuberculosis drugs.

Objective To construct a model for predicting the risk of essential hypertension accompanied by left ventricular hypertrophy using machine learning algorithms based on pulse diagram parameters;To explore its clinical application value.Methods A total of 295 patients with essential hypertension who were hospitalized in Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine,Shanghai Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Shanghai Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine were selected from July 2020 to May 2021 and July 2023 to July 2024.According to the echocardiographic results,the selected research subjects were divided into the essential hypertension with left ventricular hypertrophy group(referred to as the"LVH group")and the essential hypertension without left ventricular hypertrophy group(referred to as the"non-LVH group").The general data and clinical biochemical indicators were collected,and the pulse diagram parameters of the patients were detected using the SMART-I type TCM digital pulse analyzer.A clinical prediction model was constructed based on decision tree,support vector machine and extreme gradient boosting model algorithms.The predictive performance of the model was evaluated in terms of discrimination,calibration and clinical prediction ability by using the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve,calibration curve and decision curve analysis respectively.The influence of each predictive factor on the risk of LVH in essential hypertension was explained based on the SHAP algorithm.Results Compared with the non-LVH group,the BMI,the proportion of males,drinkers and smokers was lower in the LVH group,with statistical significance(P<0.05);the thickened ventricular wall,left ventricular internal dimension enlargement,left common carotid artery intima-media thickness and high density lipoprotein cholesterol were higher in the LVH group than in the non-LVH group(P<0.05);the left common carotid peak systolic velocity,left common carotid resistance index,serum uric acid and serum creatinine were lower in the LVH group than in the non-LVH group(P<0.05).The pulse diagram parameters T4,T,W1,W2,H3/H1 and H4/H1 were higher in the LVH group than in the non-LVH group(P<0.05).The areas of the ROC curves of the models constructed by the three types of machine learning algorithms were 0.887,0.962 and 0.873 respectively,indicating that the model had good discrimination and certain diagnostic efficacy.The calibration curve suggested that the prediction accuracy of the model was average;the clinical decision curve showed that XGBoost model has a higher net benefit.Conclusion The interpretable model constructed based on pulse diagram parameters and machine learning algorithms can be used as a reliable tool for predicting the risk of essential hypertension with LVH.

Objective:To evaluate the surgical management and clinical efficacy of endoscopic operation for tympanosclerosis (TS).Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 228 patients with TS who underwent endoscopic surgery at Shaanxi Provincial People′s Hospital between January 2019 and December 2023. There were 79 males and 149 females, aged 18-68 years (median 50 years). Surgical management, perforation healing rate, pre-and post-operate hearing characteristics, and complications were analyzed. The air conduction threshold values at 500 Hz, 1 000 Hz, 2 000 Hz and 4 000 Hz, average air conduction pure tune audiometry (AC-PTA), and air-bone conduction (ABG) pre-and post-operation were compared. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 25.0.Results:All 132 cases of type Ⅰ tympanosclerosis underwent myringoplasty. Among 55 cases with type Ⅱ tympanosclerosis, 33 (60.0%) received typeⅠand 22 (40.0%) received type Ⅱ tympanoplasty. Of 16 cases with type Ⅲ tympanosclerosis, 10 (62.5%) underwent type Ⅰand 6 (37.5%) underwent type Ⅱtympanoplasty. Among 25 cases with type Ⅳ, 5 (20.0%) underwent type Ⅰ, 13 (52.0%) type Ⅱ, and 3 (12.0%) type Ⅲ tympanoplasty, while, 4 (16.0%) underwent tympanoplasty with autologous cartilage. The average follow-up period was 8.2 months (6 months to 3 years); The overall healing rate of the tympanic perforation was (97.8%)223/228. All cases exhibited improved air conduction hearing threshold at all frequencies, AC-PTA and ABG postoperatively. The differences between types Ⅰ, Ⅱ at 500 Hz, 1 000 Hz, 2 000 Hz, 4 000 Hz, AC-PTA and ABG were statistically significant (all P<0.001 for type Ⅰ, all P<0.05 for type Ⅱ). In type Ⅲ, improvements were significant for all tested parameters except at 4 000 Hz (all P<0.05) and no statistically significant difference were found in type Ⅳ. No severe complications such as profound sensorineural hearing loss or facial nerve paralysis were encountered. Conclusion:Totally, endoscopic transcanal surgery is an effective management for tympanosclerosis, providing favorable short-term hearing outcomes with an acceptable safety profile.