To conduct a bibliometric and keyword analysis on the domestic and international literature of medical artificial intelligence （AI） ethics， explore the research frontiers， hotspots， and development trends in this field， and provide references for promoting the construction of China’s ethical governance system on medical AI. Utilizing CiteSpace software， a comparative analysis was conducted between the reviewed domestic and international literature regarding their publication volume， author and institutional collaboration networks， as well as keyword co-occurrence， clustering， timeline graph， and burst， to explore the research hotspots and development trends in the field. A total of 2 393 Chinese and English publications were included. In recent years， research topics in medical AI ethics both domestically and internationally focused on three aspects， encompassing their theoretical research， emerging domains and their ethical risks， as well as the ethical governance and regulation of medical AI. International research hotspots included federated learning， computer-aided detection， informed consent， and other aspects， whereas domestic research hotspots were smart healthcare， responsibility ethics， ethical values， and other aspects. Internationally， greater attention was placed on ethical issues concerning population health and healthcare in the public health domain， whereas domestic research topics tended to focus more on theoretical discussions and the establishment of ethical principles. The ethical governance of medical AI represents a shared global challenge， necessitating enhanced research into both the variances and commonalities in this field.

Background Lead is a typical persistent environmental pollutant that can accumulate in bones for decades. During pregnancy, alterations in calcium metabolism promote the mobilization of bone lead, resulting in secondary exposure; however, the mechanisms by which pregnancy-associated bone lead mobilization affects maternal renal function remain unclear. Objective To investigate the role of mitochondrial dysfunction in pregnancy-related bone lead mobilization-induced renal injury. Methods Newly weaned female Wistar rats were randomly assigned to a control or a lead-exposed group administered either 0.05% sodium acetate or 0.05% lead acetate in drinking water. Following a 4-week lead exposure and a 4-week washout period, the females were co-housed with healthy age-matched males for mating. Rats were sacrificed at early (gestational day 3) and late (gestational day 17) pregnancystages, respectively. Renal histopathology was assessed using hematoxylin and eosin staining staining. Mitochondria-related indicators, including oxidative stress, inflammatory responses, and energy metabolism, were measured. Differential metabolites were identified using serum metabolomics. Results Renal injury in the lead-exposed pregnant rats progressed in a time-dependent manner, characterized by degeneration of proximal tubular epithelial cells, glomerular hyaline changes, and interstitial inflammatory cell infiltration. Repeated measures ANOVA indicated a significant interaction between the treatment factor (lead exposure) and the temporal factor (gestational stage) on renal injury (P<0.001). Further analysis of mitochondrial function-related indicators in late-pregnancy renal tissue revealed that the lead exposure group exhibited significantly increased levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) (P<0.05), accompanied by a reduction in superoxide dismutase (SOD) and reduced glutathione (GSH) activities (P<0.05); regarding inflammatory markers, levels of interleukin-18 (IL-18) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) were elevated (P<0.01), whereas interleukin-33 (IL-33) was decreased in the lead-exposed group (P<0.05); energy metabolism-related indicators, including adenosine triphosphate (ATP) level, Na⁺-K⁺-ATPase and Ca²⁺-Mg²⁺-ATPase activities, and mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes I, III, and V activities, were significantly reduced (P<0.05) in the lead-exposed gorup. The typical differential metabolite N-methylisoleucine, identified through serum metabolomics analysis, was negatively correlated with blood lead levels, kidney injury scores, and IL-1β, while positively correlated with catalase (CAT) activity and Ca²⁺-Mg²⁺-ATPase. Conclusions Mitochondrial dysfunction may play a critical role in renal injury induced by bone lead mobilization during late gestation.

Objective To improve the analysis method of the blood components of Yinchenhao decoction （YCHD） in vivo and explore its anti-hepatocellular carcinoma mechanism. Methods Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry （UPLC-Q-TOF/MS） was used to collect and analyze blood samples from mice. The mice were given a single dose of YCHD with a concentration of 0.1 g/ml and a dose of 25 ml/kg, and then the samples were collected 2 h post–administration, which was to systematically study the chemical components of YCHD in vivo. Network pharmacological methods were used to screen the components and targets of YCHD, and the targets of hepatocellular carcinoma; The common targets of YCHD and hepatocellular carcinoma were identified for GO enrichment and KEGG enrichment. Molecular docking was performed on the main targets to verify the binding ability between the active ingredients and the core targets. The relative mRNA expression levels of serine/threonine-protein kinase（AKT1） and tumor protein p53（TP53） in liver tissues were analyzed via qPCR, including the following mouse groups: mice with concanavalin A（Con-A）-induced acute liver injury without preventive administration, mice with Con-A-induced acute liver injury that received 14 d preventive oral administration of YCHD, and untreated control mice. Results ①The active ingredients of YCHD in the blood were identified by retrieving the data from the in vitro component analysis. They were chrysophanol, herniarin, aloe-emodin, and monotropein. ②The mechanism of action of the blood components against hepatocellular carcinoma （HCC） was further analyzed using network pharmacological methods, and a total of 30 components of YCHD were screened for 213 targets and 215 HCC targets. ③There were 17 intersection targets between YCHD and hepatocellular carcinoma, including AKT1, TP53, receptor tyrosine-protein kinase erbB-2 （ERBB2）, myelocytomatosis oncogene （MYC）, interleukin-1β （IL-1β）, etc. The GO enrichment results indicated that these components were primarily involved in DNA replication，chromosome segregation，leukocyte mediated immunity，leukocyte cell-cell adhesion. The KEGG enrichment results demonstrated that these components were predominantly associated with diverse cancer pathways. Additionally, the results indicated involvement in the citrate cycle （TCA cycle）, pyruvate metabolism, and p53 signaling pathway, ect. ④The results of molecular docking showed that chrysophanol, herniarin, and aloe - emodin had strong binding abilities with AKT1, TP53, ERBB2, MYC, and IL-1β. ⑤The relative expression of AKT1 and TP53 mRNA was significantly higher in the modelling group than in the control group. The relative expression of AKT1 and TP53 mRNA was significantly lower in the drug administration group than in the modelling group. Conclusion There were 4 blood components in YCHD, among which chrysophanol, herniarin, and aloe-emodin may act on AKT1, TP53, ERBB2, MYC, IL-1β and then participated in the regulation of cancer signaling pathways and p53 signaling pathway to play a role in the treatment of HCC.

To investigate the changes in peripheral blood immune cells before and after the onset of septic shock in patients with malignant tumors, and to analyze the relationship between these immune cells and patient prognosis.

The onset and progression of chronic heart failure （CHF） are closely associated with myocardial energy metabolism disorders， and this pathological process significantly affects patient prognosis. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）， grounded in time-based medical theories such as the correspondence between humans and nature and the theory of circadian flow of meridians （Ziwu Liuzhu）， exhibits intrinsic consistency with modern circadian rhythm theory， providing a unique theoretical framework for understanding and intervening in CHF from a temporal perspective. This article systematically explores the impact of circadian rhythms on energy metabolism and the potential mechanisms by which TCM active ingredients intervene in CHF through a review of relevant literature. It is found that various TCM active ingredients， including flavonoids （such as nobiletin）， alkaloids （such as berberine）， and polyphenols （such as resveratrol）， can improve mitochondrial function， promote fatty acid oxidation， enhance glucose uptake and utilization efficiency， maintain metabolic balance， and alleviate oxidative stress and inflammatory responses in myocardial cells by regulating the expression and rhythms of core circadian clock genes such as CLOCK， BMAL1， PER， and CRY. These actions thereby correct energy metabolism disorders and improve cardiac function. Further exploration of the interaction mechanisms between these components and the circadian rhythms holds promise for providing novel theoretical foundations and potential intervention strategies for the prevention and treatment of CHF.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a chronic, progressive degenerative disease affecting both upper and lower motor neurons, primarily characterized by skeletal muscle weakness and atrophy. Notably, the same muscle group may exhibit asynchronous involvement. This study aims to investigate the involvement patterns of the orbicularis oculi (OOc) and orbicularis oris (OOr) in ALS patients, compare the findings with healthy controls (HCs) and myasthenia gravis (MG) patients, and explore the characteristics and clinical significance of facial muscle involvement in ALS.

In the context of burgeoning economic trade, there has been a remarkable increase in the number of ships travelling between domestic and international ports. Inbound and outbound cargo ships, cruise liners, ferries, and other types of vessels have emerged as critical vehicles for the dispersal of vector organisms and the spread of infectious disease agents. Public health concerns associated with these vessels represent a significant threat to human welfare. In this paper, we comprehensively review the hazards posed by vector organisms on ships, the latest advances in prevention and control strategies, and proposes appropriate countermeasures. The aim is to provide effective guidance for the prevention and control of public health security issues caused by ship-borne vector organisms.

BackgroundBoth modified Suanzaoren Decoction and estazolam serve as effective treatments for chronic insomnia disorder （CID）. Default mode network （DMN） dysfunction is recognized as the primary pathophysiological mechanism underlying CID. However， it remains unclear whether the two treatments exert their therapeutic effects via convergent modulation of DMN functional connectivity. ObjectiveTo investigate the convergent remodeling characteristics of bidirectional effective connectivity （EC） of core DMN nodes with both the intra-network and the remaining whole-brain regions in CID patients with Yin-deficiency and fire-hyperactivity syndrome following the treatment with modified Suanzaoren Decoction or estazolam， so as to provide neuroimaging evidence for the convergent neural mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of both therapies in treating CID. MethodsEighty-two patients diagnosed with CID according to the International Classification of Sleep Disorder， third edition （ICSD-3） were consecutively recruited from the outpatient clinic of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Mental Health Center from October 2020 to September 2023. Based on treatment preference， patients were assigned to receive a 6-week intervention in either the modified Suanzaoren Decoction group （n=52） or the estazolam group （n=30）. Ultimately， 66 patients completed follow-up assessments （modified Suanzaoren Decoction group， n=41； estazolam group， n=25）. All CID patients underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scanning before and after treatment. Core DMN nodes including medial prefrontal cortex （mPFC）， bilateral inferior parietal lobule （IPL）， and precuneus （PCUN） were selected as seed regions. Granger causality analysis （GCA） was employed to assess bidirectional EC between the seed regions and both the other intra-DMN nodes and the remaining whole-brain regions. Hepatic and renal function indices were detected pre- and post-treatment to evaluate the safety profiles of both treatments. ResultsAt baseline， significant between-group differences were identified in EC from the left IPL to the left middle fronto-orbital gyrus/gyrus rectus （t=5.24， Z=4.84， voxel-level P<0.001， cluster-level P<0.05， GRF-corrected）， with the modified Suanzaoren Decoction group exhibiting stronger EC than the estazolam group. No significant between-group differences were observed in EC between other core DMN nodes and remaining whole-brain regions （P>0.05）. Within-group pre- to post-treatment comparisons demonstrated consistent connectivity alterations in both groups. Specifically， EC from the left IPL to the supplementary motor area （SMA） decreased after treatment （modified Suanzaoren Decoction group： t=-6.28， Z=5.208； estazolam group： t=-5.58， Z=4.425）. Conversely， EC from the SMA to the left IPL increased （modified Suanzaoren Decoction group： t=5.89， Z=4.968； estazolam group： t=6.15， Z=4.720）. Furthermore， both groups demonstrated reduced EC from the PCUN to the left IPL （modified Suanzaoren Decoction group： t=-5.85， Z=4.94； estazolam group： t=-5.75， Z=4.515）， and elevated EC from the left IPL to the PCUN （modified Suanzaoren Decoction group： t=5.29， Z=4.579； estazolam group： t=4.55， Z=3.826） （voxel-level P<0.001， cluster-level P<0.05， GRF-corrected）. No significant pre- to post-treatment differences were observed in hepatic or renal function indices in either group （P>0.05）. ConclusionIn CID patients with Yin-deficiency and fire-hyperactivity syndrome， both modified Suanzaoren Decoction and estazolam induce convergent bidirectional remodeling of EC between the left IPL and the SMA and the PCUN. ［Funded by Natural Science Fund Project of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region （number， 2019MS08099）； ClinicalTrials.gov number， NCT06452953］

ObjectiveTo investigate whether the inhibitory effect of Panax quinquefolium saponins （PQS） on non-small cell lung cancer （NSCLC） is enhanced under graphene-mediated far-infrared therapy （GFIR）， and to analyze its relationships with mitochondrial dysfunction， mitochondrial DNA （mtDNA） leakage， and the activation of cyclic GMP-AMP synthase （cGAS）/stimulator of interferon genes （STING） signaling pathways. MethodsIn the cell experiments， the cell-counting kit 8 （CCK-8） was employed to assess the inhibitory effects of PQS alone or in combination with GFIR （PQS+GFIR） on A549 cell viability. The scratch assay and the colony formation assay were adopted to evaluate cell migration and colony formation capabilities， respectively. Flow cytometry was employed to assess apoptosis， mitochondrial membrane potential， and reactive oxygen species （ROS） levels. Immunofluorescence （IF） assay was performed to assess mitochondrial localization. Real-time polymerase China reaction（PCR） was used to detect mitochondrial DNA （mtDNA） leakage. A STING knockdown cell model was established by transfecting cells with small interfering RNA （siRNA）， and the knockdown efficiency was assessed by Real-time PCR and Western blot. The cell viability and apoptosis following gene knockdown were assessed through the CCK-8 assay and flow cytometry. In the animal experiments， an allogeneic xenograft mouse model was established with Lewis lung cancer cells. Mice were randomized into a control group， a model group， a cisplatin group， a low-dose PQS （PQS-Low， 90 mg·kg^-1） group， a high-dose PQS （PQS-High， 180 mg·kg^-1） group， a low-dose PQS combined with GFIR （PQS-Low+GFIR， 90 mg·kg^-1） group， and a high-dose PQS combined with GFIR （PQS-High+GFIR， 180 mg·kg^-1） group. Treatment lasted for 14 days， and the fluorescence intensity was monitored at the tumor site by small-animal in vivo imaging during the treatment period. Flow cytometry was utilized to determine the proportions of T-lymphocyte subsets， B-lymphocyte levels， and peripheral blood NK cell levels in the spleens of mice. Immunohistochemical （IHC） staining was performed to assess the infiltration of CD3⁺， CD4⁺， and CD8⁺ T-lymphocytes in the tumor tissue. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was conducted to measure the levels of interferon-α （IFN-α）， interferon-β （IFN-β）， tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， and interleukin-6 （IL-6） in mouse tumors. The mRNA levels of cGAS， STING， TANK-binding kinase 1 （TBK1）， interferon regulatory factor 3 （IRF3）， interferon beta 1 （IFNB1）， and nuclear factor κB p65 （NF-κB p65） were determined by Real-time PCR. The protein levels of cGAS， STING， p-STING， TBK1， p-TBK1， IRF3， p-IRF3， NF-κB p65， and p-NF-κB p65 were quantified via Western blot. ResultsThe cell experiment results showed that compared with the control group， PQS inhibited the viability and migration of A549 cells， promoted apoptosis， affected mitochondrial localization， reduced mitochondrial membrane potential， increased the ROS level， and promoted mtDNA leakage. Following STING knockdown， the reductions in cell viability and the apoptosis-inducing effects caused by PQS were partially reversed （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the PQS group， the PQS+GFIR group showed inhibited A549 cell migration and colony formation， exacerbated apoptosis， downregulated mitochondrial membrane potential， elevated ROS levels， and promoted mtDNA leakage. After STING knockdown， the reduced A549 cell viability and abnormal apoptosis phenotype were further reversed （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The animal experiment results showed that compared with the control group， the model group mice exhibited reduced proportions of T-lymphocyte subsets， CD19⁺ B-lymphocyte levels， and peripheral blood NK1.1⁺ cell levels in the spleen （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the PQS group showed increased immune cell parameters in mice （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the PQS group， the PQS+GFIR group exhibited enhanced levels of the aforementioned indicators （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the PQS group showed significantly reduced fluorescence intensity in transplanted tumors， significantly upregulated expression of CD3 and CD4 in the tumor tissue， elevated levels of IFN-α and IL-6 in tumors， and upregulated mRNA levels of cGAS， STING， TBK1， IRF3， IFNB1， and NF-κB p65 as well as upregulated protein level of cGAS and phosphorylation level of STING in tumors （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the PQS group， the PQS+GFIR group demonstrated further reduced tumor fluorescence intensity， elevated levels of CD3， CD4， and CD8 as well as cytokine levels in tumor tissue， and upregulated mRNA levels of genes related to the cGAS/STING pathway as well as upregulated protein level of cGAS and phosphorylation levels of STING， TBK1， IRF3， and NF-κB p65 （P<0.05， P<0.01） ConclusionGFIR enhances the inhibitory effect of PQS on NSCLC， potentially through mitochondrial dysfunction， mtDNA leakage， and activation of the cGAS/STING signaling pathway.

ObjectiveTo investigate whether the inhibitory effect of Panax quinquefolium saponins （PQS） on non-small cell lung cancer （NSCLC） is enhanced under graphene-mediated far-infrared therapy （GFIR）， and to analyze its relationships with mitochondrial dysfunction， mitochondrial DNA （mtDNA） leakage， and the activation of cyclic GMP-AMP synthase （cGAS）/stimulator of interferon genes （STING） signaling pathways. MethodsIn the cell experiments， the cell-counting kit 8 （CCK-8） was employed to assess the inhibitory effects of PQS alone or in combination with GFIR （PQS+GFIR） on A549 cell viability. The scratch assay and the colony formation assay were adopted to evaluate cell migration and colony formation capabilities， respectively. Flow cytometry was employed to assess apoptosis， mitochondrial membrane potential， and reactive oxygen species （ROS） levels. Immunofluorescence （IF） assay was performed to assess mitochondrial localization. Real-time polymerase China reaction（PCR） was used to detect mitochondrial DNA （mtDNA） leakage. A STING knockdown cell model was established by transfecting cells with small interfering RNA （siRNA）， and the knockdown efficiency was assessed by Real-time PCR and Western blot. The cell viability and apoptosis following gene knockdown were assessed through the CCK-8 assay and flow cytometry. In the animal experiments， an allogeneic xenograft mouse model was established with Lewis lung cancer cells. Mice were randomized into a control group， a model group， a cisplatin group， a low-dose PQS （PQS-Low， 90 mg·kg^-1） group， a high-dose PQS （PQS-High， 180 mg·kg^-1） group， a low-dose PQS combined with GFIR （PQS-Low+GFIR， 90 mg·kg^-1） group， and a high-dose PQS combined with GFIR （PQS-High+GFIR， 180 mg·kg^-1） group. Treatment lasted for 14 days， and the fluorescence intensity was monitored at the tumor site by small-animal in vivo imaging during the treatment period. Flow cytometry was utilized to determine the proportions of T-lymphocyte subsets， B-lymphocyte levels， and peripheral blood NK cell levels in the spleens of mice. Immunohistochemical （IHC） staining was performed to assess the infiltration of CD3⁺， CD4⁺， and CD8⁺ T-lymphocytes in the tumor tissue. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was conducted to measure the levels of interferon-α （IFN-α）， interferon-β （IFN-β）， tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， and interleukin-6 （IL-6） in mouse tumors. The mRNA levels of cGAS， STING， TANK-binding kinase 1 （TBK1）， interferon regulatory factor 3 （IRF3）， interferon beta 1 （IFNB1）， and nuclear factor κB p65 （NF-κB p65） were determined by Real-time PCR. The protein levels of cGAS， STING， p-STING， TBK1， p-TBK1， IRF3， p-IRF3， NF-κB p65， and p-NF-κB p65 were quantified via Western blot. ResultsThe cell experiment results showed that compared with the control group， PQS inhibited the viability and migration of A549 cells， promoted apoptosis， affected mitochondrial localization， reduced mitochondrial membrane potential， increased the ROS level， and promoted mtDNA leakage. Following STING knockdown， the reductions in cell viability and the apoptosis-inducing effects caused by PQS were partially reversed （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the PQS group， the PQS+GFIR group showed inhibited A549 cell migration and colony formation， exacerbated apoptosis， downregulated mitochondrial membrane potential， elevated ROS levels， and promoted mtDNA leakage. After STING knockdown， the reduced A549 cell viability and abnormal apoptosis phenotype were further reversed （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The animal experiment results showed that compared with the control group， the model group mice exhibited reduced proportions of T-lymphocyte subsets， CD19⁺ B-lymphocyte levels， and peripheral blood NK1.1⁺ cell levels in the spleen （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the PQS group showed increased immune cell parameters in mice （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the PQS group， the PQS+GFIR group exhibited enhanced levels of the aforementioned indicators （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the PQS group showed significantly reduced fluorescence intensity in transplanted tumors， significantly upregulated expression of CD3 and CD4 in the tumor tissue， elevated levels of IFN-α and IL-6 in tumors， and upregulated mRNA levels of cGAS， STING， TBK1， IRF3， IFNB1， and NF-κB p65 as well as upregulated protein level of cGAS and phosphorylation level of STING in tumors （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the PQS group， the PQS+GFIR group demonstrated further reduced tumor fluorescence intensity， elevated levels of CD3， CD4， and CD8 as well as cytokine levels in tumor tissue， and upregulated mRNA levels of genes related to the cGAS/STING pathway as well as upregulated protein level of cGAS and phosphorylation levels of STING， TBK1， IRF3， and NF-κB p65 （P<0.05， P<0.01） ConclusionGFIR enhances the inhibitory effect of PQS on NSCLC， potentially through mitochondrial dysfunction， mtDNA leakage， and activation of the cGAS/STING signaling pathway.