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.

As the core vehicle for preserving and transmitting traditional Chinese medicine（TCM） academic thought and clinical experience， the establishment of a robust quality evaluation system for TCM clinical case reports is a crucial component in the current standardization and modernization of TCM. Based on the practical experience of constructing the China Clinical Cases Library of Traditional Chinese Medicine by the China Association of Chinese Medicine， this study conducted a comprehensive analysis of critical challenges， including insufficient authenticity and unfocused evaluation criteria. It proposed a three-dimensional evaluation framework grounded in the structure-process-outcome logic， encompassing three dimensions of authenticity and standardization， characteristics and advantages， application and translational impact. This framework integrated 12 key evaluation indicators in a systematic manner. The model preserved the academic characteristics of TCM syndrome differentiation and treatment， while aligning with modern scientific research standards， achieving a balance between individualized TCM experience and standardized evaluation. Concurrently， this study provided theoretical foundations and methodological guidance for evaluating the quality of TCM clinical cases， contributing significantly to the inheritance of TCM knowledge， evidence-based practice， and the reform of talent evaluation mechanisms.

Ginsenoside Rg_2(GRg2) is a triterpenoid compound found in Panax notoginseng. This study explored its effects and mechanisms on diabetic retinopathy and angiogenesis. The study employed endothelial cell models induced by glucose or vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF), the chorioallantoic membrane(CAM) model, the oxygen-induced retinopathy(OIR) mouse model, and the db/db mouse model to evaluate the therapeutic effects of GRg2 on diabetic retinopathy and angiogenesis. Transwell assays and endothelial tube formation experiments were conducted to assess cell migration and tube formation, while vascular area measurements were applied to detect angiogenesis. The impact of GRg2 on the retinal structure and function of db/db mice was evaluated through retinal thickness and electroretinogram(ERG) analyses. The study investigated the mechanisms of GRg2 by analyzing the activation of Yes-associated protein(YAP) and Toll-like receptors(TLRs) pathways. The results indicated that GRg2 significantly reduced cell migration numbers and tube formation lengths in vitro. In the CAM model, GRg2 exhibited a dose-dependent decrease in the vascular area ratio. In the OIR model, GRg2 notably decreased the avascular and neovascular areas, ameliorating retinal structural disarray. In the db/db mouse model, GRg2 increased the total retinal thickness and enhanced the amplitudes of the a-wave, b-wave, and oscillatory potentials(OPs) in the ERG, improving retinal structural disarray. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that the TLR signaling pathway was significantly down-regulated following YAP knockdown, with PCR results consistent with the transcriptome sequencing findings. Concurrently, GRg2 downregulated the expression of Toll-like receptor 4(TLR4), TNF receptor-associated factor 6(TRAF6), and nuclear factor-kappaB(NF-κB) proteins in high-glucose-induced endothelial cells. Collectively, GRg2 inhibits cell migration and tube formation and significantly reduces angiogenesis in CAM and OIR models, improving retinal structure and function in db/db mice, with its pharmacological mechanism likely involving the down-regulation of YAP expression.
Animals ; Ginsenosides/pharmacology* ; Diabetic Retinopathy/physiopathology* ; Mice ; YAP-Signaling Proteins ; Humans ; Male ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Cell Movement/drug effects* ; Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing/genetics* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Neovascularization, Pathologic/metabolism* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Panax notoginseng/chemistry* ; Endothelial Cells/metabolism* ; Transcription Factors/genetics* ; Angiogenesis

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the effect of Astragalus (AST) on osteoporosis (OP) and the downstream mechanisms. METHODS: Human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs) were induced to differentiate into osteogenic cells. After transfection with relevant plasmids, cell proliferation, cell cycle progression, and apoptosis were assessed. Alizarin red staining was used to detect calcium nodules in the cells, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining was used to detect ALP activity in the cells, and quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and western blotting were used to determine RUNX2 and Osterix expression levels. An OP rat model was established using ovariectomy and micro-computed tomography scanning. Hematoxylin and eosin staining and Masson's trichrome staining were used to evaluate the pathological conditions of bone tissues, while immunohistochemistry was conducted to detect RUNX2 in bone tissues. RESULTS: AST promoted the osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs, reduced miR-181d-5p expression levels, and increased SOX11 expression levels. Restoring miR-181d-5p expression or reducing SOX11 expression levels reversed the effects of AST on the osteogenic differentiation of hBMSCs. miR-181d-5p was found to target SOX11 in hBMSCs. AST improved OP in rats, and miR-181d-5p overexpression or SOX11 inhibition reversed the therapeutic effects of AST on OP in rats. CONCLUSION AST promoted the osteogenic differentiation of hBMSCs and alleviated OP by targeting SOX11 via miR-181d-5p.
Osteogenesis/drug effects* ; Animals ; MicroRNAs/genetics* ; Mesenchymal Stem Cells/drug effects* ; Osteoporosis/drug therapy* ; Humans ; Cell Differentiation/drug effects* ; Astragalus Plant/chemistry* ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Female ; SOXC Transcription Factors/genetics* ; Plant Extracts/pharmacology* ; Cells, Cultured ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology*

Immature permanent teeth refer to those that have erupted but have not yet formed and matured in terms of shape and structure. The characteristics of their disease onset and treatment methods are different from those of ordinary permanent teeth. Children with special healthcare needs often lack the capacity to cooperate during routine dental procedures, making treatment under general anesthesia (GA) the preferred option. With social advancements, the demand for pediatric dental GA has considerably increased. This study discuss the treatment strategies for immature permanent teeth under GA, including diagnosis, therapeutic principles, key considerations, and clinical approaches for dental caries, pulpitis periapical periodontitis, etc.
Child ; Humans ; Anesthesia, General ; Dental Caries/diagnosis* ; Dentition, Permanent ; Periapical Periodontitis/therapy* ; Pulpitis/therapy*

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the accuracy of a self-developed extraoral scanning system based on four-camera stereophotogrammetric technology in the acquisition of three-dimensional positional information on dental implants and conduct a comparative study involving an intraoral scanning system. METHODS: With the use of an in vitro edentulous jaw model with implants, extraoral (experimental group) and intraoral (control group) scanning systems were employed to obtain STL (Standard Tessellation Language) datasets containing three-dimensional morphological and positional information on scan bodies. In addition, a dental model scanner was used to obtain reference data. The three-dimensional morphological, linear, and angular deviations between groups and reference data were analyzed using Geomagic Wrap 2021 software to compare trueness and precision. RESULTS: The extraoral scanning system demonstrated superior trueness in three-dimensional morphological, linear, and angular deviations compared with the intraoral scanning system, with statistically significant differences (P<0.001). The extraoral scanning system also showed a higher precision in three-dimensional morphological deviation (P<0.001). As the number of implants increased, the extraoral scanning system exhibited increased three-dimensional morphological and linear deviations (P<0.001) but maintained a stable angular deviation. The intraoral scanning system displayed significant increases in three-dimensional morphological, linear, and angular deviations with the increase in the number of implants (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS The stereophotogrammetry-based extraoral scanning system outperforms intraoral scanning system in terms of the accuracy for multi-unit implant positioning and provides a novel approach for attaining a fully digital workflow for implant rehabilitation in edentulous jaws.
Jaw, Edentulous ; Humans ; Dental Impression Technique ; Dental Implants ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional/methods* ; Photogrammetry/methods* ; Models, Dental

Objective: To compare quality control (relative purity and specific activity) and process control [plasminogen (Pg) antigen recovery and potency recovery] indexes of samples before and after adding the Q chromatography step to the full chromatography process of human Pg, thereby determining whether the addition of this step could improve Pg recovery by affinity chromatography. Methods: A Q chromatography step was added before the Pg affinity chromatography in the original Pg chromatography process. The loading solution, flow through solution and eluate of Q chromatography and Pg affinity chromatography were collected. The potency of coagulation factor Ⅱ (FⅡ), Ⅶ (FⅦ), Ⅷ (FⅧ), Ⅸ (FⅨ), and Ⅹ(FⅩ) were detected by the coagulation method, the total protein content was detected by the BCA method, and the Pg potency was detected by the chromogenic substrate method. The content of specific plasma proteins was detected by immunoturbidimetry, the potency recovery of coagulation factors was calculated, and the flow direction of coagulation factors was analyzed. The recovery of different plasma protein antigens were calculated, and the distribution of impurity proteins was analyzed. The relative purity and specific activity of Pg, antigen content, and potency recovery in the target fractions were calculated and compared with the original process indicators, so as to determine the effect of adding Q chromatography on the original process. Furthermore, the reproducibility after process modification was assessed. Results: 100% of FⅡ, FⅩ, and FⅨ, 87.81% of FⅧ, and 40.44% of FⅦ in filtered plasma were removed by Q chromatography. The residual FⅦ (53.26%) and FⅧ (13.30%) in Q flow-through fraction were completely removed by Pg affinity chromatography. In both the original process (without Q-chromatography) and the modified process (with Q-chromatography), non-target plasma proteins mainly existed in the flow-through fraction of Pg affinity chromatography. The antigen recovery of IgM, ceruloplasmin (CER), and fibronectin (FNC) in Q-chromatography flow-through fraction were reduced. In contrast, antigen recovery of other plasma proteins [IgG, IgA, Pg, albumin (AlB), alpha-1-antitrypsin (AAT), and fibrinogen (Fg)] were all >90%, which were consistent with the protein composition and proportion in the original affinity chromatography loading solution. Compared with the recovery rate of Pg antigen in the original process (74.4%), the total recovery of Pg antigen in the modified process was significantly increased (89.97%). Compared with the recovery of IgG (97.48%) and Fg (95.32%) in the Pg affinity flows-through fraction of the original process, the modified process resulted in a slight reduction in the recovery of IgG (94.60%), while the recovery of Fg was not affected (95.05%). The potency recovery rate, specific activity, and relative purity of Pg after Q chromatography were 99.3%, 0.016 U/mg, and 0.15%. These values were the same as those of Pg affinity chromatography loading solution by the original process, indicating that introduction of Q chromatography did not affect subsequent Pg affinity chromatography. Compared with the recovery of Pg antigen in three batches of the original process (66.49±1.02)%, the recovery of Pg antigen in the affinity chromatography eluent of the modified process [five batches; (77.43±4.43)%] was significantly improved. Furthermore, the potency recovery was (86.80±4.28)%, the relative purity was (81.99±1.25)%, the specific activity was (8.679±1.073)U/mg, and the process was reproducible. Conclusion: The addition of Q chromatography could improve the recovery of Pg affinity chromatography in the full chromatography process.

To evaluate the therapeutic effect of a modified Devine procedure with a subcutaneous sliding fixation method for the treatment of congenital concealed penis, we retrospectively selected 45 patients with congenital concealed penises who were admitted to General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University (Yinchuan, China) between September 2020 and November 2023. In all cases, the penis was observed to be short, and retracting the skin at the base revealed a normal penile body, which immediately returned to its original position upon release. All patients underwent the modified Devine procedure with subcutaneous sliding fixation and completed a 12-week postoperative follow-up. A statistically significant increase in penile length was observed postoperatively, with the median length increasing from 4.0 (interquartile range [IQR]: 3.5-4.8; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.9-4.4) cm to 8.0 (IQR: 7.8-8.0; 95% CI: 7.7-7.9) cm, with P < 0.001. The parents were satisfied with the outcomes, including increased penile length, improved hygiene, and enhanced esthetics. Except for mild foreskin edema in all cases, no complications (such as infections, skin necrosis, or penile retraction) were observed. The edema was resolved within 4 weeks after the operation. This study demonstrates that the modified Devine procedure utilizing the subcutaneous sliding fixation method yields excellent outcomes with minimal postoperative complications, reduced penile retraction, and high satisfaction rates among patients and their families.
Humans ; Male ; Penis/abnormalities* ; Retrospective Studies ; Urologic Surgical Procedures, Male/methods* ; Treatment Outcome ; Child ; Plastic Surgery Procedures/methods*

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the immediate effect of Kuanxiong Aerosol (KXA) on perioperative coronary microcirculation in patients with unstable angina (UA) suffering from elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). METHODS: From February 2021 to July 2023, UA inpatients who underwent PCI alone in the left anterior descending (LAD) branch were included. Random numbers were generated to divide patients into the trial group and the control group at a ratio of 1:1. The index of coronary microcirculation resistance (IMR) was measured before PCI, and the trial group was given two sprays of KXA, while the control group was not given. IMR was measured again after PCI, cardiac troponin I (cTnI) and creatine kinase isoenzyme-MB (CK-MB) were detected before and 24 h after surgery, and major cardiovascular adverse events (MACEs) were recorded for 30 days. The data statistics and analysis personnel were blinded. RESULTS: Totally 859 patients were screened, and 62 of them were involved into this study. Finally, 1 patient in the trial group failed to complete the post-PCI IMR and was excluded, 30 patients were included for data analysis, while 31 patients in the control group were enrolled in data analysis. There was no significant difference in baseline data (age, gender, risk factors, previous history, biochemical index, and drug therapy, etc.) between the two groups. In addition, differences in IMR, cTnI and CK-MB were not statistically significant between the two groups before surgery. After PCI, the IMR level of the trial group was significantly lower than that of the control group (19.56 ± 14.37 vs. 27.15 ± 15.03, P=0.048). Besides, the incidence of perioperative myocardial injury (PMI) was lower in the trial group, but the difference was not statistically significant (6.67% vs. 16.13%, P=0.425). No MACEs were reported in either group. CONCLUSIONS KXA has the potential of improving coronary microvascular dysfunction. This study provides reference for the application of KXA in UA patients undergoing elective PCI. (Registration No. ChiCTR2300069831).
Humans ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention ; Male ; Microcirculation/drug effects* ; Female ; Angina, Unstable/physiopathology* ; Pilot Projects ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Aerosols ; Troponin I/blood* ; Coronary Circulation/drug effects* ; Elective Surgical Procedures