Background With China's socio-economic development, the dietary structure of Chinese residents has gradually shifted from a traditional Eastern pattern characterized by high carbohydrate intake to a relatively high-fat Western dietary model, alongside a growing burden of chronic diseases. However, dietary changes may vary across different occupational groups. Objective To analyze the long-term trends in dietary energy and three major macronutrient intake among various occupational groups aged 18-59 years in nine provinces of China from 1989 to 2018, providing a scientific basis for developing occupation-specific dietary intervention strategies. Methods Based on 11 waves of data (1989–2018) from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS), 57458 employed individuals aged 18-59 years were selected as observation subjects after applying inclusion and exclusion criteria. Joinpoint regression was used to analyze temporal trends by calculating the annual percentage change (APC) and average annual percentage change (AAPC) with 95% confidence intervals. The analysis covered the energy supply ratio from the three major macronutrients and the proportion of the participants within the acceptable macronutrient distribution ranges (AMDR) for the total occupational population and specific occupational group. Results From 1989 to 2018, the dietary structure of the occupational population in the nine provinces gradually Westernized. The carbohydrate energy supply ratio showed a decreasing trend (AAPC=−0.77%, 95%CI: −1.00%, −0.55%, P<0.05), while the fat energy supply ratio increased (AAPC=1.42%, 95%CI: 1.07%, 1.77%, P<0.05). The protein energy supply ratio remained largely unchanged (AAPC=−0.19%, 95%CI: −0.08%, 0.46%, P>0.05), and the total energy intake declined (AAPC=−0.62%, 95%CI: −0.94%, −0.30%, P<0.05). Among the occupational groups studied, white-collar workers were the first to show characteristics of dietary Westernization. Using the AMDR as the criterion, their average fat energy supply ratio first exceeded the AMDR upper limit (30%) in 1993, and their average carbohydrate energy supply ratio first fell below the AMDR lower limit (50%) in 2006, both time points being earlier than other occupational groups. Agricultural workers lagged in this transition (their average fat energy supply ratio first reached ≥30% in 2011), but their rate of increase in the fat energy supply ratio was the fastest among all occupational groups (AAPC=1.59%, 95%CI: 0.90%, 2.30%, P<0.05; P for trend comparison between groups<0.05). The other three occupational groups (blue-collar workers, service workers, and others) generally fell between these two extremes. Taking the fat energy supply ratio as an example, their AAPCs of increase were 1.02% (95%CI: 0.73%, 1.32%, P<0.05) for blue-collar workers, 0.85% (95%CI: 0.61%, 1.09%, P<0.05) for service workers, and 0.88% (95%CI: 0.58%, 1.17%, P<0.05) for others. Conclusion From 1989 to 2018, the macronutrient structure of the occupational population aged 18-59 years in nine China provinces is gradually Westernized. The energy supply ratios of carbohydrates and proteins primarily face issues of potential inadequacy, while the fat energy supply ratio is excessively high. Furthermore, the patterns of change vary among different occupational groups. It is recommended to propose personalized dietary advice tailored to specific occupations.

With the emergence of deep learning techniques based on convolutional neural networks, artificial intelligence (AI) has driven transformative developments in the field of medical image analysis. Recently, large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT have also started to achieve distinction in this domain. Increasing research shows the undeniable role of AI in reshaping various aspects of medical image analysis, including processes such as image enhancement, segmentation, detection in image preprocessing, and postprocessing related to medical diagnosis and prognosis in clinical settings. However, despite the significant progress in AI research, studies investigating the recent advances in AI technology in the aforementioned aspects, the changes in research hotspot trajectories, and the performance of studies in addressing key clinical challenges in this field are limited. This article provides an overview of recent advances in AI for medical image analysis and discusses the methodological profiles, advantages, disadvantages, and future trends of AI technologies.
Artificial Intelligence ; Humans ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted/methods* ; Neural Networks, Computer ; Deep Learning ; Diagnostic Imaging/methods*

The manufacturing process is crucial for ensuring the safety and efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) preparations. Using advanced technologies, innovative methods, and new equipment tailored for TCM to enhance the quality control of TCM preparations in the manufacturing process helps to ensure the product quality and foster high-quality development of the TCM industry. Upon current technical requirements, such as Guideline for Studies on Pharmaceutical Changes in Marketed Traditional Chinese Medicine Preparations(Trial) and Guideline for Study on Quality Control in Manufacturing Process of Oral Traditional Chinese Medicine Preparations(Trial), this paper analyzes the characteristics and current development of quality control in the manufacturing process of TCM preparations. It also discusses the significant roles that quality control in manufacturing process plays in ensuring the quality consistency and in the evaluation and decision-making of changes in marketed TCM preparations. Furthermore, to benefit the high-quality development of the TCM industry, this paper offers recommendations for improving quality control of TCM preparations in the manufacturing process and implementing new technologies and methods.
Quality Control ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional/standards* ; Decision Making ; Humans

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of Qingda Granule (QDG) in ameliorating hypertension-induced cardiac damage and investigate the underlying mechanisms involved. METHODS: Twenty spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) were used to develope a hypertension-induced cardiac damage model. Another 10 Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats were used as normotension group. Rats were administrated intragastrically QDG [0.9 g/(kg•d)] or an equivalent volume of pure water for 8 weeks. Blood pressure, histopathological changes, cardiac function, levels of oxidative stress and inflammatory response markers were measured. Furthermore, to gain insights into the potential mechanisms underlying the protective effects of QDG against hypertension-induced cardiac injury, a network pharmacology study was conducted. Predicted results were validated by Western blot, radioimmunoassay immunohistochemistry and quantitative polymerase chain reaction, respectively. RESULTS: The administration of QDG resulted in a significant decrease in blood pressure levels in SHRs (P<0.01). Histological examinations, including hematoxylin-eosin staining and Masson trichrome staining revealed that QDG effectively attenuated hypertension-induced cardiac damage. Furthermore, echocardiography demonstrated that QDG improved hypertension-associated cardiac dysfunction. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and colorimetric method indicated that QDG significantly reduced oxidative stress and inflammatory response levels in both myocardial tissue and serum (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS Both network pharmacology and experimental investigations confirmed that QDG exerted its beneficial effects in decreasing hypertension-induced cardiac damage by regulating the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE)/angiotensin II (Ang II)/Ang II receptor type 1 axis and ACE/Ang II/Ang II receptor type 2 axis.
Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Hypertension/pathology* ; Renin-Angiotensin System/drug effects* ; Rats, Inbred SHR ; Oxidative Stress/drug effects* ; Male ; Rats, Inbred WKY ; Blood Pressure/drug effects* ; Myocardium/pathology* ; Rats ; Inflammation/pathology*

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Shexiang Tongxin Dropping Pill (STDP) in treating stable angina patients with phlegm-heat and blood-stasis syndrome by exercise duration and metabolic equivalents. METHODS: This multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial enrolled stable angina patients with phlegm-heat and blood-stasis syndrome from 22 hospitals. They were randomized 1:1 to STDP (35 mg/pill, 6 pills per day) or placebo for 56 days. The primary outcome was the exercise duration and metabolic equivalents (METs) assessed by the standard Bruce exercise treadmill test after 56 days of treatment. The secondary outcomes included the total angina symptom score, Chinese medicine (CM) symptom scores, Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ) scores, changes in ST-T on electrocardiogram and adverse events (AEs). RESULTS: This trial enrolled 309 patients, including 155 and 154 in the STDP and placebo groups, respectively. STDP significantly prolonged exercise duration with an increase of 51.0 s, compared to a decrease of 12.0 s with placebo (change rate: -11.1% vs. 3.2%, P<0.01). The increase in METs was significantly greater in the STDP group than in the placebo group (change: -0.4 vs. 0.0, change rate: -5.0% vs. 0.0%, P<0.01). The improvement of total angina symptom scores (25.0% vs. 0.0%), CM symptom scores (38.7% vs. 11.8%), reduction of nitroglycerin consumption (100.0% vs. 11.3%), and all domains of SAQ, were significantly greater with STDP than placebo (all P<0.01). The changes in Q-T intervals at 28 and 56 days from baseline were similar between the two groups (both P>0.05). Twenty-five participants (16.3%) with STDP and 16 (10.5%) with placebo experienced AEs (P=0.131), with no serious AEs observed. CONCLUSION STDP could improve exercise tolerance in patients with stable angina and phlegm-heat and blood stasis syndrome, with a favorable safety profile. (Registration No. ChiCTR-IPR-15006020).
Humans ; Double-Blind Method ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/adverse effects* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Angina, Stable/physiopathology* ; Aged ; Syndrome ; Treatment Outcome ; Placebos ; Tablets

Chronic visceral pain is a persistent and debilitating condition arising from dysfunction or sensitization of the visceral organs and their associated nervous pathways. Increasing evidence suggests that imbalances in central nervous system function play an essential role in the progression of visceral pain, but the exact mechanisms underlying the neural circuitry and molecular targets remain largely unexplored. In the present study, the ventral tegmental area (VTA) was shown to mediate visceral pain in mice. Visceral pain stimulation increased c-Fos expression and Ca²⁺ activity of glutamatergic VTA neurons, and optogenetic modulation of glutamatergic VTA neurons altered visceral pain. In particular, the upregulation of NMDA receptor 2A (NR2A) subunits within the VTA resulted in visceral pain in mice. Administration of a selective NR2A inhibitor decreased the number of visceral pain-induced c-Fos positive neurons and attenuated visceral pain. Pharmacology combined with chemogenetics further demonstrated that glutamatergic VTA neurons regulated visceral pain behaviors based on NR2A. In summary, our findings demonstrated that the upregulation of NR2A in glutamatergic VTA neurons plays a critical role in visceral pain. These insights provide a foundation for further comprehension of the neural circuits and molecular targets involved in chronic visceral pain and may pave the way for targeted therapies in chronic visceral pain.
Animals ; Male ; Visceral Pain/metabolism* ; Up-Regulation/physiology* ; Ventral Tegmental Area/metabolism* ; Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate/antagonists & inhibitors* ; Neurons/drug effects* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Mice ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos/metabolism* ; Chronic Pain/metabolism* ; Glutamic Acid/metabolism*

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the interplay between the life-course body mass index (BMI) trajectories and insulin resistance (IR) on incident diabetes. METHODS: This longitudinal cohort included 2,336 participants who had BMI repeatedly measured 3-8 times between 1989 and 2009, as well as glucose and insulin measured in 2009. BMI trajectories were identified using a latent class growth mixed model. The interplay between BMI trajectories and IR on diabetes was explored using the four-way effect decomposition method. Logistic regression and mediation models were used to estimate the interaction and mediation effects, respectively. RESULTS: Three distinct BMI trajectory groups were identified: low-stable ( n = 1,625), medium-increasing ( n = 613), and high-increasing ( n = 98). Both interaction and mediation effects of BMI trajectories and IR on incident diabetes were significant ( P < 0.05). The proportion of incident diabetes was higher in the IR-obesity than in the insulin-sensitivity (IS) obesity group (18.9% vs. 5.8%, P < 0.001). After adjusting for covariates, the odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) of the IR, IS-obesity, and IR-obesity groups vs. the normal group were 3.22 (2.05, 5.16), 2.05 (1.00, 3.97), and 7.98 (5.19, 12.62), respectively. IR mediated 10.7% of the total effect of BMI trajectories on incident diabetes ( P < 0.001). CONCLUSION We found strong interactions and weak mediation effects of IR on the relationship between life-course BMI trajectories and incident diabetes. IS-obesity is associated with a lower risk of incident diabetes than IR-obesity.
Humans ; Insulin Resistance ; Body Mass Index ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; China/epidemiology* ; Adult ; Longitudinal Studies ; Incidence ; Diabetes Mellitus/epidemiology* ; Aged ; Obesity/epidemiology* ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/epidemiology* ; East Asian People

Objective: To explore the association between school climate and suicide behavior among primary and secondary school students, so as to provide recommendations for preventing student suicide in schools. Methods: From June to July 2024, a stratified cluster random sampling method was employed to conduct a questionnaire survey on suicidal behavior and school climate among 8 722 students from 36 schools in Lüliang, Linfen, and Datong cities, Shanxi Province. The relationship between school climate and suicidal behavior was analyzed using Chi square test and binary Logistic regression, supplemented by gender heterogeneity and interaction analyses. Results: The prevalence of suicidal behavior among students in Shanxi Province was 11.1%. After adjusting for age, gender, educational stage, parents educational level, residential status, family economic condition, parents marital status and depressive symptoms, binary Logistic regression analysis revealed that peer relationships ( OR=0.72, 95%CI =0.57- 0.91 ), peer trust ( OR=0.73, 95%CI =0.58-0.92), teacher support ( OR=0.66, 95%CI =0.53-0.82), school safety ( OR=0.61, 95%CI =0.48-0.78), having more than six friends ( OR=0.64, 95%CI =0.43-0.98), and school belongingness ( OR=0.70, 95%CI =0.56-0.88) among primary and secondary school students were associated with a lower risk of suicidal behavior (all P <0.05). Students who experienced school bullying showed a higher risk of suicidal behavior ( OR=2.95, 95%CI =1.80-4.82, P <0.05). Gender specific analysis revealed that peer relationships ( OR=0.67, 95%CI =0.48-0.92), peer trust ( OR=0.66, 95%CI =0.49-0.90), and school belongingness ( OR=0.62, 95%CI =0.45-0.84) were associated with a lower risk of suicidal behavior suicide behavior in girls; teacher support ( OR=0.50, 95%CI =0.36-0.70) and having more than six friends ( OR=0.51, 95%CI =0.27- 0.96 ) were associated with a lower risk of suicidal behavior in boys, who experienced school bullying showed a higher risk of suicidal behavior ( OR=4.19, 95%CI =2.18-8.03) (all P <0.05). Interactive analysis revealed that the dual interaction between peer support and school safety could reduced the risk of suicide behavior among primary and secondary school students safety ( OR= 0.83 , 95%CI=0.70-0.99, P <0.05). Conclusions School climate is closely associated with suicidal behavior among primary and secondary school students in Shanxi Province, with gender differences present. Schools should foster a positive school environment to prevent student suicide behaviors.

Objective To explore the influence of the radiochemotherapy mode and the number of syn-chronized chemotherapy cycles on the efficacy and overall survival(OS)time of the patients with limited-stage small cell lung cancer(LS-SCLC).Methods The clinical data of 85 patients with LS-SCLC receiving the thoracic radiotherapy(TRT)in the tumor radiotherapy department of this hospital from January 2018 to De-cember 2022 were retrospectively analyzed.The patients were divided into the synchronous chemotherapy group(n=43)and non-synchronous chemotherapy group(n=42)according to different radiochemotherapy modes.The OS and progress free survival(PFS)time was compared between the two groups,and the related prognostic influencing factors of LS-SCLC were analyzed.Results The last follow-up date was November 1,2023,and the median follow-up time in all groups was 39.6 months.The median OS time of the synchronous chemotherapy group and non-synchronous chemotherapy group was 30.6 months and 18.6 months respective-ly,and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).The median OS time of 1 cycle and 2 cycles in the synchronous chemotherapy group was 25.5 months and 33.6 months,and the difference was not statisti-cally significant(P>0.05).The Cox multivariate regression analysis results showed that the age,clinical stage and prophylactic cranial irradiation(PCI)were the independent prognostic influencing factors in the pa-tients with LS-SCLC.Conclusion The number of synchronized chemotherapy cycles has no significant influ-ence on the prognosis of LS-SCLC.

Objective To investigate the postoperative efficacy of laparoscopic hiatal hernia repair(LHHR)combined with Toupet or Dor fundoplication for the treatment of esophageal hiatal hernia(HH).Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the case data of HH patients who underwent LHHR combined with Toupet(Toupet group,n=53)and Dor(Dor group,n=53)fundoplication between December 2018 and December 2022 in Department of General Surgery of Gansu Provincial Hospital.Intraoperative and postoperative recovery outcomes of both groups were observed.We analyzed and compared the incidence of dysphagia and gastroesophageal reflux disease questionnaire(GERD-Q)scores at preoperative and postoperative intervals of 1 month,6 months,and 1 year.The incidence of postoperative complications and the 1-year recurrence rate were compared between the two groups.Additionally,factors influencing postoperative dysphagia within the first month were examined.Results The differences between the two groups in operation time,intraoperative bleeding,postoperative ventilation time,postoperative extubation time and hospitalization time were not statistically significant(P>0.05).There was no significant difference in the incidence of immediate postoperative dysphagia in two groups(P>0.05).Furthermore,the differences between the two groups in the incidence of postoperative complications,such as bloating,abdominal pain and diarrhea,were not statistically significant(P>0.05).The incidence of dysphagia in Toupet group was higher than that in Dor group at 1 month postoperatively,and the difference was statistically significant(P=0.017);but the difference in the incidence of dysphagia between the two groups at 6 months and 1 year postoperatively was not statistically significant(P=0.767,1.000).The results of binary logistic regression analysis showed that both surgical procedure(OR=2.613,95%CI 1.141-5.983,P=0.023)and esophageal contractile reserve function(OR=2.921,95%CI 1.203-7.095,P=0.018)were independent risk factors for the incidence of dysphagia in patients with HH at 1 month after surgery.Compared with the preoperative period,the GERD-Q symptom scores were lower in both groups at 1 month,6 months,and 1 year postoperatively,and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05);but there was no statistically significant difference between the groups at the same time point(Fintergroup=0.334,P=0.565).The difference between the two groups in 1-year postoperative recurrence rates was not statistically significant(P>0.05).Conclusions LHHR combined with Toupet or Dor fundoplication are both safe and effective surgical procedures for the treatment of HH,with excellent reflux control,fewer complications and lower recurrence rates,but Toupet fundoplication is more likely to have postoperative short-term dysphagia than Dor fundoplication.