Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is an increasingly widespread sleep-breathing disordered disease, and is an independent risk factor for many high-risk chronic diseases such as hypertension, coronary heart disease, stroke, arrhythmias and diabetes, which is potentially fatal. The key to the prevention and treatment of OSA is early diagnosis and treatment, so the assessment and diagnostic technologies of OSA have become a research hotspot. This paper reviews the research progresses of severity assessment parameters and diagnostic technologies of OSA, and discusses their future development trends. In terms of severity assessment parameters of OSA, apnea hypopnea index (AHI), as the gold standard, together with the percentage of duration of apnea hypopnea (AH%), lowest oxygen saturation (LSpO₂), heart rate variability (HRV), oxygen desaturation index (ODI) and the emerging biomarkers, constitute a multi-dimensional evaluation system. Specifically, the AHI, which measures the frequency of sleep respiratory events per hour, does not fully reflect the patients’ overall sleep quality or the extent of their daytime functional impairments. To address this limitation, the AH%, which measures the proportion of the entire sleep cycle affected by apneas and hypopneas, deepens our understanding of the impact on sleep quality. The LSpO₂ plays a critical role in highlighting the potential severe hypoxic episodes during sleep, while the HRV offers a different perspective by analyzing the fluctuations in heart rate thereby revealing the activity of the autonomic nervous system. The ODI provides a direct and objective measure of patients’ nocturnal oxygenation stability by calculating the number of desaturation events per hour, and the biomarkers offers novel insights into the diagnosis and management of OSA, and fosters the development of more precise and tailored OSA therapeutic strategies. In terms of diagnostic techniques of OSA, the standardized questionnaire and Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS) is a simple and effective method for preliminary screening of OSA, and the polysomnography (PSG) which is based on recording multiple physiological signals stands for gold standard, but it has limitations of complex operations, high costs and inconvenience. As a convenient alternative, the home sleep apnea testing (HSAT) allows patients to monitor their sleep with simplified equipment in the comfort of their own homes, and the cardiopulmonary coupling (CPC) offers a minimal version that simply analyzes the electrocardiogram (ECG) signals. As an emerging diagnostic technology of OSA, machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) adeptly pinpoint respiratory incidents and expose delicate physiological changes, thus casting new light on the diagnostic approach to OSA. In addition, imaging examination utilizes detailed visual representations of the airway’s structure and assists in recognizing structural abnormalities that may result in obstructed airways, while sound monitoring technology records and analyzes snoring and breathing sounds to detect the condition subtly, and thus further expands our medical diagnostic toolkit. As for the future development directions, it can be predicted that interdisciplinary integrated researches, the construction of personalized diagnosis and treatment models, and the popularization of high-tech in clinical applications will become the development trends in the field of OSA evaluation and diagnosis.

Objective To analyse correlation between automatic quantification of emphysema and lung function based on artificial intelligence(AI)model algorithm by chest computed tomography(CT)in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD).Methods The clinical and imaging data of hospitalized COPD patients who received chest CT plain scan in Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province,Enze Hospital of Taizhou Enze Medical Center(Group)from December 2020 to May 2021 were retrospectively collected,patients were classified into five levels of ventilator-function decline.By using the AI model,the extent of emphysema lesions in COPD patients were calculated,low-attenuation areas below-950HU were identified and their low attenuation area percentage(LAA％)were calculated.Combined with the output results of AI model and whether each variable met the characteristics of normal distribution,Pearson correlation coefficient between percentage of measured forced expiratory volume at the end of 1 second to estimated value(FEV1％)and LAA％of each lung lobe,and the Spearman correlation coefficient between FEV1 as a percentage of forced vital capacity(FEV1/FVC)and LAA％of each lung lobe in patients with different COPD grades were calculated respectively.Results There was a negative correlation between total lung LAA％and FEV1/FVC in moderate COPD(r=-0.632,P=0.001).Total lung LAA％in very severe COPD was negatively correlated with both FEV1/FVC and FEV1％(r=-0.562,P=0.045 and r=-0.701,P=0.004).The results of lung segment analysis showed that LAA％of the left upper lung lobe was more strongly correlated with pulmonary function indicators in extremely severe COPD(r=-0.650,P=0.016 andr=-0.731,P=0.002).The correlation between left inferior lobe LAA％and FEV1/FVC was stronger correlation in patients with moderate COPD(r=-0.712,P=0.000).In smoking patients,LAA％was moderate correlated with FEV1(r=-0.534,P=0.006),and LAA％was moderate correlated with FEV1/FVC(r=-0.564,P=0.003).Conclusion AI-based emphysema quantification results have a good correlation with FEV1/FVC and FEV1％,which can provide strong support for the diagnosis and classification of COPD based on CT plain scan images.

Objective To investigate the impacts of midazolam(MDZ)on the proliferation,migration,and invasion of esophageal cancer(EC)cells by regulating the monocyte chemotactic protein-1(CCL2)-C-C chemokine receptor 2(CCR2)signaling pathway.Methods QRT-PCR method was applied to determine the expression of CCL2 and CCR2 mRNA in EC tissue,adjacent cancer tissue,human normal esophageal epithelial cell HEEC,and EC cell Eca-109.MTT assay and colony formation were applied to measure cell proliferation.Scratch test,Transwell test,and TUNEL method were applied to determine cell migration,invasion,and apoptosis,respectively.The expression of CCL2-CCR2 signaling pathway proteins was determined using Western blot method.Results Compared with adjacent cancer tissues and normal human esophageal epithelial cells(HEEC),the mRNA and protein expression levels of CCL2 and CCR2 in cancer tissues and Eca-109 cells were increased(P＜0.05).Compared with the control group,the OD450 value,colony formation number,scratch healing rate,and invasive cell count of Eca-109 cells in the MDZ-L group,MDZ-M group,and MDZ-H group decreased,while the proportion of TUNEL positive cells increased(P＜0.05).Compared with the MDZ-H group,the OD450 value,colony formation number,scratch healing rate,and number of invasive cells in the MDZ-H+GW0742 group all increased,while the proportion of TUNEL positive cells decreased(P＜0.05).Compared with the control group,protein and mRNA expressions of CCL2 and CCR2 proteins in Eca-109 cells in the MDZ-L group,MDZ-M group,and MDZ-H group decreased(P＜0.05).Compared with the MDZ-H group,the MDZ-H+GW0742 group showed an increase in the expression of CCL2 and CCR2 proteins in Eca-109 cells(P＜0.05).Conclusion MDZ can inhibit the proliferation,migration,and invasion of EC cells by inhibiting the activation of the CCL2-CCR2 signaling pathway.

The study was aimed at identifying the diversity of tick species in selected areas of Qinghai,to analyze the genetic differentiation characteristics of tick-borne spotted fever group rickettsiae(SFGR),and to provide the theoretical basis for SFGR prevention and control in the region.The 16S rRNA gene was used for molecular biological identification of 446 collected tick samples,and the infection characteristics of SFGR in tick samples were determined according to the SFGR outer membrane protein A(ompA)gene.Haplotype analysis,phylogenetic tree construction,and estimation of differentiation times for SFGR were conducted in DNASP v6,IQ-tree v2.2.0,and BEAST v2.7.4 software.The obtained 446 tick samples belonged to three categories:(1)Haemaphy-salis spp.,including Haemaphysalis qinghaiensis(n=192)and H.danieli(n=37);(2)Dermacentor spp.,including Dermacentor ever-estianus(n=121),D.nuttalli(n=55),and D.silvarum(n=36);and(3)Hyalomma marginatum(n=5).Rickettsia raoultii was de-tected in D.everestianus,D.silvarum,D.nuttalli,H.qinghaiensis,and H.danieli,with infection rates of 95.9%,80.6%,69.1%,4.1%,and 2.7%,respectively.R.sibirica subsp.sibirica BJ-90 was found only in D.silvarum and D.nuttalli,with infection rates of 5.6%and 1.8%,respectively.The Candidatus R.gannanii F107 was found in H.danieli and H.qinghaiensis,with infection rates of 16.2%and 7.8%,respectively.Ca.R.hongyuanensis was detected only in H.qinghaiensis,with a prevalence of 16.3%.The prevalence of R.aeschlimannii was 20%and 2.7%in Hy.marginatum and H.danieli,respectively.Haplotype and nucleotide polymorphism analy-ses revealed 13 haplotypes in R.raoultii,with haplotype H13 as the dominant haplotype(42/192);seven haplotypes in Ca.R.ganna-nii F107,with haplotype H4 as the dominant haplotype(4/18);and three haplotypes in Ca.R.hongyuanensis,with haplotype H1 as the dominant haplotype(11/13).The phylogenetic tree indicated that the sequences of R.raoultii in selected areas of Qinghai and R.rhipicephali clustered into one branch;Ca.R.hongyuanensis and Ca.R.gannanii F107 clustered into one branch;and R.sibirica subsp.sibirica BJ-90 clustered into one branch with R.sibirica.Estimates of differentiation time revealed that the mean differentiation time for the six Rickettsia was approximately 2 000 Mya(95%CI:1 999.08-2 001.02 Mya).The tick species distributed in selected ar-eas of Qinghai are diverse,and this study provides the first report of Hy.marginatum in Qinghai Province.SFGR significantly varied in prevalence among tick species and showed high genetic diversity.

Aim To explore the protective effect of icariin on the damage of tight junctional function of Sertoli cells in naturally aging mice and the related mechanism.Methods 15-month-old C57BL/6J male mice were randomly divided into three groups:aging model group,low-dose and high-dose icariin treatment group(5 and 20 mg·kg-1).Another 1-month-old C57BL/6J male mice were considered as adult control group(n=10).The mice in adult control group and aging model group were given the vehicle(0.5％sodi-um carboxymethyl cellulose solution)by intragastric administration,while the mice in icariin-treated groups were given different concentrations of icariin,respec-tively.After continuous administration of icariin for three months,the testes and epididymis were immedi-ately removed,weighed,and the organ index was calcu-lated.Sperm viability and sperm concentration in epi-didymis were measured.The morphological changes of testes were observed by HE staining.The ultrastructur-al changes of tight junctions of Sertoli cells were ob-served by transmission electron microscopy.The ex-pression levels of tight junction-related proteins ZO-1,Occludin,and Claudin11 of testicular Sertoli cells were detected by Western blot.The expression and localiza-tion of ZO-1,Occludin,Raptor,Rictor,p-70S6K,and p-rps6 were detected by immunofluorescence.Results Compared with the aging model group,icariin signifi-cantly increased testicular weight and its index,and ep-ididymal index,improved sperm viability and increased sperm concentration in naturally aging mice.In addi-tion,icariin improved the degeneration of testicular morphology and the damage of ultrastructure of Sertoli cell tight junction with aging.Furthermore,Western blot results showed that icariin up-regulated the expres-sion of ZO-1 and Occludin,but had no significant effect on the expression of Claudin 11.Immunofluorescence assay showed that icariin up-regulated the expression of Rictor,and down-regulated the expression of p-70S6K,p-rps6 and Raptor.Conclusions Icariin improves the tight junction damage of Sertoli cells in naturally aging mice,and its mechanism may be related to restoring the balance between mTORC1 and mTORC2.

Objective:To integrate and analyze the trend of the disease burden of tracheal,bronchus,and lung cancer(TBL)attributable to secondhand smoke in China from 1990 to 2021 and to analyze future projections,aiming to provide data support for the prevention and treatment of TBL in China.Methods:Based on the global burden of disease(GBD)2021 database,TBL with ICD-10 disease classification C33,C34-C34.92 was studied.Using secondhand smoke as a risk factor,the data on TBL mortality and disability-adjusted life year(DALY)due to secondhand smoke in China from 1990 to 2021 were further age-standardized.Using Joinpoint 4.7.1 regression analysis model to calculate annual percentage change(APC)and average annual percentage change(AAPC),Hiplot software was used to plot disease burden data for different ages and genders,and R 4.3.1 software was used to construct a grey model GM(1,1)to predict the predicted value and trend of TBL disease burden attributed to secondhand smoke in China from 2022 to 2031.Results:From 1990 to 2021,the TBL mortality rate,age-standardized mortality rate,and DALY rate attributed to secondhand smoke in China increased from 1.76/100 000,2.63/100 000,and 49.43/100 000 to 4.08/100 000,2.80/100 000,and 95.57/100 000,respectively;the growth was 131.18%,6.45%,and 93.34%;the age-standardized DALY rate decreased from 65.04/100 000 to 63.32/100 000 with the reduction of 2.65%.The results of the Joinpoint regres-sion showed that the AAPC(95%CI)of mortality,age-standardized mortality rate,and DALY rate for TBL were 2.75(2.58-2.93)%,0.16(0.11-0.21)%,and 2.15(2.11-2.18)%,respectively,with an overall increasing trend;the AAPC(95%CI)of age-standardized DALY rate was-0.14(-0.40-0.12)%,with an overall fluctuating and unchanged trend and it was higher in males than in females.In both 1990 and 2021,the TBL mortality rate attributable to secondhand smoke in China gradually increased with age,and the DALY rate first increased and then slowed down with age.The main groups of the burden of disease were the elderly and males.The grey prediction model GM(1,1)showed that the age-standardized mortality rate of TBL attributable to secondhand smoke from 2022 to 2031 showed a slow increasing trend,and the predicted value in 2031 would increase to 2.95/100 000.The age-standardized DALY showed a slow decreasing trend,and the predicted value in 2031 would decrease to 63.83/100 000.Conclusions:From 1990 to 2021,the TBL mortality,age-standardized mortality,and DALY rates attributable to secondhand smoke in China increased,and the age-standardized DALY rate decreased.Men and the elderly are the main groups affected by TBL.Appropriate measures should be formulated to reduce exposure to and contact with secondhand smoke,tak-ing into account gender and age differences.Additionally,efforts should be made to strengthen secondhand smoke prevention and public health education.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD), chronic kidney disease (CKD), and metabolic disorders are the 3 major chronic diseases threatening human health, which are closely related and often coexist, significantly increasing the difficulty of disease management. In response, the American Heart Association (AHA) proposed a novel disease concept of “cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) syndrome” in October 2023, which has triggered widespread concern about the co-treatment of heart and kidney diseases and the prevention and treatment of metabolic disorders around the world. This review posits that effectively managing CKM syndrome requires a new and multidimensional paradigm for diagnosis and risk prediction that integrates biological insights, advanced technology and social determinants of health (SDoH). We argue that the core pathological driver is a “metabolic toxic environment”, fueled by adipose tissue dysfunction and characterized by a vicious cycle of systemic inflammation and oxidative stress, which forms a common pathway to multi-organ injury. The at-risk population is defined not only by biological characteristics but also significantly impacted by adverse SDoH, which can elevate the risk of advanced CKM by a factor of 1.18 to 3.50, underscoring the critical need for equity in screening and care strategies. This review systematically charts the progression of diagnostic technologies. In diagnostics, we highlight a crucial shift from single-marker assessments to comprehensive multi-marker panels. The synergistic application of traditional biomarkers like NT-proBNP (reflecting cardiac stress) and UACR (indicating kidney damage) with emerging indicators such as systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) and Klotho protein facilitates a holistic evaluation of multi-organ health. Furthermore, this paper explores the pivotal role of non-invasive monitoring technologies in detecting subclinical disease. Techniques like multi-wavelength photoplethysmography (PPG) and impedance cardiography (ICG) provide a real-time window into microcirculatory and hemodynamic status, enabling the identification of early, often asymptomatic, functional abnormalities that precede overt organ failure. In imaging, progress is marked by a move towards precise, quantitative evaluation, exemplified by artificial intelligence-powered quantitative computed tomography (AI-QCT). By integrating AI-QCT with clinical risk factors, the predictive accuracy for cardiovascular events within 6 months significantly improves, with the area under the curve (AUC) increasing from 0.637 to 0.688, demonstrating its potential for reclassifying risk in CKM stage 3. In the domain of risk prediction, we trace the evolution from traditional statistical tools to next-generation models. The new PREVENT equation represents a major advancement by incorporating key kidney function markers (eGFR, UACR), which can enhance the detection rate of CKD in primary care by 20%-30%. However, we contend that the future lies in dynamic, machine learning-based models. Algorithms such as XGBoost have achieved an AUC of 0.82 for predicting 365-day cardiovascular events, while deep learning models like KFDeep have demonstrated exceptional performance in predicting kidney failure risk with an AUC of 0.946. Unlike static calculators, these AI-driven tools can process complex, multimodal data and continuously update risk profiles, paving the way for truly personalized and proactive medicine. In conclusion, this review advocates for a paradigm shift toward a holistic and technologically advanced framework for CKM management. Future efforts must focus on the deep integration of multimodal data, the development of novel AI-driven biomarkers, the implementation of refined SDoH-informed interventions, and the promotion of interdisciplinary collaboration to construct an efficient, equitable, and effective system for CKM screening and intervention.

Objective To improve and refine the relevant regulations and guiding principles of warnings on drug instructions and labels in China.Methods This paper sorted out the drug instructions of small molecule anti-tumor drugs listed by the U.S.Food and Drug Administration(FDA)from 2005 to 2022,included the drugs mentioned in the QT interval prolongation risk,analyzed the clinical research and QT research results,and sorted out the identification and warning rules of the instructions.Results A total of 35 drugs were included,4 drugs wrote the risk of QT interval prolongation in the black box warning,21 drugs were wrote in the warning and precautions position,6 drugs were wrote in the adverse reaction section,and 2 drugs were only described under clinical pharmacology section.According to the severity of the QT interval prolongation caused by the drug and whether there were serious clinical consequences,they were displayed in the warnings(black box warnings),precautions(warnings and precautions)and adverse reactions in the instructions.Conclusion The aim of this article is to provide a reference for the writing of QT risk warning information of the instructions of domestic drug production enterprises and regulatory departments.It is recommended to clarify the severity of drug safety and the location of the instructions in clinical research,and continue to carry out safety monitoring and update the instructions in time after listing.

Following the release of the Technical Requirements on Quality Control and Standard Establishment of Traditional Chinese Medicine Formula Granules by the National Medical Products Administration in 2021, Chinese Pharmacopoeia Commission has promulgated 296 national drug standards so far, and most provinces have started the work of establishing provincial standards as supplements. The promulgation of standards fostered high-quality development of the industry. Since the implementation of national and provincial standards for more than three years, enterprises have gained deep understanding and hands-on experiences on the characteristics, technical requirements, production process, and quality control of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) formula granules. Meanwhile, challenges have emerged restricting the high-quality development of this industry, including how to formulate quality control strategies for medicinal materials and decoction pieces, how to reduce manufacturing costs, and how to improve the pass rate and product stability under high standards. Based on the work experiences from standard management and process research, this article analyzed the distribution of sources, processing methods, dry extract rate ranges, process requirements for volatile oil-containing decoction pieces, control measures of safety indices, characteristics and trends of setting characteristic chromatograms or fingerprints, characteristics and trends of setting content ranges, and main differences between national standards and provincial standards. On the one hand, this article aims to present main characteristics for deeply understanding different indicators in standards and provide basic ideas for establishing quality and process control systems. On the other hand, from the perspective of industrial practice, suggestions are put forward on the important aspects that need to be focused on in the quality and process control of TCM formula granules.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Quality Control ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional/standards* ; China ; Drug Industry/standards*

The differences in chemical quality characteristics between Xinjiang Rehmannia glutinosa and R. glutinosa were analyzed to provide a theoretical basis for the introduction and quality control of R. glutinosa. In this study, the high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC) fingerprints of 6 batches of Xinjiang R. glutinosa and 10 batches of R. glutinosa samples were established. The content of iridoid glycosides, phenylethanoid glycosides, monosaccharides, oligosaccharides, and polysaccharides in Xinjiang R. glutinosa and R. glutinosa was determined by high performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection(HPLC-DAD), high performance liquid chromatography-evaporative light scattering detection(HPLC-ELSD), and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy(UV-Vis). The determination results were analyzed with by chemical pattern recognition and entropy weight TOPSIS method. The results showed that there were 19 common peaks in the HPLC fingerprints of the 16 batches of R. glutinosa, and catalpol, aucubin, rehmannioside D, rehmannioside A, hydroxytyrosol, leonuride, salidroside, cistanoside A, and verbascoside were identified. Hierarchical cluster analysis(HCA) and principal component analysis(PCA) showed that Qinyang R. glutinosa, Mengzhou R. glutinosa, and Xinjiang R. glutinosa were grouped into three different categories, and eight common components causing the chemical quality difference between Xinjiang R. glutinosa and R. glutinosa in Mengzhou and Qinyang of Henan province were screened out by orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis(OPLS-DA). The results of content determination showed that there were glucose, sucrose, raffinose, stachyose, polysaccharides, and nine glycosides in Xinjiang R. glutinosa and R. glutinosa samples, and the content of catalpol, rehmannioside A, leonuride, cistanoside A, verbascoside, sucrose, and glucose was significantly different between Xinjiang R. glutinosa and R. glutinosa. The analysis with entropy weight TOPSIS method showed that the comprehensive quality of R. glutinosa in Mengzhou and Qinyang of Henan province was better than that of Xinjiang R. glutinosa. In conclusion, the types of main chemical components of R. glutinosa and Xinjiang R. glutinosa were the same, but their content was different. The chemical quality of R. glutinosa was better than Xinjiang R. glutinosa, and other components in R. glutinosa from two producing areas and their effects need further study.
Rehmannia/classification* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid/methods* ; Quality Control