AIM: To screen the predictors of disease progression risk in patients with diabetic macular edema(DME), establish a joint prediction model and analyze its predictive efficiency.METHODS:A retrospective selection was made of 240 patients with DME who were treated in our hospital from July 2021 to October 2024 as the research subjects. The patients were divided into a low-risk group(n=102)and a high-risk group(n=138)based on the central macular thickness(CMT)and whether the fovea was accumulated. The basic information of the patients and relevant examination data such as glycolipid metabolism indicators and liver and kidney function indicators were collected. The indicators with differences in the univariate analysis(P<0.05)were included in the multivariate analysis to screen out the independent influencing factors of disease progression in DME patients and construct a predictive model. The fitting effect of the prediction model was evaluated by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, and the prediction model was verified by sensitivity, specificity and Youden index.RESULTS: The general data of the two groups of patients are comparable, and there was no statistically significant difference in blood pressure between the two groups of patients(both P>0.05). Univariate analysis showed that the glycated hemoglobin(HbA1c), fasting blood glucose(FBG), advanced glycation end products(AGEs), total cholesterol(TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C), triglycerides(TG), serum creatinine(Scr), uric acid(UA), and cystatin C(Cys-C)at 3 and 6 mo in the high-risk group at baseline, 3 and 6 mo were higher than those in the low-risk group(all P<0.01). The baseline, 3 and 6 mo estimated glomerular filtration rate(eGFR), total bilirubin(TBIL), and 3 and 6 mo high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C)in the high-risk group were all lower than those in the low-risk group(P<0.05). Regression analysis showed that baseline HbA1c, 3 mo FBG, 3 mo AGEs, baseline LDL-C, 3 mo TG, 3 mo eGFR, baseline TBIL, and 6 mo TBIL were risk factors for disease progression in DME patients. The area under curve(AUC)of the combined prediction model was 0.909(95%CI: 0.872-0.945), with a sensitivity of 79.00% and a specificity of 94.10%.CONCLUSION: HbA1c, FBG, AGEs, LDL-C, TG, eGFR and TBIL are risk factors for the risk of disease progression in patients with DME. The combined prediction model can provide a reference for predicting the risk of disease progression in patients with DME.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical efficacy of Qihuang needle therapy for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) children with sleep disorder. METHODS: A total of 60 ASD children with sleep disorder were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, 30 cases in each group. Both groups were treated with structured education intervention, 60 min each time, once a day, 6 times a week. Qihuang needle therapy was applied at Yintang (GV24⁺), Baihui (GV20) and bilateral Jueyinshu (BL14), Xinshu (BL15) in the observation group, multi-direction needling was delivered and without needle retaining. The treatment was given 2 times a week, each treatment was delivered at interval of 2 days at least. Behavioral intervention was adopted in the control group. Treatment for consecutive 12 weeks was required in both groups. Before and after treatment, the scores of children's sleep habits questionnaire (CSHQ), the autism behavior checklist (ABC), the childhood autism rating scale (CARS), and the childhood autism behavior scale (CABS) were observed in the two groups. RESULTS: After treatment, the scores of CSHQ, ABC, CARS and CABS were decreased compared with those before treatment (P<0.01), and the above scores in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION Qihuang needle therapy can effectively treat ASD with sleep disorder, improve the core symptoms of ASD and the sleep quality.
Humans ; Autism Spectrum Disorder/physiopathology* ; Male ; Female ; Child ; Sleep Wake Disorders/physiopathology* ; Child, Preschool ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Acupuncture Points ; Treatment Outcome ; Sleep ; Needles

Objective Zinc finger protein 335 (Zfp335) plays a crucial role in the early development of thymic T cells and the differentiation of peripheral T cell subpopulations. The objective of this study is to investigate the role and underlying mechanisms of Zfp335 in the regulation of regulatory T cell (Treg) within tumor immunity. Methods The Zfp335 gene was specifically knocked out in Treg using tamoxifen (Zfp335^fl/fl FOXP3^creERT2), and the MC38 tumor model was established. On the 7th day after tumor inoculation, tumor size was observed and measured. Tumor size was monitored and recorded daily starting from day 7 post-inoculation. On day 12, tumors were harvested, and the proportions of CD4⁺ T cells, CD8⁺ T cells, and Treg were analyzed by flow cytometry. Additionally, the mitochondrial function of effector regulatory T cell (eTreg) was assessed. Results From day 10 post-tumor inoculation, tumor volume in the Zfp335^CKO group was significantly reduced compared to that of the wild-type (WT) group. Furthermore, the infiltration of CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells, along with their respective effector cells, was significantly higher in the Zfp335^CKO group than in the WT group. The proportions of CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells producing interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) were also significantly increased in the Zfp335^CKO group compared to that of the WT group. In addition, the percentage of CD8⁺ T cells secreting granzyme B (GzmB) was significantly higher in the Zfp335^CKO group than that in the WT group. In contrast, the proportion of Treg and inducible T cell co-stimulator (ICOS)⁺ Treg in the Zfp335^CKO group was significantly lower than that in the WT group. Finally, the expression level of Mitotracker Deep Red in eTreg from the Zfp335^CKO group was significantly reduced compared to that in the WT group. Conclusion During tumorigenesis, the specific deletion of Zfp335 impairs Treg activation, which is related to decreased mitochondrial function in eTreg. In Zfp335^CKO mice. Tumors exhibit increased infiltration of effector T cells, accompanied by elevated levels of cytotoxic cytokines, ultimately enhancing resistance to tumor progression.
Animals ; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory/metabolism* ; Mice ; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes/immunology* ; Neoplasms/genetics* ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Mice, Knockout ; DNA-Binding Proteins/genetics* ; Female

OBJECTIVES: To clarify the role of hippocampal glutamate system in regulating HPA axis in mediating the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) at the heart meridian for improving myocardial injury in rats with acute myocardial ischemia (AMI). METHODS: Male SD rats were randomized into sham-operated group, AMI group, EA group, and L-glutamic acid+EA group (n=9). Rat models of AMI were established by left descending coronary artery ligation, and EA was applied at the "Shenmen-Tongli" segment; the rats in L-glutamic acid+EA group were subjected to microinjection of L-glutamic acid into the bilateral hippocampus prior to AMI modeling and EA treatment. Cardiac functions of the rats were evaluated using echocardiography, and ECG and heart rate variation (HRV) were analyzed using PowerLab and LabChart. Pathological changes in the myocardial tissue was examined using HE staining, and serum levels of myocardial enzymes were detected with ELISA. Myocardial expressions of TH and GAP43 were detected with immunohistochemistry, and colocalization of VGLUT1, VGLUT2 and c-fos were observed using immunofluorescence staining; the expressions of VGLUT1, VGLUT2, NMDAR1 and NMDAR2B were detected using Western blotting. RESULTS: The rat models of AMI showed significantly decreased LVEF and LVFS and increased serum levels of myocardial enzymes in positive correlation with the HPA axis. Numerous TH- and GAP43-positive cells were observed in the hippocampus, where the expressions of NE and E, neurons colabeled with VGLUT1, VGLUT2 and c-fos, and expressions of VGLUT1, VGLUT2, NMDAR1, NMDAR2B and Glu increased significantly. All these changes were significantly improved by interventions with EA as compared with those in AMI and L-Glutamate+EA groups. CONCLUSIONS In rats with AMI, EA at the heart meridian can regulate excessive glutamate release in the hippocampus, thereby inhibiting HPA axis hyperactivity and reducing sympathetic nerve activity to protect the myocardial tissue.
Animals ; Electroacupuncture ; Male ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Hippocampus/metabolism* ; Rats ; Glutamic Acid/metabolism* ; Myocardial Ischemia/physiopathology* ; Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System/physiopathology* ; Pituitary-Adrenal System/physiopathology* ; Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate/metabolism*

Objective: The objective of this study was to identify the risk factors for postoperative pathological escalation of endometrial cancer in patients with a pathologic diagnosis of endometrial intraepithelial neoplasia (EIN) before surgery. Some of the clues from the preoperative assessment were used to build a nomogram to predict the likely pathological escalation after surgery, and to explore the feasibility of sentinel lymph node biopsy in these patients with possible pathological escalation. Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of patients who underwent surgical treatment for EIN diagnosed before surgery between 2018 and 2023 in The Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University. parameters including clinical, radiological and histopathological factors were analyzed by univariate and multivariate logistic regression to determine the correlation with pathology upstaging. A nomogram based on the multivariate results was developed to predict the probability of pathology upstaging. A total of 729 patients were included, divided into training set and validation set. 484 patients were used to build the model. This nomogram was subsequently validated using 245 patients. Results: Upstaging to endometrial carcinoma occurred in 115 (23.8 percent) of 484 women treated between 2018 and 2023 in training set. A lager endometrial thickness (at least 15 mm), menopause, hypertension, HE4, and endometrial blood were significantly associated with upstaging. A nomogram developed using these factors demonstrated good predictive performance (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC)=0.6808; 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.6246–0.7369). The nomogram showed similar predictive performance in the validation data set, based on another 245 women (AUC=0.7821; 95% CI=0.7076–0.8567). Conclusion This study developed a novel nomogram based on the 5 most important factors, which can accurately predict invasive cancer. It is common for women with preoperative diagnosis of EIN to experience pathological progression to endometrial cancer. For some patients with postoperative pathological escalation, we found lymph node metastasis. This nomogram may be useful to help doctor decide whether to perform sentinel lymph node biopsy for surgical staging in these EIN patients. According to the nomogram, simultaneous sentinel lymph node biopsy in patients with high probability of postoperative pathological upgrading can provide better guidance for postoperative adjuvant treatment of endometrial cancer and avoid the occurrence of secondary surgery.

Objective: The objective of this study was to identify the risk factors for postoperative pathological escalation of endometrial cancer in patients with a pathologic diagnosis of endometrial intraepithelial neoplasia (EIN) before surgery. Some of the clues from the preoperative assessment were used to build a nomogram to predict the likely pathological escalation after surgery, and to explore the feasibility of sentinel lymph node biopsy in these patients with possible pathological escalation. Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of patients who underwent surgical treatment for EIN diagnosed before surgery between 2018 and 2023 in The Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University. parameters including clinical, radiological and histopathological factors were analyzed by univariate and multivariate logistic regression to determine the correlation with pathology upstaging. A nomogram based on the multivariate results was developed to predict the probability of pathology upstaging. A total of 729 patients were included, divided into training set and validation set. 484 patients were used to build the model. This nomogram was subsequently validated using 245 patients. Results: Upstaging to endometrial carcinoma occurred in 115 (23.8 percent) of 484 women treated between 2018 and 2023 in training set. A lager endometrial thickness (at least 15 mm), menopause, hypertension, HE4, and endometrial blood were significantly associated with upstaging. A nomogram developed using these factors demonstrated good predictive performance (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC)=0.6808; 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.6246–0.7369). The nomogram showed similar predictive performance in the validation data set, based on another 245 women (AUC=0.7821; 95% CI=0.7076–0.8567). Conclusion This study developed a novel nomogram based on the 5 most important factors, which can accurately predict invasive cancer. It is common for women with preoperative diagnosis of EIN to experience pathological progression to endometrial cancer. For some patients with postoperative pathological escalation, we found lymph node metastasis. This nomogram may be useful to help doctor decide whether to perform sentinel lymph node biopsy for surgical staging in these EIN patients. According to the nomogram, simultaneous sentinel lymph node biopsy in patients with high probability of postoperative pathological upgrading can provide better guidance for postoperative adjuvant treatment of endometrial cancer and avoid the occurrence of secondary surgery.

Objective: The objective of this study was to identify the risk factors for postoperative pathological escalation of endometrial cancer in patients with a pathologic diagnosis of endometrial intraepithelial neoplasia (EIN) before surgery. Some of the clues from the preoperative assessment were used to build a nomogram to predict the likely pathological escalation after surgery, and to explore the feasibility of sentinel lymph node biopsy in these patients with possible pathological escalation. Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of patients who underwent surgical treatment for EIN diagnosed before surgery between 2018 and 2023 in The Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University. parameters including clinical, radiological and histopathological factors were analyzed by univariate and multivariate logistic regression to determine the correlation with pathology upstaging. A nomogram based on the multivariate results was developed to predict the probability of pathology upstaging. A total of 729 patients were included, divided into training set and validation set. 484 patients were used to build the model. This nomogram was subsequently validated using 245 patients. Results: Upstaging to endometrial carcinoma occurred in 115 (23.8 percent) of 484 women treated between 2018 and 2023 in training set. A lager endometrial thickness (at least 15 mm), menopause, hypertension, HE4, and endometrial blood were significantly associated with upstaging. A nomogram developed using these factors demonstrated good predictive performance (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC)=0.6808; 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.6246–0.7369). The nomogram showed similar predictive performance in the validation data set, based on another 245 women (AUC=0.7821; 95% CI=0.7076–0.8567). Conclusion This study developed a novel nomogram based on the 5 most important factors, which can accurately predict invasive cancer. It is common for women with preoperative diagnosis of EIN to experience pathological progression to endometrial cancer. For some patients with postoperative pathological escalation, we found lymph node metastasis. This nomogram may be useful to help doctor decide whether to perform sentinel lymph node biopsy for surgical staging in these EIN patients. According to the nomogram, simultaneous sentinel lymph node biopsy in patients with high probability of postoperative pathological upgrading can provide better guidance for postoperative adjuvant treatment of endometrial cancer and avoid the occurrence of secondary surgery.

American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius L.), a widely used herbal medicine and dietary supplement, has attracted increasing attention from both academia and industry in recent years. To better understand the research frontiers and hotspots, we conducted a bibliometric analysis of American ginseng studies indexed in the Web of Science Core Collection from 1985 to 2024, using CiteSpace and VOSviewer. A total of 1169 publications were identified, with a marked increase in output since 2011. Hotspot analysis revealed growing interest in pharmacological effects, ginsenoside analysis, polysaccharide studies, and quality control. Furthermore, we assessed future research trends, suggesting that quality control and the modulation of gut microbiota will remain central topics. This study provides a clearer understanding of the evolving research landscape on American ginseng and offers guidance for future investigations.

Objective To explore how digital and intelligent technologies can optimize the storage allocation and picking paths for Traditional Chinese medicine decoction pieces.Methods Based on prescription information and medicine data from the hospital information system(HIS),this study employs MATLAB programming to use an integer linear programming(ILP)algorithm for optimizing the storage allocation of Traditional Chinese medicine decoction pieces.Additionally,a greedy algorithm is applied to optimize the picking paths to reduce the picking distance for pharmacists.Finally,an independent samples paired t-test is used to analyze the experimental data to verify the significance of the optimizations.Results A total of 7 734 prescriptions were collected from the HIS.The results of storage optimization showed that the total distance before optimization was(87.58±0.29)m,which was reduced to(85.35±0.28)m after optimization(P﹤0.000 1).The picking path optimization results showed that the picking path was(85.35±0.28)m before optimization and(40.06±0.11)m after optimization(P﹤0.000 1).The results of the independent samples paired t-test indicate that the path was significantly reduced after both storage and picking path optimizations,with statistical significance.Conclusion By using digital and intelligent methods,informatics pharmacists can effectively shorten the picking paths for Traditional Chinese medicine decoction pieces,improve dispensing efficiency,and reduce patient waiting times.

Objective To investigate the impact of the precision health management model on liver fibrosis,adipocytokines,and metabolic indicators in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver dis-ease(NAFLD).Methods A total of 600 NAFLD patients were selected as study subjects and divid-ed into conventional group and precision group according to different intervention methods,with 300 patients in each group.The conventional group received routine health management,while the preci-sion group received intervention through the precision health management model.Comparisons were made between the two groups in terms of obesity indicators[waist-to-hip ratio(WHR),body mass in-dex(BMI),body fat rate(BFR),degree of obesity],fatty liver grading,liver stiffness measure-ment(LSM),and liver fibrosis indicators[laminin(LN),type Ⅳ collagen(C Ⅳ),hyaluronic acid(HA),type Ⅲ procollagen(PC Ⅲ)],hepatic adipocytokines[nuclear factor-κB(NF-κB),adi-ponectin(APN),irisin,tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)],and lipid metabolism indicators[tri-glycerides(TG),high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C),low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C),total cholesterol(TC)]levels.Results After the intervention,the levels of WHR,BFR,BMI,degree of obesity,LSM,as well as LN,C Ⅳ,HA,PC Ⅲ,NF-κB,TNF-α,TG,LDL-C,and TC in both groups were lower than those before the intervention,and the precision group showed lower levels than the conventional group,with statistically significant differences(P＜0.05).After the intervention,the fatty liver grading in both groups was better than before intervention,and the precision group showed better fatty liver grading than the conventional group,with statistically signif-icant differences(P＜0.05).After the intervention,the levels of APN,irisin,and HDL-C in both groups were higher than those before the intervention,and the precision group showed higher levels than the conventional group,with statistically significant differences(P＜0.05).Conclusion The precision health management model can effectively improve the degree of obesity,fatty liver grading,and liver fibrosis status in NAFLD patients,reduce LSM,and regulate the levels of adipocytokines and lipid metabolism indicators,yielding significant effects.