ObjectiveCleft palate (CP) is a common congenital deformity often associated with velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI), which disrupts the physiological coupling between respiration and speech. Conventional clinical assessments, such as nasometry and spirometry, provide limited static data and fail to visualize the dynamic spatiotemporal distribution of lung ventilation during phonation. This study introduces spatiotemporal electrical impedance tomography (ST-EIT) to evaluate speech-respiratory functional features in CP patients compared to normal controls (NC). The aim is to characterize multi-domain respiratory patterns and to validate an interpretable machine learning framework for providing objective, quantitative evidence for clinical assessment. MethodsSeventy-five participants were enrolled in this study, comprising 37 patients with surgically repaired CP and 38 healthy volunteers matched for age, gender, and body mass index (BMI). All subjects performed standardized sustained phonation tasks while undergoing synchronous monitoring with a 16-electrode EIT system and a pneumotachograph. A comprehensive feature engineering pipeline was developed to extract physiological parameters across 3 complementary domains. (1) Temporal domain: including inspiratory/expiratory phase duration (tPhase), time constants (Tau), and inspiratory-to-expiratory time ratios (TI/TE); (2) airflow domain: comprising mean flow, peak flow, and instantaneous flow at 25%, 50%, and 75% of tidal volume; and (3) spatial domain: quantifying global and regional tidal impedance variation (TIV), global inhomogeneity (GI), and center of ventilation (CoV). Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) classifiers were trained using 5 distinct data sources (Spirometry, Nasometry, Inspiratory-EIT, Expiratory-EIT, and fused ST-EIT). Model performance was rigorously evaluated via stratified 5-fold cross-validation, and Shapley additive explanations (SHAP) were employed to quantify global and local feature contributions. ResultsThe CP group exhibited a distinct respiratory phenotype compared to controls. In the temporal domain, CP patients showed significantly shorter inspiratory (1.60 s vs.1.85 s, P<0.001) and expiratory phase durations (2.45 s vs. 3.95 s, P<0.001), indicating a rapid, shallow breathing rhythm. In the airflow domain, while inspiratory flows were comparable, the CP group demonstrated significantly elevated mean and peak flows during the expiratory phase (P<0.001), reflecting compensatory respiratory effort. Spatially, CP patients presented significant ventilation redistribution, characterized by higher regional TIV in the right-anterior (ROI1) and left-posterior (ROI4) quadrants, but lower TIV in the left-anterior (ROI2) quadrant. In terms of diagnostic accuracy, the multi-modal ST-EIT model achieved the highest performance (AUC: 0.915±0.012, Accuracy: 0.843±0.019, F1-score: 0.872±0.017), substantially outperforming models based on spirometry (AUC: 0.721) or nasometry (AUC: 0.625) alone. Interpretability analysis revealed that spatial domain features were the most critical, contributing 53.4% to the model’s decision-making, followed by temporal (25.0%) and airflow (21.6%) features. ConclusionST-EIT successfully captures the temporal, airflow, and spatial deviations in CP speech respiration that are undetectable by conventional methods—specifically, rapid phase transitions, hyperdynamic expiratory airflow, and regional ventilation heterogeneity. This study validates ST-EIT as a robust, non-invasive, and radiation-free tool for characterizing speech-respiratory dysfunction, offering high clinical value for bedside screening, rehabilitation planning, and longitudinal monitoring of patients with cleft palate.

ObjectiveCleft palate (CP) is a common congenital deformity often associated with velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI), which disrupts the physiological coupling between respiration and speech. Conventional clinical assessments, such as nasometry and spirometry, provide limited static data and fail to visualize the dynamic spatiotemporal distribution of lung ventilation during phonation. This study introduces spatiotemporal electrical impedance tomography (ST-EIT) to evaluate speech-respiratory functional features in CP patients compared to normal controls (NC). The aim is to characterize multi-domain respiratory patterns and to validate an interpretable machine learning framework for providing objective, quantitative evidence for clinical assessment. MethodsSeventy-five participants were enrolled in this study, comprising 37 patients with surgically repaired CP and 38 healthy volunteers matched for age, gender, and body mass index (BMI). All subjects performed standardized sustained phonation tasks while undergoing synchronous monitoring with a 16-electrode EIT system and a pneumotachograph. A comprehensive feature engineering pipeline was developed to extract physiological parameters across 3 complementary domains. (1) Temporal domain: including inspiratory/expiratory phase duration (tPhase), time constants (Tau), and inspiratory-to-expiratory time ratios (TI/TE); (2) airflow domain: comprising mean flow, peak flow, and instantaneous flow at 25%, 50%, and 75% of tidal volume; and (3) spatial domain: quantifying global and regional tidal impedance variation (TIV), global inhomogeneity (GI), and center of ventilation (CoV). Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) classifiers were trained using 5 distinct data sources (Spirometry, Nasometry, Inspiratory-EIT, Expiratory-EIT, and fused ST-EIT). Model performance was rigorously evaluated via stratified 5-fold cross-validation, and Shapley additive explanations (SHAP) were employed to quantify global and local feature contributions. ResultsThe CP group exhibited a distinct respiratory phenotype compared to controls. In the temporal domain, CP patients showed significantly shorter inspiratory (1.60 s vs.1.85 s, P<0.001) and expiratory phase durations (2.45 s vs. 3.95 s, P<0.001), indicating a rapid, shallow breathing rhythm. In the airflow domain, while inspiratory flows were comparable, the CP group demonstrated significantly elevated mean and peak flows during the expiratory phase (P<0.001), reflecting compensatory respiratory effort. Spatially, CP patients presented significant ventilation redistribution, characterized by higher regional TIV in the right-anterior (ROI1) and left-posterior (ROI4) quadrants, but lower TIV in the left-anterior (ROI2) quadrant. In terms of diagnostic accuracy, the multi-modal ST-EIT model achieved the highest performance (AUC: 0.915±0.012, Accuracy: 0.843±0.019, F1-score: 0.872±0.017), substantially outperforming models based on spirometry (AUC: 0.721) or nasometry (AUC: 0.625) alone. Interpretability analysis revealed that spatial domain features were the most critical, contributing 53.4% to the model’s decision-making, followed by temporal (25.0%) and airflow (21.6%) features. ConclusionST-EIT successfully captures the temporal, airflow, and spatial deviations in CP speech respiration that are undetectable by conventional methods—specifically, rapid phase transitions, hyperdynamic expiratory airflow, and regional ventilation heterogeneity. This study validates ST-EIT as a robust, non-invasive, and radiation-free tool for characterizing speech-respiratory dysfunction, offering high clinical value for bedside screening, rehabilitation planning, and longitudinal monitoring of patients with cleft palate.

Objective This study reports on the obligatory parasitism of water mites Arrenurus sp. on Anopheles messeae at the Manzhouli Port, Inner Mongolia, China. Methods Duing July 2024, a survey on the mosquito diversity was conducted at the Manzhouli Port. Captured mosquitoes and their ectoparasites were identified to species level. Results A total of 1840 adult mosquitoes were collected, representing species from three genera: Culex(Cx. modestus, Cx. pipiens pallens), Aedes(Ae. dorsalis, Ae. flavidorsalis, Ae. flavescens), and Anopheles (An. messeae). Among all the mosqutioes specimens,3 out of 150 captured An. messeae were found to carry ectoparasitic mites, with number of 2,4,27 mites separately. Morphological and molecular identification reached the same result as water mites(Hydrachnidiae, Hydracrina). COI gene sequence showed 94% similarity with the closest species Arrenurus truncatellus. Conlusions Literature review suggests water mites are host-specific parasitism of mosquito species and herein with the first record of Arrenurus sp. parasiting on An. Messeae in the most high-latitude region globally.

Background: and Purpose Symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) following endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) is a severe complication associated with adverse functional outcomes and increased mortality rates. Currently, a reliable predictive model for sICH risk after EVT is lacking. Methods: This study used data from patients aged ≥20 years who underwent EVT for anterior circulation stroke from the nationwide Taiwan Registry of Endovascular Thrombectomy for Acute Ischemic Stroke (TREAT-AIS). A predictive model including factors associated with an increased risk of sICH after EVT was developed to differentiate between patients with and without sICH. This model was compared existing predictive models using nationwide registry data to evaluate its relative performance. Results: Of the 2,507 identified patients, 158 developed sICH after EVT. Factors such as diastolic blood pressure, Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score, platelet count, glucose level, collateral score, and successful reperfusion were associated with the risk of sICH after EVT. The TREAT-AIS score demonstrated acceptable predictive accuracy (area under the curve [AUC]=0.694), with higher scores being associated with an increased risk of sICH (odds ratio=2.01 per score increase, 95% confidence interval=1.64–2.45, P<0.001). The discriminatory capacity of the score was similar in patients with symptom onset beyond 6 hours (AUC=0.705). Compared to existing models, the TREAT-AIS score consistently exhibited superior predictive accuracy, although this difference was marginal. Conclusions The TREAT-AIS score outperformed existing models, and demonstrated an acceptable discriminatory capacity for distinguishing patients according to sICH risk levels. However, the differences between models were only marginal. Further research incorporating periprocedural and postprocedural factors is required to improve the predictive accuracy.

Background: and Purpose Symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) following endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) is a severe complication associated with adverse functional outcomes and increased mortality rates. Currently, a reliable predictive model for sICH risk after EVT is lacking. Methods: This study used data from patients aged ≥20 years who underwent EVT for anterior circulation stroke from the nationwide Taiwan Registry of Endovascular Thrombectomy for Acute Ischemic Stroke (TREAT-AIS). A predictive model including factors associated with an increased risk of sICH after EVT was developed to differentiate between patients with and without sICH. This model was compared existing predictive models using nationwide registry data to evaluate its relative performance. Results: Of the 2,507 identified patients, 158 developed sICH after EVT. Factors such as diastolic blood pressure, Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score, platelet count, glucose level, collateral score, and successful reperfusion were associated with the risk of sICH after EVT. The TREAT-AIS score demonstrated acceptable predictive accuracy (area under the curve [AUC]=0.694), with higher scores being associated with an increased risk of sICH (odds ratio=2.01 per score increase, 95% confidence interval=1.64–2.45, P<0.001). The discriminatory capacity of the score was similar in patients with symptom onset beyond 6 hours (AUC=0.705). Compared to existing models, the TREAT-AIS score consistently exhibited superior predictive accuracy, although this difference was marginal. Conclusions The TREAT-AIS score outperformed existing models, and demonstrated an acceptable discriminatory capacity for distinguishing patients according to sICH risk levels. However, the differences between models were only marginal. Further research incorporating periprocedural and postprocedural factors is required to improve the predictive accuracy.

Background: and Purpose Symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) following endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) is a severe complication associated with adverse functional outcomes and increased mortality rates. Currently, a reliable predictive model for sICH risk after EVT is lacking. Methods: This study used data from patients aged ≥20 years who underwent EVT for anterior circulation stroke from the nationwide Taiwan Registry of Endovascular Thrombectomy for Acute Ischemic Stroke (TREAT-AIS). A predictive model including factors associated with an increased risk of sICH after EVT was developed to differentiate between patients with and without sICH. This model was compared existing predictive models using nationwide registry data to evaluate its relative performance. Results: Of the 2,507 identified patients, 158 developed sICH after EVT. Factors such as diastolic blood pressure, Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score, platelet count, glucose level, collateral score, and successful reperfusion were associated with the risk of sICH after EVT. The TREAT-AIS score demonstrated acceptable predictive accuracy (area under the curve [AUC]=0.694), with higher scores being associated with an increased risk of sICH (odds ratio=2.01 per score increase, 95% confidence interval=1.64–2.45, P<0.001). The discriminatory capacity of the score was similar in patients with symptom onset beyond 6 hours (AUC=0.705). Compared to existing models, the TREAT-AIS score consistently exhibited superior predictive accuracy, although this difference was marginal. Conclusions The TREAT-AIS score outperformed existing models, and demonstrated an acceptable discriminatory capacity for distinguishing patients according to sICH risk levels. However, the differences between models were only marginal. Further research incorporating periprocedural and postprocedural factors is required to improve the predictive accuracy.

Objective:To evaluate the survival benefit of surgical treatment for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.Methods:This study is conducted based on the hepatobiliary tumor registry database. From May 2009 to December 2022,a total of 704 patients who were initially diagnosed with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and underwent liver resection were consecutively enrolled at the Hepatobiliary Center of the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University. Among them,there were 380 males and 324 females,aged ( M(IQR)) 61(15) years(range:27 to 88 years). Twenty-six (3.7%) patients received neoadjuvant therapy before surgery. The overall survival(OS) and disease-free survival(DFS) rates were estimated by life table method, and Kaplan-Meier survival curves were plotted. Log-rank test was used to compare the survival difference among tumor-node-metastasis(TNM) staging or three periods. The OS and DFS differences among lymph node groups or adjuvant treatment groups were quantified as HR with 95% CI estimated using Cox proportional-hazards model with adjustment for prognostic factors. Results:Among the 704 patients,349 cases(49.6%) underwent major hepatectomy (≥3 segments),331(47.0%) had lymph node resection during surgery,and 524 cases(74.4%) achieved R0 resection. The morbidity of Clavien-Dindo grade Ⅲ or higher complications was 16.5%(116/704),with a mortality rate of 3.0%(21/704) within 30 days post-surgery. The median OS time was 27.1 months, and the OS rates at 1-,3-,5- and 10-year were 69.1%, 42.4%,34.1% and 24.5%,respectively. The median DFS time was 10.5 months,and the corresponding DFS rates were 46.0%,25.4%,21.9% and 16.9%,respectively. According to the 8 th edition of AJCC staging system, the 5-year survival rates for ⅠA,ⅠB,Ⅱ,ⅢA,ⅢB and Ⅳ were 68.4%, 43.2%, 30.3%,32.2%,14.0% and 0,respectively. The corresponding DFS rates were 55.8%, 28.1%,13.8%,21.2%,3.3% and 0,respectively. There were no statistically significant differences of OS or DFS between stage ⅠB and Ⅱ, stage ⅠB and ⅢA, or between stage Ⅱ and ⅢA(Log-rank test:all P>0.05),while there were significant differences of OS and DFS among other stages(Log-rank test:all P<0.05). Using Cox model with adjustment for prognostic factors, there were no statistically significant differences of OS and DFS between non-lymphadenectomy group or the biopsy-N0 group and dissection-N0 group(both P>0.05). However,the overall and disease-free survival of the biopsy-N1 group or dissection-N1 group were worse than those of dissection-N0 group(both P<0.05),with overall survival being better in dissection-N1 group than biopsy-N1 group( P=0.017). Overall survival in the period from 2019 to 2022 were significantly superior to that during the periods from 2009 to 2013 and 2014 to 2018(both P<0.01). Adjusting for prognostic factors, the disease-free and overall survival of the postoperative adjuvant therapy group were significantly better than those of the observation group in the period 2019 to 2022(both P<0.01). Conclusions:Surgery remains a milestone for achieving long-term survival for patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Regional lymph node dissection is required for patients with lymph node metastasis. Adjuvant therapy can significantly reduce tumor recurrence and prolong overall survival.

Objective To investigate the effects of governor vessel pushing manipulation on behavioral outcomes in valproic acid(VPA)-induced autism spectrum disorder(ASD)rats and explore its underlying mechanisms using prefrontal RNA sequencing(RNA-Seq).Methods Nine Sprague-Dawley pregnant rats at gestational day 12.5 were divided into two groups,six received intraperitoneal VPA injection(600 mg/kg)for modeling,and three received saline.Male offspring at postnatal day 21 were evaluated using the three-chamber social test and open field test to validate the ASD model.VPA-induced male offspring were randomly assigned to the model group(n=5)or tuina group(n=5),while saline offspring formed the blank group(n=5).The blank group and model group received no intervention,while the tuina group underwent governor vessel pushing manipulation stimulation along the governor vessel using a custom device,twice a day for 14 days,totaling 28 times.Post-intervention,behavioral assessments included social index(SI)and social preference index(SPI)in the three-chamber test,total distance traveled and central zone time in the open field test,marble-burying test for stereotyped behaviors,and Nissl staining for prefrontal cortical neuron survival.RNA-Seq identified differentially expressed genes(DEGs)in the prefrontal cortex,followed by Gene Ontology(GO)and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)enrichment analyses.Real time fluorogenic quantitative PCR(RT-qPCR)validated DEGs,and Western blotting analyzed proteins in enriched pathways.Results Pre-intervention,both model and tuina groups showed reduced SI,SPI,total distance,and central zone time compared to the blank group(P<0.05),confirming successful modeling.Post-intervention,the model group exhibited lower SI,SPI,total distance,central zone time,increased marble-burying(P<0.05),and fewer Nissl bodies(P<0.01)versus the blank group.Compared to the model group,the tuina group displayed improved SI,SPI,total distance,central zone time(P<0.05),reduced marble-burying(P<0.05),and increased Nissl bodies(P<0.01).RNA-Seq revealed 213 prefrontal DEGs(181 upregulated,32 downregulated)in the tuina group.GO analysis highlighted cellular components,while KEGG identified 181 pathways,with 67 significantly enriched(P<0.05),notably the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase(PI3K)/protein kinase B(AKT)pathway.RT-qPCR confirmed decreased collagen type Ⅰ alpha 2(Col1α2),transforming growth factor-α(TGF-α),epidermal growth factor receptor 3(ErbB3),and serum/glucocorticoid regulated kinase 2(Sgk2)(P<0.05),and increased hepatic growth factor(Hgf)(P<0.01)in the model group,reversed by governor vessel pushing manipulation.Western blotting showed reduced prefrontal NRG1,ErbB3,nNOS,PI3K,AKT,p-nNOS,p-PI3K,and p-AKT in the model group(P<0.05),which were upregulated by tuina.Conclusion Governor vessel pushing manipulation ameliorates social deficits,anxiety,stereotyped behaviors,and neuronal loss in ASD rats,potentially via activation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

In the mid-20th century,internal mammary artery(IMA)ligation attracted attention for improving myocardial ischemia survival and relieving angina symptoms in animals,but was eliminated after sham-operation trials confirmed that its efficacy stemmed from a placebo effect.Recent advances in interventional techniques have led to the revival of distal IMA blockade,which has been shown to improve myocardial perfusion by modulating collateral circulation.Randomized controlled trials further showed that angina relief was significantly better in the blockade group than in the sham-operated group,especially in right coronary artery(RCA)and left anterior descending(LAD)lesions,but not in the ileocecal branch due to the lack of IMA collateral connections.Anatomy suggests that the internal mammary artery forms a natural collateral pathway to the RCA/LAD via the pericardial phrenic artery,which is the anatomic basis for its efficacy.Current technical limitations include incomplete occlusion,device-related complications,and insufficient evidence of long-term prognosis.Future studies are needed to optimize the design of occlusion devices,explore combined therapeutic strategies,and conduct controlled studies with conventional revascularization techniques.In this review,we systematically review the 100-year evolution of IMA occlusion,the paradigm shift from surgical ligation to precision intervention,analyze its anatomical and hemodynamic mechanisms,integrate evidence-based evidence and propose screening criteria for indications,and provide a new pathway for individualized treatment of high-risk patients who cannot tolerate coronary artery bypass grafting/percutaneous coronary intervention.

The development of artificial intelligence(AI)technology has provided new avenues for the public to access health information.While both domestic and international research and practical applications of health conversational AI have emerged,there remains a lack of consensus on the key issues surrounding their development.Based on a comprehensive review of domestic and international literature and multiple rounds of expert consultations,the study focuses on six issues:the definition,characteristics,application scenarios,evaluation elements,evaluation methods,as well as prospects and challenges of AI-driven health consultation systems,and develops the practice guideline for health conversational artificial intelligence.The findings aim to provide scientific reference for promoting the innovative application of AI technology in the healthcare field.