In recent years, the rising prevalence of obesity and its associated metabolic syndromes has emerged as a critical global public health concern. Sustained weight loss exceeding 10% of total body weight has been shown to ameliorate obesity-related comorbidities, including type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and hepatic steatosis. Recently, the potential of brown adipose tissue (BAT) to improve metabolism has garnered significant attention. However, evidence regarding weight loss therapies that promote BAT activation remains limited in preclinical models and is even scarcer in clinical studies, partly due to the paucity of appropriate BAT assessment techniques. This review aims to explore the potential impact of various weight loss therapies on BAT, with the goal of providing novel insights and strategies for the treatment of obesity.

AIM: To investigate differences in ocular biological parameters and refractive status among children with unilateral congenital ptosis.METHODS:This was a retrospective cohort study enrolling patients with unilateral congenital ptosis in the Department of Ophthalmology, Xi'an Children's Hospital between August 2018 and March 2025, with the contralateral healthy eyes serving as the control group. All patients underwent a detailed ophthalmic examination to assess the degree of ptosis and evaluate refractive errors. Biometric measurements were performed using the IOL Master 700 biometer, including axial length(AL), central corneal thickness(CCT), anterior chamber depth(ACD), lens thickness(LT), and astigmatism(AST).RESULTS:A total of 100 eyes from 100 children(affected eye group)with unilateral congenital ptosis were enrolled, and their 100 contralateral normal eyes without ptosis were set as the control group(healthy eyes group). Among the subjects, there were 67 males(67%)and 33 females(33%), with a mean age of 6.43±2.47 y; 45 affected eyes were the right eye and 55 were the left eye. Among the 100 patients, mild, moderate, and severe ptosis accounted for 7%, 21%, and 72%, respectively. The incidence of amblyopia in patients with unilateral congenital ptosis was 32%, all of which occurred in the affected eye. Compared with the healthy eye group, K2(total)and K2(severe ptosis)in eyes with severe ptosis were significantly lower(P<0.05), indicating that the cornea in the ptotic eye was flatter. In patients with moderate ptosis, the affected eye had a significantly greater corneal thickness(CCT)compared to the healthy eye(P<0.05), indicating that the corneas of eyes with moderate ptosis were thicker. The incidence of against-the-rule and oblique astigmatism in the affected eye group(39%)was significantly higher than that in the healthy eye group(14%); there was a significant difference in the corneal astigmatism axis between the affected and healthy eye groups(P<0.01). There were no differences in refractive status or biological parameters such as AL, K1, AST, ACD, and LT between the affected and healthy eyes.CONCLUSION:Congenital ptosis can affect refractive errors, lead to oblique and against-the-rule astigmatism, increase the prevalence of amblyopia, and also result in corneal thickening and flattening. However, it has minimal effects on AL, LT, and ACD.

Bacterial extracellular vesicles (BEVs) are nanoscale, lipid bilayer-enclosed vesicles that are actively or passively released by bacteria. They carry diverse bioactive cargos, including proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids, and mediate information exchange between microbial communities and hosts. Increasing evidence indicates that BEVs play important roles in the initiation and progression of dental caries and periodontitis. In dental caries, BEVs derived from cariogenic bacteria such as Streptococcus mutans can promote biofilm formation and maturation, enhance the acidic microenvironment, and exacerbate demineralization of dental hard tissues. In periodontitis, BEVs released by key periodontal pathogens, including Porphyromonas gingivalis and Fusobacterium nucleatum, may disrupt the mucosal barrier, trigger inflammatory responses, and activate bone resorption-related pathways, thereby promoting periodontal tissue destruction. Owing to their detectability, BEVs in oral samples such as saliva, dental plaque, and gingival crevicular fluid show promise as diagnostic biomarkers and also provide new therapeutic opportunities for targeted interventions. In addition, emerging studies suggest that oral BEVs may contribute to distal inflammatory amplification through an “oral-systemic axis”; therefore, while focusing on the local pathogenic mechanisms of BEVs in dental caries and periodontitis, this review also briefly outlines their potential systemic implications as an extension. Overall, BEVs may offer novel mechanistic insights and translational directions to support precise prevention and management of dental caries and periodontitis.

Objective To evaluate the predictive value of a nomogram model developed by integrating clinical and ultrasound multiparameters for HER-2-positive breast cancer.Methods This study retrospectively enrolled 343 patients with pathologically confirmed breast cancer from three medical centers and randomly divided them into training and validation cohorts.Univariate analysis,LASSO regression,and multivariate logistic regres-sion were conducted on the training set to identify independent prognostic factors and construct a nomogram model.Bootstrap resampling with 1000 iterations was performed to evaluate the model's robustness.Model calibration was assessed using calibration curves and the Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves were generated to evaluate model discrimination,and the area under the curve(AUC)along with other performance metrics were calculated.Decision curve analysis was employed to assess the clinical utility of the model,and the validation cohort was used for external validation.Results Univariate,LASSO,and multivariate regression analyses demonstrated that age,TTP(time to peak),and the presence of a filling defect sign were independent predictors of HER-2-positive breast cancer(all P<0.05).Based on these independent predictors,a nomogram model was constructed.Bootstrap validation with 1,000 resamples indicated that the model's predictive performance was stable.The Hosmer-Lemeshow test confirmed satisfactory model calibration,while the calibration curve illustrated accurate prediction probabilities.The area under the curve(AUC)for the training set was 0.863(95%CI:0.806～0.920),and for the validation set,it was 0.846(95%CI:0.764～0.929),indicating strong discriminative and generalization capabilities.Additionally,the clinical decision curve analysis demonstrated favor-able clinical utility.Conclusion A nomogram model integrating clinical and multimodal ultrasound parameters demonstrates potential utility in predicting HER-2-positive breast cancer.

Objective To explore the effect of frequency-modulated temporal interference electrical fields stimulation(TIs)on muscle strength and neuromuscular recruitment ability.Methods Sixteen healthy adult participants completed two testing sessions,with an interval of no less than 48 hours be-tween them.The only difference between them was the intervention of real TIs versus sham stimula-tion.The stimulation targeted the left primary motor cortex.During the test,the 3-second maximal vol-untary contraction(3 s MVC)of the first dorsal interosseous(FDI)muscle and the 20-second one(20 s MVC)in the right hand were recorded.Meanwhile,the surface electromyography(sEMG)sig-nals were recorded during the 20 s MVC and analyzed using sEMG decomposition techniques.Results A significant interaction effect was observed in peak muscle force during the 3 s MVC(P<0.05).Com-pared to baseline,real TIs significantly increased peak force,whereas the sham stimulation resulted in a decrease.Moreover,a significant interaction was also found in the peak EMG amplitude during the 20 s MVC(P<0.05),with peak EMG amplitude increasing after real TIs but decreasing after sham stimulation.Conclusion Frequency-modulated TIs effectively enhances peak muscle strength dur-ing the 3 s MVC and increases motor unit synchronization firing during the 20 s MVC.Therefore,TIs has potential for improving neuromuscular performance.

Objective To analyze the risk of bias during the experimental process and the shortcomings of the research report by evaluating the methodological and reporting quality of animal experimental studies on the prevention and treatment of precancerous lesions of gastric cancer(PLGC)using TCM compounds.To provide reference for improving the quality of animal experimental research on the prevention and treatment of PLGC with TCM compounds.Methods Experimental literature about the prevention and treatment of PLGC with TCM compounds was retrieved from CNKI,Wanfang Data,VIP,CBM,PubMed,Cochrane Library,Web of science and Embase from January 1,2014 to February 23,2024.SYRCLE assessment tool and ARRIVE 2.0 guideline were used to score the included literature and calculate the"low-risk"compliance rate for each item.Results Totally 213 articles were finally included,including 189 Chinese articles and 24 English articles.The SYRCLE tool score was(12.86±1.29)points,and the"low risk"compliance rate was 32.79％.The score of the necessary items of the ARRIVE 2.0 guideline was(24.15±2.80)points,and the"low risk"compliance rate was 49.08％;the score of the recommended items was(11.28±3.40)points,and the"low risk"compliance rate was 30.27％.In the SYRCLE tool evaluation,144(67.61％)studies did not elaborate on the method of generating the allocation sequence.All studies did not describe the adequacy of allocation concealment and the blinding method in the implementation of bias.Only 51 studies(23.94％)explicitly proposed the success criteria for PLGC modeling,only 66 studies(30.96％)provided detailed information on the statistical methods used,29 studies(13.62％)provided complete ethical statements,and 22 studies(10.33％)reported conflicts of interest.Conclusion There are many problems in the methodological quality and reporting quality of animal experimental literature on the prevention and treatment of PLGC with TCM compounds published from 2014 to 2024,especially the implementation of the random blinding strategy during the experimental process,the calculation details of the sample size,and the reporting of inclusion and exclusion criteria,etc.There are many deficiencies in this aspect.It is recommended to refer to the SYRCLE evaluation tool and the ARRIVE 2.0 guideline list to design and report the research plan,thereby improving the credibility and standardization of the PLGC animal experimental research results.

Objective To conduct a multidimensional and multi-level evaluation of the comprehensive clinical value of empagliflozin in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus.Methods Based on the National Essential Medicines List(2018 Edition),dapagliflozin was selected as the control.A comprehensive clinical evaluation index system was established through literature review,focus group interviews and in-depth expert interviews,encompassing six dimensions:safety,efficacy,economy,suitability,innovation,and accessibility.The Delphi method and hierarchical direct weighting method were used to screen indicators and determine their weights.Evidence for each indicator was collected and integrated both qualitatively and quantitatively through literature research,real-world studies,and pharmacoeconomic evaluations.Experts scored the indicators based on the collected evidence,and a total score for the comprehensive clinical evaluation of empagliflozin was calculated by combining these scores with indicator weights,followed by a comparative analysis with dapagliflozin.Results A comprehensive clinical evaluation of empagliflozin in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus was successfully established,consisting of 6 primary indicators,14 secondary indicators,and 41 tertiary indicators.The overall evaluation score for empagliflozin was 90.35,and 89.47 for dapagliflozin.Conclusion The comprehensive clinical value of empagliflozin in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus is slightly higher than that of dapagliflozin.This finding can serve as a reference for rational clinical drug use and related decision-making.

Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC),as the most common type of liver cancer,poses a significant threat to global public health due to its high incidence and mortality rates.This paper delves into the etiology,pathogenesis,and syndrome differentiation of liver cancer from the perspective of"dispersing qi and fortifying the body resistance",based on the clinical experience of renowned traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)practitioner,Prof.Changquan Ling.Prof.Ling believes that the development of liver cancer is closely related to the disruption of liver qi flow,the accumulation of blood stasis over time,and the generation of toxin from long-term stagnation,accompanied by pathological changes such as imbalance of yin and yang,deficiency of the body's vital qi and accumulation of pathogenic factors,and internal blazing of cancer toxins.In terms of treatment,he emphasizes the principles of dispersing qi and fortifying the body resistance,addressing both the root cause and symptoms.This is achieved by regulating the functions of viscera,improving the stagnation of qi flow,and supplemented by methods such as clearing heat and detoxifying,and softening and dispersing hard masses,aiming to break the vicious cycle of qi stagnation,deficiency of vital qi,and pathogenic factor generation,thereby promoting the recovery from the disease.Through detailed analysis of clinical cases,this paper demonstrates Prof.Ling's unique insights and significant efficacy in treating liver cancer through"dispersing qi"to"fortify the body resistance",ultimately achieving"tumor suppression".This provides new references and perspectives for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of liver cancer in TCM.

Objective:To evaluate the perceived level of home exercise behavior in elderly patients with ovarian cancer and analyze its influencing factors, so as to promote home exercise behavior of patients and improve the quality of life.Methods:A total of 227 elderly patients with ovarian cancer from January 1, 2021 to October 1, 2023 in the First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University were selected by convenience sampling method. A cross-sectional survey was conducted by General Information Questionnaire, Exercise Benefits/Barriers Scale (EBBS), Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS), General Self-efficacy Scale (GSES) and Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI). The influencing factors on the perceived level of home exercise behavior in elderly patients with ovarian cancer were analyzed.Results:There were 227 elderly female patients with ovarian cancer, including 151 patients aged<70 years old and 76 patients aged ≥70 years old. The scores of EBBS, SSRS, GSES, BFI were (123.37±11.02), (37.68±7.44), (29.35±6.54), (5.82±2.01) points. The perception of exercise behavior was positively correlated with general self-efficacy and social support ( r=0.752, 0.901, both P<0.01), was negatively correlated with cancer-related fatigue ( r=-0.198, P<0.01). The results showed that general self-efficacy, social support, age≥70 years old, no spouse, not being informed of the benefits of exercise,fatigue due to moderate and severe cancer, duration of disease ≥12 months were the influencing factors ( t values were -4.56 - 4.46, all P<0.05). Conclusions:Elderly patients with ovarian cancer need to improve their perception level of home exercise behavior. In the formulation of home exercise behavior for elderly patients with ovarian cancer, education and cognition on the perceived benefits of home exercise behavior should be strengthened, and patients′ physical and mental status should be evaluated before exercise to actively reduce cancer-related fatigue. At the same time, the combination of family support can improve the perceived level of exercise behavior of elderly patients with ovarian cancer at home, so as to promote home exercise behavior of patients.

Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC),as the most common type of liver cancer,poses a significant threat to global public health due to its high incidence and mortality rates.This paper delves into the etiology,pathogenesis,and syndrome differentiation of liver cancer from the perspective of"dispersing qi and fortifying the body resistance",based on the clinical experience of renowned traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)practitioner,Prof.Changquan Ling.Prof.Ling believes that the development of liver cancer is closely related to the disruption of liver qi flow,the accumulation of blood stasis over time,and the generation of toxin from long-term stagnation,accompanied by pathological changes such as imbalance of yin and yang,deficiency of the body's vital qi and accumulation of pathogenic factors,and internal blazing of cancer toxins.In terms of treatment,he emphasizes the principles of dispersing qi and fortifying the body resistance,addressing both the root cause and symptoms.This is achieved by regulating the functions of viscera,improving the stagnation of qi flow,and supplemented by methods such as clearing heat and detoxifying,and softening and dispersing hard masses,aiming to break the vicious cycle of qi stagnation,deficiency of vital qi,and pathogenic factor generation,thereby promoting the recovery from the disease.Through detailed analysis of clinical cases,this paper demonstrates Prof.Ling's unique insights and significant efficacy in treating liver cancer through"dispersing qi"to"fortify the body resistance",ultimately achieving"tumor suppression".This provides new references and perspectives for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of liver cancer in TCM.