Background Meteorological factors are among the key extrinsic triggers for the onset and exacerbation of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases (CVD). Against the backdrop of sustained global warming, elucidating the impact of ambient temperature and atmospheric pressure on CVD, especially on pre-hospital CVD emergent events, has become imperative for evidence-based prevention and emergency preparedness. Objective To quantify the temporal trends of daily mean temperature and atmospheric pressure and their associations with pre-hospital CVD emergent events in Yantai, and to explore effect modification by demographic subgroups and geographic areas, thereby providing an empirical basis for the rational allocation of emergency medical resources. Methods Pre-hospital CVD emergency data from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2022 were selected from the Yantai 120 Emergency Medical Command System. Synchronous meteorological factors and environmental pollutant data were obtained from the websites of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Centers for Environmental Information of the United States. Time-series analysis combined with distributed lag non-linear model was used to analyze the association between daily temperature, atmospheric pressure, and pre-hospital CVD emergencies. Average annual percentage changes (AAPC) were calculated using Joinpoint (version 5.2.0.0) to reflect temporal trends. Spearman correlation analysis was employed to screen variables with low collinearity for inclusion in the multi-pollutant adjusted models. Results From 2016 to 2022, a total of 268275 pre-hospital CVD emergency cases were recorded in Yantai City, showing an increasing annual trend (AAPC=7.16%, P=0.002). Emergency volume, daily temperature, atmospheric pressure, and PM₁₀ displayed marked seasonal patterns, with summer bottoms and winter peaks for emergencies, daily temperature higher in summer and lower in winter, and the inverse for atmospheric pressure. Correlation analysis showed that both daily temperature and atmospheric pressure were positively correlated with O₃, with correlation coefficients of 0.745 and 0.723, respectively; negatively correlated with PM_2.5, with correlation coefficients of −0.246 and −0.235, respectively; and negatively correlated with PM₁₀, with correlation coefficients of −0.241 and −0.229, respectively (P < 0.05). A U-shaped correlation was revealed between daily temperature and pre-hospital CVD emergency risk. Using 24 °C as the reference, risk was elevated at both low and high daily temperatures, with the strongest cold effect at –11 ℃ (RR=1.53, 95%CI: 1.35, 1.73) and strongest heat effect at 30 ℃ (RR=1.06, 95%CI: 1.01, 1.11); cold effects were prolonged (lag0–14d) compared to heat effects. Atmospheric pressure exhibited a positive association with emergencies; using a median of 1012.2 hPa as the reference, the maximum risk occurred at 1037 hPa (RR=1.25, 95%CI: 1.03, 1.52), with a 0–5 d lag. In the subgroup analysis, the impact of low temperature was more pronounced among females (RR_{−9 ℃}=1.66), people over 60 years (RR_{−9 ℃}=1.91), and rural residents (RR_{−9 ℃}=1.76). High atmospheric pressure significantly increased the risk of pre-hospital CVD emergency among females (RR_{1035 hPa}=1.54), people under 18 years (RR_{1035 hPa}=3.62), and rural residents (RR_{1035 hPa}=1.46). The sensitivity analysis results indicated that, after excluding the impact of pandemic and the degrees of freedom for time variations, the effects of daily average temperature and atmospheric pressure on pre-hospital CVD emergency volume were consistent with the primary analysis findings. Conclusion Both non-optimal temperature and atmospheric pressure significantly increase the pre-hospital CVD emergency volume; therefore, emergency medical services should develop targeted response protocols, optimize resource allocation, and intensify public health education to mitigate the pre-hospital burden attributable to temperature and pressure fluctuations.

Erchentang is a classic formula widely used by medical practitioners throughout history. In this paper，ancient and modern literature of Erchentang were collected， and bibliometrics was employed to analyze its historic evolution，prescription meaning，herbs origin， processing method，preparation methods， and clinical application. A total of 84 pieces of data were collected， and 58 pieces of data involving 53 ancient medical Chinese books were screened， sorted， and processed. Combined with research of modern scholars，the research has found that the Erchentang originated from the Taiping Huimin Huiye Shijie Fang compiled by the Imperial Medical Bureau of the Song Dynasty. The basic information about the origin of the drugs is quite clear. Pinelliae rhizoma in the formula is the dried tuber of Pinellia ternata. Citri exocarpium rubrum is the dried mature peel of Citrus reticulata and its cultivated varieties， with the inner white membrane removed. Poria is the whitest dry sclerotia of Poria cocos； Glycyrrhizae radix et rhizoma is the dried root and rhizome of the Glycyrrhiza uralensis. The dosage is 5.70 g Pinelliae rhizome and Citri exocarpium rubrum， 3.43 g Poria， and 1.69 g Glycyrrhizae radix et rhizoma praeparata cum melle. During the decoction process， the above-mentioned herbs should be chopped， with 300 mL water， 7 g ginger in thick slices， and 2 g Mume fructus added， and it was then simmered together to 180 mL. After removing the medicinal residue， it can be taken warmly. Erchentang has the effect of drying dampness and resolving phlegm， regulating Qi and harmonizing the middle. It can be used in treating the syndrome of phlegm and dampness，as well as symptoms such as frequent cough，white phlegm，fullness in chest and diaphragm，nausea and vomiting，limb drowsiness，anorexia，dizziness，palpitations，white and greasy tongue coating， and slippery pulse. The above results provide reference for future research and development of Erchentang.

ObjectiveTo clarify whether METTL14 mediates the core role of acupuncture at Neiguan (PC6) in promoting myelination and improving behavior in young autistic rats through gene intervention technology. MethodsThe ASD model was established by intraperitoneal injection of valproic acid (VPA) in pregnant rats. Male offspring were intracerebroventricularly injected with adenovirus-packaged METTL14 shRNA (sh-METTL14) or its control (sh-NC) on postnatal day 1, with a model group set as well. Subsequently, the juvenile rats were divided into model group, acupuncture group, acupuncture+sh-NC group, and acupuncture+sh-METTL14 group. The acupuncture group received acupuncture at Neiguan (PC6) from postnatal day 7, once daily for 21 consecutive days. Neurobehavioral changes were evaluated by behavioral tests; METTL14 knockdown efficiency and the expression of METTL14, METTL3, and PTEN were detected by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western blot (WB); PTEN m⁶A levels were measured by RNA immunoprecipitation-qPCR (RIP-qPCR); myelin ultrastructure, expression of myelin basic protein (MBP) and neurofascin 155 (NF155), and dendritic spine density were observed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), immunofluorescence, qRT-PCR, and primary neuron culture. ResultsBehaviorally, knockdown of METTL14 significantly counteracted the beneficial effects of acupuncture in improving self-grooming, open field exploration, three-chamber social interaction, and Morris water maze learning and memory (P<0.05, P<0.01). Compared with the acupuncture+sh-NC group, the acupuncture+sh-METTL14 group showed significantly decreased mRNA and protein expression of hippocampal METTL14 (P<0.01), and the upregulating effects of acupuncture on METTL3 and PTEN expression were reversed (P<0.01). Meanwhile, knockdown of METTL14 significantly inhibited the acupuncture-induced increase in PTEN m⁶A levels (P<0.01). Morphologically, knockdown of METTL14 attenuated the improvement of myelin structure by acupuncture, reversed the downregulation of MBP and upregulation of NF155 induced by acupuncture, and blocked the increase in dendritic spine density (P<0.05, P<0.01). ConclusionMETTL14 is a key molecule mediating the therapeutic effect of acupuncture at Neiguan. Acupuncture at Neiguan upregulates METTL14, thereby enhancing m⁶A methylation modification of PTEN mRNA to stabilize its expression, ultimately promoting myelin development and improving behavioral symptoms in ASD juvenile rats. This preliminarily reveals the modern biological connotation of “opening Xuanfu and dredging myelin”.

ObjectiveIn traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), the foundational doctrine that the eyes reflect the essence of the internal viscera establishes ocular observation as a cornerstone of diagnostic practice. Specifically, the morphological characteristics and coloration variations of the scleral microvasculature serve as critical clinical indicators for assessing the dynamic balance of Qi and Blood, as well as the pathological status of internal organs. Historically, however, TCM eye diagnosis has relied predominantly on the subjective clinical experience and visual acuity of individual practitioners, leading to inherent challenges in standardization and reproducibility. While automated computer-aided diagnostic systems offer a promising solution, existing vessel segmentation algorithms encounter significant domain-specific bottlenecks when applied to scleral imagery. These challenges primarily stem from the highly reflective and moist nature of the ocular surface, which generates severe reflective interference. Furthermore, the inherent low contrast of fine capillary networks against complex background textures, compounded by non-uniform illumination, frequently results in high false-positive rates, misdetections, and severe vessel fragmentation. To address these critical limitations and advance the objective quantification of TCM diagnostics, this paper proposes a novel, highly robust sclera vessel segmentation framework that innovatively integrates Frangi-Sato dual-filter adaptive enhancement with pixel-level reflection detection. MethodsThe proposed methodology systematically addresses the segmentation pipeline through three synergistic stages. First, to overcome the structural limitations of single-filter approaches, a multi-scale weighted fusion strategy is meticulously designed to harness the complementary extraction capabilities of both Frangi and Sato filters. This adaptive enhancement optimally balances the preservation of main vessel trunk continuity with the heightened sensitivity required for delineating delicate, low-contrast peripheral capillaries. Second, to tackle the persistent issue of reflective highlights, a sophisticated multi-feature synergistic reflection detection module is introduced. By jointly analyzing local information entropy, gradient field variations, and intensity statistical distributions, this module achieves precise, pixel-level identification and elimination of reflective artifacts without compromising the underlying vascular structures. Finally, a dual-level adaptive thresholding strategy, featuring an innovative “core protection” mechanism, is implemented. This critical step effectively suppresses complex background noise while rigorously preserving the structural and topological integrity of the intricate vessel network, preventing the structural breaks often seen in conventional binarization methods. ResultsThe efficacy of the proposed framework was rigorously evaluated using both self-constructed clinical datasets specifically acquired for TCM research and standardized public datasets. Extensive experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method consistently outperforms state-of-the-art traditional approaches and contemporary deep learning models. Specifically, the proposed method achieves a Dice similarity coefficient of approximately 0.71 on the private clinical dataset, and secures the best performance across the majority of quantitative metrics on both datasets. Notably, the framework exhibits exceptional robustness and generalization capabilities in highly challenging scenarios characterized by intense reflective interference, low signal-to-noise ratios, and cross-domain image variations. ConclusionThis study successfully realizes the high-integrity, automated segmentation of scleral vessel networks under complex clinical imaging conditions. By overcoming the fundamental algorithmic challenges of reflection interference and micro-vessel loss, the proposed methodology provides potential support for the digitization, objective standardization, and intelligent advancement of modern TCM eye diagnosis systems.

ObjectiveTo clarify whether METTL14 mediates the core role of acupuncture at Neiguan (PC6) in promoting myelination and improving behavior in young autistic rats through gene intervention technology. MethodsThe ASD model was established by intraperitoneal injection of valproic acid (VPA) in pregnant rats. Male offspring were intracerebroventricularly injected with adenovirus-packaged METTL14 shRNA (sh-METTL14) or its control (sh-NC) on postnatal day 1, with a model group set as well. Subsequently, the juvenile rats were divided into model group, acupuncture group, acupuncture+sh-NC group, and acupuncture+sh-METTL14 group. The acupuncture group received acupuncture at Neiguan (PC6) from postnatal day 7, once daily for 21 consecutive days. Neurobehavioral changes were evaluated by behavioral tests; METTL14 knockdown efficiency and the expression of METTL14, METTL3, and PTEN were detected by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western blot (WB); PTEN m⁶A levels were measured by RNA immunoprecipitation-qPCR (RIP-qPCR); myelin ultrastructure, expression of myelin basic protein (MBP) and neurofascin 155 (NF155), and dendritic spine density were observed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), immunofluorescence, qRT-PCR, and primary neuron culture. ResultsBehaviorally, knockdown of METTL14 significantly counteracted the beneficial effects of acupuncture in improving self-grooming, open field exploration, three-chamber social interaction, and Morris water maze learning and memory (P<0.05, P<0.01). Compared with the acupuncture+sh-NC group, the acupuncture+sh-METTL14 group showed significantly decreased mRNA and protein expression of hippocampal METTL14 (P<0.01), and the upregulating effects of acupuncture on METTL3 and PTEN expression were reversed (P<0.01). Meanwhile, knockdown of METTL14 significantly inhibited the acupuncture-induced increase in PTEN m⁶A levels (P<0.01). Morphologically, knockdown of METTL14 attenuated the improvement of myelin structure by acupuncture, reversed the downregulation of MBP and upregulation of NF155 induced by acupuncture, and blocked the increase in dendritic spine density (P<0.05, P<0.01). ConclusionMETTL14 is a key molecule mediating the therapeutic effect of acupuncture at Neiguan. Acupuncture at Neiguan upregulates METTL14, thereby enhancing m⁶A methylation modification of PTEN mRNA to stabilize its expression, ultimately promoting myelin development and improving behavioral symptoms in ASD juvenile rats. This preliminarily reveals the modern biological connotation of “opening Xuanfu and dredging myelin”.

ObjectiveIn traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), the foundational doctrine that the eyes reflect the essence of the internal viscera establishes ocular observation as a cornerstone of diagnostic practice. Specifically, the morphological characteristics and coloration variations of the scleral microvasculature serve as critical clinical indicators for assessing the dynamic balance of Qi and Blood, as well as the pathological status of internal organs. Historically, however, TCM eye diagnosis has relied predominantly on the subjective clinical experience and visual acuity of individual practitioners, leading to inherent challenges in standardization and reproducibility. While automated computer-aided diagnostic systems offer a promising solution, existing vessel segmentation algorithms encounter significant domain-specific bottlenecks when applied to scleral imagery. These challenges primarily stem from the highly reflective and moist nature of the ocular surface, which generates severe reflective interference. Furthermore, the inherent low contrast of fine capillary networks against complex background textures, compounded by non-uniform illumination, frequently results in high false-positive rates, misdetections, and severe vessel fragmentation. To address these critical limitations and advance the objective quantification of TCM diagnostics, this paper proposes a novel, highly robust sclera vessel segmentation framework that innovatively integrates Frangi-Sato dual-filter adaptive enhancement with pixel-level reflection detection. MethodsThe proposed methodology systematically addresses the segmentation pipeline through three synergistic stages. First, to overcome the structural limitations of single-filter approaches, a multi-scale weighted fusion strategy is meticulously designed to harness the complementary extraction capabilities of both Frangi and Sato filters. This adaptive enhancement optimally balances the preservation of main vessel trunk continuity with the heightened sensitivity required for delineating delicate, low-contrast peripheral capillaries. Second, to tackle the persistent issue of reflective highlights, a sophisticated multi-feature synergistic reflection detection module is introduced. By jointly analyzing local information entropy, gradient field variations, and intensity statistical distributions, this module achieves precise, pixel-level identification and elimination of reflective artifacts without compromising the underlying vascular structures. Finally, a dual-level adaptive thresholding strategy, featuring an innovative “core protection” mechanism, is implemented. This critical step effectively suppresses complex background noise while rigorously preserving the structural and topological integrity of the intricate vessel network, preventing the structural breaks often seen in conventional binarization methods. ResultsThe efficacy of the proposed framework was rigorously evaluated using both self-constructed clinical datasets specifically acquired for TCM research and standardized public datasets. Extensive experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method consistently outperforms state-of-the-art traditional approaches and contemporary deep learning models. Specifically, the proposed method achieves a Dice similarity coefficient of approximately 0.71 on the private clinical dataset, and secures the best performance across the majority of quantitative metrics on both datasets. Notably, the framework exhibits exceptional robustness and generalization capabilities in highly challenging scenarios characterized by intense reflective interference, low signal-to-noise ratios, and cross-domain image variations. ConclusionThis study successfully realizes the high-integrity, automated segmentation of scleral vessel networks under complex clinical imaging conditions. By overcoming the fundamental algorithmic challenges of reflection interference and micro-vessel loss, the proposed methodology provides potential support for the digitization, objective standardization, and intelligent advancement of modern TCM eye diagnosis systems.

ObjectiveTo observe the effect of rehabilitation robot training on abdominal muscles thickness and balance ability in children with hemiplegia. MethodsFrom October, 2024 to December, 2025, 58 children with hemiplegia were admitted to Beijing Bo'ai Hospital and randomly divided into control group (n = 29) and experimental group (n = 29). Both groups received conventional rehabilitation treatment, and the experimental group received rehabilitation robot training in addition, for four weeks. The thickness of bilateral external oblique, internal oblique and transversus abdominis, Berg Balance Scale (BBS) score, the time of Timed Up and Go Test (TUGT), the center of pressure (COP) ellipse area, and self-selected walking speed (SWS) and maximum walking speed (MWS) of 10-meter walk test were compared before and after training. ResultsThree cases dropped out in each group. After training, the thickness of the external oblique, internal oblique and transverse abdominis on the hemiplegic side increased significantly in the experimental group (|t| > 7.280, P < 0.001, Cohen's d = 1.43~2.01), and was better in the experimental group than in the control group (|t| > 2.895, P < 0.01, Cohen's d = 0.80~1.60); the BBS score increased in both groups (|t| > 6.667, P < 0.001, Cohen's d = 1.30~4.06), and was better in the experimental group than in the control group (t = -2.721, P < 0.01, Cohen's d = 0.75). The time of TUGT decreased in both groups (t > 5.790, P < 0.001, Cohen's d = 1.14~2.68), and was better in the experimental group than in the control group (t = 2.290, P < 0.05, Cohen's d = 0.63). The SWS and MWS increased in both groups (|Z| > 2.910, P < 0.01, r = 0.40~0.68), and were better in the experimental group than in the control group (|Z| > 2.912, P < 0.05, r = 0.40~0.45), and the differences remained significant after correction. ConclusionRehabilitation robot training can improve the thickness of external oblique, the internal oblique and transversus abdominis muscles on the hemiplegic side in children with hemiplegia, and improve their balance and walking functions.

Objective To investigate the safety, economic benefits and psychological effects of day breast conserving surgery for breast cancer. Methods The demographic data and clinical data of breast cancer patients undergoing day (day surgery group) and ward (ward surgery group) breast conserving surgeries in West China Hospital of Sichuan University from March 2020 to June 2021 were retrospectively collected; the demographic data, clinical data, medical and related transportation costs, and preoperative and postoperative BREAST-Q scores of breast cancer patients undergoing day (day surgery group) and ward (ward surgery group) breast conserving surgery in West China Hospital of Sichuan University from June 2021 to June 2022 were prospectively collected. The safety, economic benefit, and psychological satisfaction of day surgery was analyzed. Results A total of 42 women with breast cancer were included in the retrospective study and 39 women with breast cancer were included in the prospective study. In both prospective and retrospective studies, the mean age of patients in both groups were <50 years. There were only statistical differences between the two groups in the aspects of hypertension (P=0.022), neoadjuvant chemotherapy (P=0.037) and postoperative pathological estrogen receptor (P=0.033) in the prospective study. In postoperative complications, there were no statistical differences in the surgical-related complications or anesthesia-related complications between the two groups in either the prospective study or the retrospective study (P>0.05). In terms of the overall cost, we found that the day surgery group was more economical than the ward surgery group in the prospective study (P=0.002). There were no statistical differences in postoperative psychosocical well-being, sexual well-being, satisfaction with breasts or chest condition between the two groups (P>0.05). Conclusion It is safe and reliable to carry out breast conserving surgery in day surgery center under strict management standards, which can save medical costs and will not cause great psychological burden to patients.

Objective: This study aimed to explore the correlation between balance function and core muscle activation in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), compared to healthy individuals. Methods: A total of 24 AIS patients and 25 healthy controls were recruited. The limits of stability (LOS) test were conducted to assess balance function, while surface electromyography was used to measure the activity of core muscles, including the internal oblique, external oblique, and multifidus. Diaphragm thickness was measured using ultrasound during different postural tasks. Center of pressure (COP) displacement and trunk inclination distance were also recorded during the LOS test. Results: AIS patients showed significantly greater activation of superficial core muscles, such as the internal and external oblique muscles, compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Diaphragm activation was lower in AIS patients during balance tasks (p < 0.01). Although no significant difference was observed in COP displacement between the groups, trunk inclination was significantly greater in the AIS group during certain tasks (p < 0.05). Conclusion These findings suggest distinct postural control patterns in AIS patients, highlighting the importance of targeted interventions to improve balance and core muscle function in this population.

Platelet transfusion refractoriness (PTR) is a common issue among patients with hematological diseases and tumors. This article reviews the diagnostic criteria, influencing factors, and recent prevention and management strategies for immune PTR. The diagnostic criteria typically involve post-transfusion platelet increment (PI), platelet recovery rate (PPR), and corrected count increment (CCI). Both immune and non-immune factors can lead to PTR, with immune factors mainly including HLA and HPA antibodies. Prevention and management strategies include the use of leukocyte-reduced platelets, HLA and HPA antigen-matched platelets, intravenous immunoglobulin therapy, and immunosuppressive strategies. Although various strategies have been proposed and applied in clinical practice, the prevention and management of immune PTR remain challenging. Future research needs to explore more effective individualized treatment strategies, while also considering the potential application of emerging technologies such as nanotechnology in the field of transfusion.