Cardiac fibrosis is characterized by an elevated amount of extracellular matrix (ECM) within the heart. However, the persistence of cardiac fibrosis ultimately diminishes contractility and precipitates cardiac dysfunction. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are emerging as important regulators of cardiac fibrosis. Here, we elucidate the functional role of a specific circular RNA CELF1 in cardiac fibrosis and delineate a novel feedback loop mechanism. Functionally, circ-CELF1 was involved in enhancing fibrosis-related markers' expression and promoting the proliferation of cardiac fibroblasts (CFs), thereby exacerbating cardiac fibrosis. Mechanistically, circ-CELF1 reduced the ubiquitination-degradation rate of BRPF3, leading to an elevation of BRPF3 protein levels. Additionally, BRPF3 acted as a modular scaffold for the recruitment of histone acetyltransferase KAT7 to facilitate the induction of H3K14 acetylation within the promoters of the Celf1 gene. Thus, the transcription of Celf1 was dramatically activated, thereby inhibiting the subsequent response of their downstream target gene Smad7 expression to promote cardiac fibrosis. Moreover, Celf1 further promoted Celf1 pre-mRNA transcription and back-splicing, thereby establishing a feedback loop for circ-CELF1 production. Consequently, a novel feedback loop involving CELF1/circ-CELF1/BRPF3/KAT7 was established, suggesting that circ-CELF1 may serve as a potential novel therapeutic target for cardiac fibrosis.

With the emergence of deep learning techniques based on convolutional neural networks, artificial intelligence (AI) has driven transformative developments in the field of medical image analysis. Recently, large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT have also started to achieve distinction in this domain. Increasing research shows the undeniable role of AI in reshaping various aspects of medical image analysis, including processes such as image enhancement, segmentation, detection in image preprocessing, and postprocessing related to medical diagnosis and prognosis in clinical settings. However, despite the significant progress in AI research, studies investigating the recent advances in AI technology in the aforementioned aspects, the changes in research hotspot trajectories, and the performance of studies in addressing key clinical challenges in this field are limited. This article provides an overview of recent advances in AI for medical image analysis and discusses the methodological profiles, advantages, disadvantages, and future trends of AI technologies.
Artificial Intelligence ; Humans ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted/methods* ; Neural Networks, Computer ; Deep Learning ; Diagnostic Imaging/methods*

Enamel demineralization, the formation of white spot lesions, is a common issue in clinical orthodontic treatment. The appearance of white spot lesions not only affects the texture and health of dental hard tissues but also impacts the health and aesthetics of teeth after orthodontic treatment. The prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of white spot lesions that occur throughout the orthodontic treatment process involve multiple dental specialties. This expert consensus will focus on providing guiding opinions on the management and prevention of white spot lesions during orthodontic treatment, advocating for proactive prevention, early detection, timely treatment, scientific follow-up, and multidisciplinary management of white spot lesions throughout the orthodontic process, thereby maintaining the dental health of patients during orthodontic treatment.
Humans ; Consensus ; Dental Caries/etiology* ; Dental Enamel/pathology* ; Tooth Demineralization/etiology* ; Tooth Remineralization

Objective:To compare the effects of high-power and conventional power atrial fibrillation ablation on intraoperative acute pulmonary vein isolation, postoperative troponin levels, and atrial fibrillation recurrence.Methods:A retrospective selection was conducted on 105 patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation admitted to the Baoding NO.1 Central Hospital from January 2017 to December 2020. According to different treatment methods, they were divided into a high-power ablation group of 52 cases and a conventional power ablation group of 53 cases. The intraoperative rate of single circle acute pulmonary vein isolation, the recovery of electrical conduction after acute pulmonary vein isolation, and the location and number of points that need to be added were compared between the two groups; At the same time, two groups were compared in terms of surgical time, ablation time, surgical radiation exposure time and radiation dose, intraoperative complications postoperative cardiac troponin levels at 12 hours, and recurrence of atrial fibrillation within 1 year after ablation.Results:The intraoperative single loop pulmonary vein isolation rate and postoperative troponin levels in the high-power atrial fibrillation ablation group were higher than those in the conventional atrial fibrillation ablation group (all P<0.05). The surgical time, ablation time, and the number of sites and points that need to be added during surgery were less than those in the conventional atrial fibrillation ablation group (all P<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of intraoperative complications and postoperative atrial fibrillation recurrence between the two groups (all P>0.05). Conclusions:High power atrial fibrillation ablation has a higher single loop acute pulmonary vein isolation rate, fewer patch sites and points, shorter surgical time, and greater ablation damage compared to conventional ablation, and the clinical efficacy of the two groups is similar after surgery.

AIM: To assess the association between the Dem, axial length/corneal radius ratio(AL/CR ratio), and the refractive status of children aged 3 to 14, compare the efficiency of Dem with AL/CR ratio in predicting myopia, and to explore a more effective method for quantitatively predicting the refractive state of children.METHODS: This cross-sectional study involved 519 children aged 3 to 14, including 519 eyes(data from the right eyes were used). All participants were out-patients at the ophthalmic clinic of Xi'an No.1 Hospital from March 2021 to December 2022. The axial length(AL), keratometry(K), Dem, and spherical equivalent refraction(SER)were recorded before ciliary paralysis, and myopia was defined when the SER ≤-0.50 D.RESULTS: There was a positive correlation between SER and Dem(r=0.88, P<0.01), and a negative correlation between SER and the AL/CR ratio(r=-0.87, P<0.01)in children aged 3-14. The optimal cutoff points for the Dem and AL/CR ratio were 20.40 D, and 3.02, respectively. Myopia could be diagnosed when the Dem ≤20.40 D or the AL/CR ratio ≥3.02. SER decreased by 0.57 D for every 1 D decrease in Dem and by 1.00 D for every 0.06 increase in the AL/CR ratio. The area under the ROC curve(AUC)for Dem(0.958)was significantly greater than that for the AL/CR ratio(0.940).CONCLUSION: There is a positive correlation between SER and Dem, and a negative correlation between SER and the AL/CR ratio in children aged 3-14. Dem is more efficient than the AL/CR ratio in myopia assessment. The eye biometrics directly provide Dem values, which is more convenient for calculating the dose-effect relationship with SER, thus making it more efficient for predicting SER in children.

OBJECTIVE To explore the phenotypic changes and possible mechanisms of lncRNA OIP5-AS1 on the proliferation, migration, apoptosis, invasion and cycle of ovarian epithelial cells IOSE80. METHODS The clinical data of patients were collected from TCGA database and GEO database. After R package analysis, the differential expression of OIP5-AS1 was visualized in the volcanic map. The correlation between survival rate and OIP5-AS1 was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier. The IOSE80 cell model of OIP5-AS1 over expression and silencing was constructed with lentivirus vector. The expression of OIP5-AS1 was verified by RT-qPCR. Cell proliferation was detected by CCK-8. Invasion was detected by Transwell. Cell migration was detected by scratch test. Cell cycle and apoptosis were detected by flow cytometry. Western blotting was used to detect the expression of E-cadherin and N-cadherin, as well as the expression of cyclin-dependent kinase(CDK) and cyclin-G-related kinase(GAK). RESULTS RT-qPCR results showed that IOSE80 cell lines over expressing and silencing OIP5-AS1 were successfully constructed. CCK-8 results showed that overexpressing OIP5-AS1 promoted the proliferation of IOSE80 cells. Scratch test results showed that overexpressing OIP5-AS1 promoted the migration of IOSE80 cells. Transwell results showed that overexpressing OIP5-AS1 would increase the invasiveness of IOSE80 cells. Flow cytometry results showed that overexpression of OIP5-AS1 weakened the apoptosis of IOSE80 cells and promoted the progress of cell cycle. Western blotting results showed that overexpression of OIP5-AS1 downregulated the expression of E-cadherin and upregulated the expression of N-cadherin, while overexpression of OIP5-AS1 increased the expression of CDK and GAK proteins. CONCLUSION LncRNA OIP5-AS1 further interferes with the regulation of IOSE80 cell cycle by up regulating the expression of CDK and GAK, and then indirectly regulates the malignant phenotype of ovarian epithelial cells.

Objective: To find a viable alternative to reduce the number of doses required for the patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and to improve efficacy and patient compliance. Methods: In this study, we used ginger oil, a phytochemical with potential therapeutic properties, to prepare ginger oil patches. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to quantify the main active component of ginger oil, 6-gingerol. Transdermal absorption experiments were conducted to optimize the various pressure-sensitive adhesives and permeation enhancers, including their type and concentration. Subsequently, the ginger oil patches were optimized and subjected to content determination and property evaluations. A PTSD mouse model was established using the foot-shock method. The therapeutic effect of ginger oil patches on PTSD was assessed through pathological sections, behavioral tests, and the evaluation of biomarkers such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and melatonin (MT). Results: The results demonstrated that ginger oil patches exerted therapeutic effects against PTSD by inhibiting inflammatory responses and modulating MT and BDNF levels. Pharmacokinetic experiments revealed that ginger oil patches maintained a stable blood drug concentration for at least one day, addressing the rapid metabolism drawback of 6-gingerol and enhancing its therapeutic efficacy. Conclusions Ginger oil can be prepared as a transdermal drug patch that meets these requirements, and the bioavailability of the prepared patch is better than that of oral administration. It can improve PTSD with good patient compliance and ease of administration. Therefore, it is a promising therapeutic formulation for the treatment of PTSD.

Objective:To study the longitudinal trends and spatial clustering characteristics of healthcare service efficiency in China and in North,Northeast,East,Central,South,Southwest,and Northwest China.Methods:The Malmquist index model is used to measure China's healthcare service efficiency from 2012 to 2021,the Dagum Gini coefficient as well as the decomposition method are used to measure the magnitude and source of regional gaps in healthcare service efficiency,and the Kernel density estimation is used to study the longitudinal trend of change and spatial agglomeration characteristics of China's healthcare service efficiency.Results:China's overall healthcare service efficiency is growing,and the inter-regional gap is gradually narrowing,characterized by a concentration trend;the gap in the level of healthcare service efficiency between regions did not widen during the period under examination,but it was found that the gap within some regions was still significant.Conclusion:The national health service efficiency is growing slightly,and the regional gap is generally decreasing,but the Gini coefficient shows that the inter-regional contribution is still the main source of the gap.National health service efficiency is generally concentrated,but some regions are less efficient,with significant internal disparities.

Objective:To study the longitudinal trends and spatial clustering characteristics of healthcare service efficiency in China and in North,Northeast,East,Central,South,Southwest,and Northwest China.Methods:The Malmquist index model is used to measure China's healthcare service efficiency from 2012 to 2021,the Dagum Gini coefficient as well as the decomposition method are used to measure the magnitude and source of regional gaps in healthcare service efficiency,and the Kernel density estimation is used to study the longitudinal trend of change and spatial agglomeration characteristics of China's healthcare service efficiency.Results:China's overall healthcare service efficiency is growing,and the inter-regional gap is gradually narrowing,characterized by a concentration trend;the gap in the level of healthcare service efficiency between regions did not widen during the period under examination,but it was found that the gap within some regions was still significant.Conclusion:The national health service efficiency is growing slightly,and the regional gap is generally decreasing,but the Gini coefficient shows that the inter-regional contribution is still the main source of the gap.National health service efficiency is generally concentrated,but some regions are less efficient,with significant internal disparities.

Objective:To study the longitudinal trends and spatial clustering characteristics of healthcare service efficiency in China and in North,Northeast,East,Central,South,Southwest,and Northwest China.Methods:The Malmquist index model is used to measure China's healthcare service efficiency from 2012 to 2021,the Dagum Gini coefficient as well as the decomposition method are used to measure the magnitude and source of regional gaps in healthcare service efficiency,and the Kernel density estimation is used to study the longitudinal trend of change and spatial agglomeration characteristics of China's healthcare service efficiency.Results:China's overall healthcare service efficiency is growing,and the inter-regional gap is gradually narrowing,characterized by a concentration trend;the gap in the level of healthcare service efficiency between regions did not widen during the period under examination,but it was found that the gap within some regions was still significant.Conclusion:The national health service efficiency is growing slightly,and the regional gap is generally decreasing,but the Gini coefficient shows that the inter-regional contribution is still the main source of the gap.National health service efficiency is generally concentrated,but some regions are less efficient,with significant internal disparities.