Diabetic retinopathy （DR） is a microvascular complication of diabetes and one of its most common complications. Prolonged hyperglycemia induces oxidative stress， inflammatory responses， apoptosis， and pathological angiogenesis， ultimately disrupting the blood-retinal barrier（BRB） and leading to visual impairment or even blindness. Recent studies show that the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 （Nrf2） signaling pathway plays an important role in the development of DR's pathological changes. Meanwhile， Chinese herbal monomers have been shown to modulate the Nrf2 signaling pathway， thereby intervening in the development of DR. In terms of inhibiting oxidative stress， saponin compounds such as platycodin-D and ginsenoside Rb1 downregulate the expression of malondialdehyde （MDA）， thereby ameliorating retinal oxidative stress. Flavonoids such as total flavonoids from Pueraria lobata flower and puerarin upregulate the expression of superoxide dismutase （SOD） and glutathione peroxidase （GPx）， effectively clearing lipid peroxides. Regarding the suppression of inflammation， phenolic compounds like resveratrol and chlorogenic acid inhibit the nuclear factor kappa B （NF-κB） pathway， reducing the release of tumor necrosis factor-alpha （TNF-α） and mitigating inflammatory responses. In the context of inhibiting apoptosis， polysaccharides such as Polygonatum sibiricum polysaccharide and Angelica sinensis polysaccharide downregulate the expression of the pro-apoptotic protein Bcl-2-associated X protein （Bax） and suppress the activity of the executioner Caspase-3， thereby reducing the apoptosis rate. As for the inhibition of neovascularization， compounds including bilobalide and physcion significantly decrease the protein expression of vascular endothelial growth factor （VEGF）， leading to a reduction in retinal pathological angiogenesis. Furthermore， Chinese herbal compound prescriptions such as Tongluo Zhujing pills， Yiqi Huoxue Yangyin decoction， Qiming granules， and Danlou tablets can also intervene in the onset and progression of DR through the mechanisms described above. In summary， both Chinese herbal monomers and Chinese herbal compound prescriptions can modulate the Nrf2 signaling pathway to inhibit oxidative stress， alleviate inflammation， and participate in maintaining BRB integrity， suppressing retinal neovascularization， and preventing neurodegeneration， thereby delaying the progression of DR. Therefore， this paper reviews and summarizes recent studies at home and abroad on how traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） works to treat DR， and the relationship between the Nrf2 pathway and DR. It aims to provide research ideas for preventing and treating DR.

The Janus kinase/signal transducers and activators of transcription (JAK-STAT) control natural killer (NK) cells development and cytotoxic functions, however, whether long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in this pathway remains unknown. We found that miR155HG was elevated in activated NK cells and promoted their proliferation and effector functions in both NK92 and induced-pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs)-derived NK (iPSC-NK) cells, without reliance on its derived miR-155 and micropeptide P155. Mechanistically, miR155HG bound to miR-6756 and relieved its repression of JAK3 expression, thereby promoting the JAK-STAT pathway and enhancing NK cell proliferation and function. Further investigations disclosed that upon cytokine stimulation, STAT3 directly interacts with miR155HG promoter and induces miR155HG transcription. Collectively, we identify a miR155HG-mediated positive feedback loop of the JAK-STAT signaling. Our study will also provide a power target regarding miR155HG for improving NK cell generation and effector function in the field of NK cell adoptive transfer therapy against cancer, especially iPSC-derived NK cells.

Objective To investigatethe relationship between gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptoms and clinicopathological characteristics, p53 expression, and survival of Chinese patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma. Methods A total of 3882 patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma, 970 matched patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, and 970 matched patients with gastric cardia adenocarcinoma were included to compare the incidence of GERD symptoms. Patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma were divided into two groups according to the presence and absence of GERD symptoms. The differences in clinicopathological characteristics and p53 expression between the two groups were compared by chi-square test, and the differences in survival between the two groups were compared by landmark analysis. Results The incidence of GERD symptoms increased successively in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, esophageal adenocarcinoma, and gastric cardia adenocarcinoma. In patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma, the proportions of male, less than 65 years old, lower thoracic tumors, tumors without squamous cell carcinoma, poorly differentiation, early tumors (stage 0-I), and p53-positive tumors in the group with GERD symptoms were higher than those in the group without GERD symptoms; moreover, the long-term survival (≥15 years) was better. Conclusion GERD symptom is an important clinical sign of esophageal adenocarcinoma. It is closely related to specific clinicopathological characteristics, p53 overexpression, and good long-term prognosis.

Objective To investigate the relationship between cyclin A2 (CCNA2) and the prognosis of colon cancer, and its possible mechanism from the perspective of immune infiltration. Methods We downloaded the transcriptome data of colon cancer patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas database. Clinicopathological feature analysis and survival analysis were performed based on the expression levels of CCNA2. A total of 75 specimens of colon cancer and normal tissues were collected, and the expression level of CCNA2 was analyzed using immunohistochemical methods. Multivariate analysis was conducted to explore its relationship with clinicopathological features. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) was used to assess the potential molecular functions of CCNA2 in colon cancer. CIBERSORT algorithm was applied to calculate the correlation between CCNA2 and immune-cell infiltration in colon cancer. Results Database and immunohistochemical analyses indicated that CCNA2 was expressed at a significantly higher level in colon cancer tissues than normal tissues (P<0.001). The overall survival, disease-specific survival, and progression-free interval were all longer in the group with high CCNA2 expression than the group with low expression (all P<0.05). In tumor tissues, the expression level of CCNA2 decreased with increased pathological and TNM stages (P<0.05). The expression level of CCNA2 in normal tissues was consistently lower than that in colon cancer tissues across all clinical stages (all P<0.001). GSEA suggested that Wnt/β-catenin, KRAS, and other signaling pathways were enriched when CCNA2 was lowly expressed. CIBERSORT analysis revealed an increase in the infiltration of immune cells such as regulatory T cells and macrophages M0 when CCNA2 expression was low. Conclusion CCNA2 is highly expressed in colon cancer and closely associated with grade of pathology and TNM stage. It may recruit regulatory T cells through the KRAS and Wnt/β-catenin pathways, thereby reducing immune-cell infiltration and promoting colon cancer progression, leading to poor prognosis.

Objective:To investigate the value of the five-sectional screening method of the central nervous system（CNS）in early detection of fetal CNS abnormalities during the first trimester.Methods:The data of pregnant women who underwent nuchal translucency（NT）screening at the Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from September 2018 to September 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. And a five-sectional screening method of CNS was performed in all fetuses at the meantime. The five-sectional screening protocol in the first trimester consists of the mid-sagittal plane of the fetal head，trans-ventricular plane，trans-thalamus plane，axial plane of the fetal head at the posterior fossa level，and the sagittal plane of the fetal spine. All fetuses underwent ultrasound screening during the second trimester and the third trimester sequentially after NT screening. All the ultrasound findings were tracked，and all fetuses were followed up until delivery or after induction. Fetuses with CNS abnormalities found or suspected in the first trimester were reviewed by at least one senior physician，and follow-up examinations were routinely performed after 2 weeks to further confirm the diagnosis or find other abnormalities that may be present.Results:A total of 13 679 fetuses were screened，included 11 415 singleton pregnancies and 1 132 twin pregnancies. Among them，there were 289 cases of missed follow-up and unexplained fetal death，included 263 singleton pregnancies and 13 twin pregnancies. A total of 13 390 fetuses were finally included，among which，35 cases developed CNS abnormalities with 34 cases detected by prenatal ultrasound and 1 case of closed spina bifida missed in prenatal diagnosis，and the detection rate of CNS malformation by prenatal ultrasound was 97.14%（34/35）. Of the 35 fetuses with CNS abnormalities，24 were detected by the CNS five-sectional screening method in the first trimester，with a sensitivity of 68.57%，a specificity of 100%，a positive predictive value of 100%，and a negative predictive value of 99.92%. Among them，there were 2 cases of anencephaly，3 cases of exencephaly and 6 cases of encephalocele were all detected in the first trimester. In addition，6 cases of holoprosencephaly，3 cases of severe ventriculomegaly，2 cases of open spina bifida，and 2 cases of Dandy-Walker malformation were detected in the first trimester. In this study，1 case of agenesis of corpus callosum（ACC），1 case of arachnoid cyst，1 case of lissencephaly，1 case of schizencephaly，and 1 case of mega cisterna magna were not detected in early pregnancy.Conclusions:The fetal five-sectional screening method of CNS in the first trimester has high specificity，positive predictive value and negative predictive value for the detection of fetal CNS abnormalities，but the sensitivity is moderate. The five-sectional screening method for CNS in early pregnancy may be an effective method for early detection of fetal CNS abnormalities.

Objective:To investigate the diagnostic value of fetal cardiac ultrasound view visualization in the first trimester for congenital heart disease（CHD）.Methods:A retrospective analysis was performed on 13 323 singleton fetuses who underwent first-trimester（11-13 +6 weeks）ultrasound screening at the Ultrasound Medicine Center，the Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from January 2018 to June 2024. Cardiac views including the four-chamber view（4CV），left ventricular outflow tract view（LVOT），and Results:The study group showed significantly higher rates of "poorly visualized" 4CV，LVOT，and 3VT than the control group（2.70% vs. 0.14%， P=0.005；36.49% vs. 4.76%， P<0.001；36.49% vs.2.46%， P<0.001）. The efficacies of combination 1（any view abnormal）and combination 2（any view "poorly visualized" or "abnormal"）were comparable，with AUCs of 0.86 and 0.85（ P=0.424）. The AUCs of combination 3（3VT "poorly visualized" or any view "abnormal"）and combination 4（4CV "poorly visualized" or any view "abnormal"）were 0.88 and 0.86（ P=0.424），all significantly higher than combination 5（LVOT "poorly visualized" or any view "abnormal"，AUC=0.84，all P<0.05）. Conclusions:"Poorly visualized" cardiac views in the first trimester demonstrate good diagnostic efficacy for CHD，particularly when 3VT or 4CV are affected，warranting heightened clinical vigilance for fetal cardiac anomalies.

Lung cancer is one of the malignant tumours with the highest morbidity and mortality rates worldwide today, posing a major threat to human health. Accurate diagnosis and standardised treatment play a crucial role in improving the survival rate of lung cancer patients. In recent years, the rapid rise of artificial intelligence (AI) has brought about significant changes in the medical field, providing a new diagnostic and treatment model for lung cancer, and making a series of breakthroughs in lung cancer diagnostic imaging, pathological diagnosis, surgical oncology, radiotherapy, and drug development and treatment. This article introduces the current status of AI application in the field of lung cancer diagnosis and treatment, and extensively discusses the current challenges and future prospects, hoping to provide references and suggestions for future clinical practice.

Objective To investigate the screening results and factors affecting abnormal detection rates among high-risk groups of esophageal cancer and to explore effective intervention measures. Methods We investigated and collected the information on gender, education level, age, marital status, symptoms of reflux esophagitis (heartburn, acid reflux, belching, hiccup, foreign body sensation in the pharynx, and difficulty swallowing), consumption of pickled vegetables, salt use, and esophageal cancer incidence of villagers in a natural village in Wenfeng District, Anyang City, Henan Province. Changes in reflux esophagitis symptoms in the high-incidence area of esophageal cancer before and after 16 years were observed, and the relationship of such changes with esophageal cancer was analyzed. Results In 2008, 711 cases were epidemiologically investigated, including 213 cases with one of the symptoms of reflux esophagitis such as heartburn, acid reflux, belching, hiccups, foreign body sensation in the pharynx, and difficulty swallowing (sorted in accordance with the abovementioned symptoms; if there are multiple symptoms, then the former is taken); 55 cases with at least two related symptoms, among which the most symptom was heartburn in 108 cases (15.1%); followed by acid reflux, belching, etc. In 2024, the same group of people was investigated, and eight people were missing because of relocation. A total of 703 people were successfully investigated, of which 189 cases (26.8%) had one of the symptoms of reflux esophagitis, such as heartburn (sorted in accordance with relevant symptoms, if there are multiple symptoms, then the former will be selected); 167 cases (23.7%) had at least two related symptoms, among which the most symptom was heartburn in 139 cases (19.7%); followed by acid reflux. Over 16 years, among the 703 people investigated, 45 cases had esophageal cancer and they had one or more of the abovementioned symptoms. No significant differences in the reflux esophagitis-like symptoms were found between 2008 and 2024 (P=0.26); no significant differences in the composition of reflux esophagitis-like symptoms were found between 2008 and 2024 (P=0.299). Conclusion The detection rate of reflux esophagitis-related symptoms in the population in a high-risk area of esophageal cancer has not decreased in the past 16 years, and the high-risk factors still exist. Esophageal cancer is closely related to reflux esophagitis, and clinical practice can provide early diagnosis and treatment for high-risk population.

Objective Based on the traditional Chinese medicine theory of"simultaneous regulation of the liver and kidney,"this study integrated network pharmacology prediction,molecular docking,and animal experimental validation to analyze the multi-target regulatory network of Duzhong Xionghua(the male flower of Eucommia ulmoides)-Sanqi Hua(Sanchi flower)herb pair(hereinafter called"herb pair")in modulating glucolipid metabolic disorders in type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM),thereby elucidating its underlying molecular mechanism.Methods Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform,China National Knowledge Infrastructure,VIP Database for Chinese Technical Periodicals,and Wanfang Data were used to obtain the active ingredients of the male flower of Eucommia ulmoides and Sanchi flower.PubChem Compound,SwissTargetPrediction,and SuperPred were used to screen and predict the targets of the drugs;The Human Gene Database,The Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man,and Therapeutic Target Database were used to screen the key gene targets of T2DM.A"component-target-pathway"network diagram was constructed using Cytoscape software,and Gene Ontology functional annotation and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analysis were employed to identify the functions of the relevant target genes and pathways.Molecular docking was used to verify the binding activities of the core components and the key targets.For animal experiments,spontaneous T2DM model mice were used,in which the normal group consisted of six mice(wild type)from the same litter,and the 24 successfully modeled mice were randomly divided into model,metformin(0.26 g/kg),high-dose herb pair(2.6 g/kg),and low-dose herb pair groups(1.3 g/kg)according to the blood glucose levels and body weights,with six mice per group.The drugs were administered by gavage daily for six consecutive weeks.The body weight and fasting blood glucose(FBG)levels were measured weekly,and an oral glucose tolerance test was performed in the fifth week.At the end of drug administration,body weight,naso-anal length,liver and bilateral epididymal adipose mass were measured;pathological changes in the liver were observed using HE staining;serum levels of aspartate transaminase(AST),alanine amino-transferase(ALT),total cholesterol(TC),triglyceride(TG),low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C),and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C)were detected using colorimetric assay;and liver tissue phosphoinositide 3-kinase(PI3K)/protein kinase B(AKT)/glycogen synthase kinase-3β(GSK-3β)signaling pathway protein expressions were determined using Western blotting.Results Network pharmacology screening identified 38 active components and 669 potential targets of the herb pair.Intersection analysis with 1,275 T2DM-related targets yielded 185 common targets.Protein-protein interaction network analysis and pathway enrichment revealed the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway as a key mechanism.Molecular docking confirmed the strong binding affinity of the core components to key targets such as AKT1,suggesting that the herb pair may activate the PI3K/AKT pathway and inhibit GSK-3β activity via beta-sitosterol etc.Animal experiments demonstrated that,compared with the model group,the metformin group exhibited reduced FBG,AST,and ALT levels(P<0.01),but failed to improve body weight,Lee's index,or epididymal fat coefficient.Both herb pair doses significantly lowered Lee's index,hepatic index,and the epididymal fat coefficient(P<0.01),with the low-dose herb pair group showing attenuated body weight gain in mice.In contrast,the high-dose herb pair group exhibited decreased FBG,improved glucose tolerance,reduced TC,TG,and LDL-C levels,and increased HDL-C level(all P<0.01).HE staining revealed that all metformin and the herb pair markedly restored hepatic structure and alleviated steatosis in model mice,with more pronounced effects in the high-dose group than in the low-dose group.Western blotting result indicated that in the low-dose herb pair group,phospho-PI3K(p-PI3K),AKT,and phospho-GSK-3β(p-GSK-3β)protein expressions significantly increased(P<0.05 or P<0.01),whereas GSK-3β decreased(P<0.05).The high-dose group exhibited enhanced PI3K,p-PI3K,AKT,phospho-AKT,and p-GSK-3β protein expressions(all P<0.01),accompanied by reduced GSK-3β expression(P<0.01).Conclusion The male flower of Eucommia ulmoides-Sanchi flower herb pair may ameliorate T2DM-related glucolipid metabolic disorders by modulating the PI3K/AKT/GSK-3β pathway.

Objective To explore the potential prognostic factors of patients with acute ischemic stroke(AIS)after undergoing endovascular mechanical thrombectomy and to construct an effective predictive model.Methods A retrospective analysis of clinical data was conducted on 202 patients with anterior circulation large vessel occlusion AIS from 2 stroke centers.All patients received endovascular mechanical thrombectomy treatment,with treatment and follow-up lasting at least 90 d.Basic demographic characteristics,medical records,and baseline blood biomarker data were collected,and the potential prognostic indicators for AIS after 90 d were screened using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator(LASSO)-logistic regression analysis.Results It was found that alcohol drinking(P=0.029),hypertension(P=0.001),diabetes mellitus(P=0.021),stroke or transient ischemic attack(P=0.049),systolic blood pressure on admission(P=0.009),diastolic blood pressure on admission(P=0.038),blood glucose(P=0.003),white blood cell count(P=0.001),neutrophil count(P=0.001),fibrinogen(P=0.010),systemic immune-inflammation index(P=0.008)and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio(NLR)(P＜0.001)were associated with adverse clinical outcomes.Nine significant prognostic determinants were screened through LASSO-logistic regression analysis.Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that male sex(P=0.008),smoking history(P=0.013),hypertension(P=0.011),lymphocyte(P=0.028),fibrinogen(P=0.016),and NLR(P＜0.001)were significant predictive factors for poor prognosis in AIS patients after endovascular thrombectomy treatment.The constructed prognostic model had an accuracy of 76.2％,a sensitivity of 78.2％,a specificity of 71.7％,and a positive predictive value of 86.7％.Conclusion The predictive model established in this study can assist clinicians in identifying high-risk patients with AIS who have undergone endovascular thrombectomy,and it provide guidance for formulating individualized treatment strategies.