ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy and possible mechanism of Wei's Huoxue Tongluo Formula （韦氏活血通络方，WHTF） in treating atrophic-stage non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy （NAION） with qi deficiency and blood stasis. MethodsA total of 82 atrophic-stage NAION patients with qi deficiency and blood stasis were randomly divided into a treatment group and a control group， with 41 cases in each group. The treatment group was given oral administration of WHTF twice a day plus acupoint injection of distilled water 2 ml at Taiyang （EX-HN5） once daily， while the control group received injection of compound anisodine injection 2 ml at Taiyang （EX-HN5） once daily and oral administration of WHTF placebo twice a day. Both groups received treatment for a course of 14 days. The best-corrected visual acuity （BCVA）， optic disc perfusion density （PD）， flux index （FI）， macular superficial PD， vascular density （VD）， and traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndrome scores were compared between groups before treatment and on day 7 and day 14 of treatment. Additionally， mean defect （MD） and mean sensitivity （MS） of visual fields were measured before treatment and on day 14， along with safety evaluation. ResultsAfter treatment， both groups showed significant improvement in BCVA， visual field MD and MS， and TCM syndrome scores （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. On day 14 of treatment， the TCM syndrome score in the treatment group was significantly lower than that in the control group （P＜0.05）. There was no significant improvement in optic disc PD and FI， and macular superficial PD and VD after treatment in either group （P＞0.05） except that on day 7 the macular superficial foveal PD in the control group was significantly better than that in the treatment group （P＜0.05）. During the treatment period， no serious adverse events occurred in either group. ConclusionWHTF can improve the visual function indicators including visual acuity and visual field， as well as TCM syndrome scores in atrophic-stage NAION patients with qi deficiency and blood stasis. It shows clinical safety， although it does not appear to have a significant effect on optic disc or macular blood flow.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the impact of stroke on diaphragmatic function by ultrasound. MethodsFrom April, 2024 to June, 2025, 40 stroke patients (stroke group) were recruited in Xuanwu Hospital Capital Medical University. Additionally, 40 sex- and age-matched healthy subjects (control group) were recruited without directional selection. Diaphragmatic excursion and diaphragmatic thickness during quiet breathing and deep breathing were assessed using ultrasound in both groups, and the diaphragmatic thickening fraction was calculated. The stroke group was further divided into two subgroups according to disease course: ≤ 30 days group and > 30 days group, for subgroup analysis. ResultsDuring both quiet and deep breathing, diaphragmatic excursion on the affected side in the stroke group was smaller than that on the unaffected side and in the control group (P < 0.05). During quiet breathing, diaphragmatic thickening fraction on the affected side in the stroke group was smaller than that on the unaffected side and in the control group (P < 0.05), while the diaphragmatic thickening fraction on the unaffected side was significantly smaller than that in the control group (P < 0.01). During deep breathing, the bilateral diaphragmatic thickening fraction in the stroke group was significantly smaller than that in the control group (P < 0.001), and the bilateral end-inspiratory diaphragmatic thickness was significantly smaller than that in the control group (P < 0.001). During quiet breathing, diaphragmatic excursion in both the ≤ 30 d group and the > 30 d group was smaller than that in the control group (P < 0.05); during deep breathing, diaphragmatic excursion in the ≤ 30 d group was smaller than that in the control group (P < 0.05). In both quiet breathing and deep breathing, the diaphragmatic thickening fraction in the ≤ 30 d group and the >30 d group were lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05). During deep breathing, end-inspiratory diaphragmatic thickness in both the ≤ 30 d group and the > 30 d group was significantly smaller than that in the control group (P < 0.01). ConclusionUltrasound can effectively identify the impact of stroke on patients' diaphragmatic function. In stroke patients, both diaphragmatic excursion and contractile performance are reduced on the affected side, while contractile performance is also reduced on the unaffected side.

Lymph node metastasis (LNM) is a crucial risk factor influencing an unfavorable prognosis in specific cancers. Fundamental research illuminates our understanding of tumor behavior and identifies valuable therapeutic targets. Nevertheless, the exploration of fundamental theories and the validation of clinical therapies hinge on preclinical experiments. Preclinical models, in this context, serve as the conduit connecting fundamental theories to clinical outcomes. In vivo models established in animals offer a valuable platform for comprehensively observing interactions between tumor cells and organisms. Using various experimental animals, including mice, diverse methods, such as carcinogen-induced tumorigenesis, tumor cell line or human tumor transplantation, genetic engineering, and humanization, have been used effectively to construct numerous models for tumor LNM. Carcinogen-induced models simulate the entire process of tumorigenesis and metastasis. Transplantation models, using human tumor cell lines or patient-derived tumors, offer a research platform closely mirroring the histology and clinical behavior of human tumors. Genetically engineered models have been used to delve into the mechanisms of primary tumorigenesis within an intact microenvironment. Humanized models are used to overcome barriers between human and murine immune systems. Beyond mouse models, various other animal models have unique advantages and limitations, all contributing to exploring LNM. This review summarizes existing in vitro and animal preclinical models, identifies current bottlenecks in preclinical research, and offers an outlook on forthcoming preclinical models.
Animals ; Humans ; Mice ; Lymphatic Metastasis/pathology* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Cell Line, Tumor

Research indicates that microbe activity within the human body significantly influences health by being closely linked to various diseases. Accurately predicting microbe-disease interactions (MDIs) offers critical insights for disease intervention and pharmaceutical research. Current advanced AI-based technologies automatically generate robust representations of microbes and diseases, enabling effective MDI predictions. However, these models continue to face significant challenges. A major issue is their reliance on complex feature extractors and classifiers, which substantially diminishes the models' generalizability. To address this, we introduce a novel graph autoencoder framework that utilizes decoupled representation learning and multi-scale information fusion strategies to efficiently infer potential MDIs. Initially, we randomly mask portions of the input microbe-disease graph based on Bernoulli distribution to boost self-supervised training and minimize noise-related performance degradation. Secondly, we employ decoupled representation learning technology, compelling the graph neural network (GNN) to independently learn the weights for each feature subspace, thus enhancing its expressive power. Finally, we implement multi-scale information fusion technology to amalgamate the multi-layer outputs of GNN, reducing information loss due to occlusion. Extensive experiments on public datasets demonstrate that our model significantly surpasses existing top MDI prediction models. This indicates that our model can accurately predict unknown MDIs and is likely to aid in disease discovery and precision pharmaceutical research. Code and data are accessible at: https://github.com/shmildsj/MDI-IFDRL.

BackgroundExecutive function deficits constitute a core problem in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder （ADHD）. Previous assessments of executive function in children with ADHD have predominantly relied on performance-based neuropsychological tests conducted in laboratory settings， though their predictive validity for real-world functional outcomes remains limited. In contrast， ecological executive function emphasizes the evaluation of complex task management in naturalistic contexts， demonstrating a stronger predictive power for functional adaptation in daily living among children with ADHD， such as multitasking performance， social interactions and so on. However， current empirical evidence regarding ecological executive function in this population remains insufficient. ObjectiveTo investigate the executive function characteristics of children with ADHD from an ecological perspective， thereby providing references for developing targeted interventions. MethodsA case control study was conducted， including 277 ADHD children who met the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders， fourth edition （DSM-IV） criteria and were selected at the Child Health Care and Mental Health Center of Shenzhen Children's Hospital from June 2017 to December 2020， as well as 98 healthy controls were recruited from primary and secondary schools in Shenzhen. All participants were assessed using Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children， fourth edition （WISC-IV） and Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function （BRIEF）. Differences in WISC-IV and BRIEF scores were compared between ADHD group and control groups， followed by the comparison of BRIEF scores by gender and ADHD subtypes. ResultsAmong the 277 children with ADHD， 136 cases （49.10%） had predominantly inattentive type （ADHD-I）， 6 cases （2.17%） had predominantly hyperactive-impulsive type （ADHD-HI）， and 135 cases （48.73%） had combined type （ADHD-C）. ADHD group demonstrated significantly lower scores on both the WISC-IV total IQ and four index scores （verbal comprehension， perceptual reasoning， working memory and processing speed） than control group （t=3.698~9.335， P<0.01）. After controlling for WISC-IV total IQ as a covariate， the scores of each factor in the dimensions of behavioral regulation index （inhibition， shifting， emotional control） and metacognition index （task initiation， working memory， planning， monitoring and organization） were all higher in ADHD group than in control group， and the differences were statistically significant （F=46.563~290.475， P<0.01）. In terms of gender， no statistically significant difference was found in BRIEF composite scores （behavioral regulation index or metacognition index） of children with ADHD （t=0.105~1.190， P>0.05）. In terms of ADHD subtypes， children with ADHD-C reported significantly higher scores than those with ADHD-I on the scores of inhibition， emotional control， organization and monitoring in BRIEF （t=2.481~7.343， P<0.05 or 0.01）. ConclusionChildren with ADHD have multidimensional deficits in ecological executive function， which vary across different subtypes. ［Funded by Shenzhen Excellent Science and Technology Innovation Talent Training Project （number， RCYX20221008092849069）； the Sanming Project of Medicine in Shenzhen］

Objective: To assess the nutritional supply status of school meals for primary and secondary school students in Henan Province, so as to provide a basis for scientific guidance of school meals. Methods: During 2021-2023, 115 lunch and dinner samples were collected from 25 primary and secondary schools in Zhoukou, Anyang and Luoyang of Henan Province by a direct selection method, and 13 nutrients were determined for each sample. The nutrient supply was evaluated based on Nutrition Guidelines of School Meals and Reference Intake of Dietary Nutrients for Chinese Residents (2023 Edition). Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare the differences of nutritional supply between urban and rural schools. Results: The median values for energy (709.77 kcal,1 kcal=4.18 kJ), fat energy supply ratio (0.27) and carbohydrate energy supply ratio (0.55) in the 66 lunches and dinners from primary school were within the recommended range. The supply of protein (28.39 g) and sodium (1 464.59 mg) was excessive. The median values of zinc (2.62 mg) and dietary fiber (5.19 g) were lower than the reference values. No statistically significant differences were observed in the supply of 13 nutrients between urban and rural primary schools( U = 427.00 -633.00, P > 0.05 ). Among 49 samples from secondary schools, the median value of energy supply (930.02 kcal), carbohydrate energy ratio ( 0.54 ) and fat energy supply ratio(0.25) were within the recommended range; and the median values of protein (38.82 g) and sodium (2 556.80 mg) were higher than the standard; and the median values of calcium (250.32 mg) and vitamin B1 (0.16 mg) were lower than the standard. Additionally, the differences in the level of vitamin B2 ( U =372.00) and zinc ( U =375.00) between the urban and rural secondary schools were statistically significant ( P <0.05). Conclusion Nutrient supply of primary and secondary school meals in three cities of Henan Province is inadequate and imbalanced, and the recipe need to be further optimized and improved.

ObjectiveTo analyze the adverse reactions associated with the clinical use of Banxia （Rhizoma Pinelliae）- Wutou （Aconitum） in the same formula， with the aim of providing a reference for the safety of their clinical application. MethodsLiterature on the clinical application of antagonistic herbs "Banxia-Wutou" used in the same formula， published from January 1st， 2014， to June 30th， 2023， was retrieved from databases including CNKI， VIP， Wanfang， SinoMed， PubMed， Cochrane Library， and Embase. A database was established， and information related to adverse reactions was extracted， including descriptions， classifications， specific manifestations， management and outcomes， patients' primary diseases （western medicine diseases and traditional Chinese medicine diagnoses and syndromes）， and medication information （dosage， ratio， administration routes， and dosage forms）. ResultsA total of 79 researches simultaneously used antagonistic herbs Banxia-Wutou in the same formula and reported associated advers reactions. Gastrointestinal adverse reactions were the most common， with 8 studies reporting management of adverse reactions and 3 studies reporting improvement with no intervention. Among the 11 researches， the adverse reaction relieved to extant， while other 69 researches didn't report the managment of adverse reaction and its prognosis. For the primary disease in western medicine system， chronic bronchitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease （COPD） were most common， while gastric pain was the most common symptom in traditional Chinese medicine with spleen and kidney deficiency and spleen stomach cold deficiency being the most frequent syndromes. The most common Banxia dosage was 10 g， while for the Wutou， Fuzi （Radix Aconiti Lateralis Praeparata） was predominant with the highest dose at 15 g. The most frequent herbal combination was Banxia-fuzi， with a 1∶1 ratio. The main administration route was oral， and the primary dosage form was decoction. ConclusionGastrointestinal adverse reactions are the most common in the clinical use of Banxia-Wutou antagonistic herb combinations. Research on the safety of "Banxia-Wutou" combinations should focus on respiratory system diseases and spleen-stomach related conditions.

Objective:To investigate the potential utility of the lymphocyte to monocyte ratio (LMR) and its modified index, albumin-LMR product, as predictive biomarkers for disease activity and presence of lupus nephritis in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).Methods:A total of 264 patients with newly diagnosed SLE who were treated at Henan Provincial People′s Hospital between December 2016 and September 2022 were included in this study. Their clinical data were subsequently collected for analysis. Patients were classified into non-active disease group (SLEDAI<5, n=55) and active disease group(SLEDAI≥5, n=209) based on the SLE SLEDAI. The Mann-Whitney U test was employed to compare the differences in clinical parameter levels, LMR and albumin-LMR product between the two groups. Additionally, the active disease group was further stratified into mild(SLEDAI 5~9, n=86), moderate(SLEDAI 10~14, n=96) and severe (SLEDAI≥15, n=27) subgroups to assess differences in LMR and albumin-LMR product. Further more patients were stratified into two groups based on renal involvement: those without lupus nephritis(non-LN) and those with lupus nephritis (LN). For non-parametric comparisons, the Mann-Whitney U test was used for intergroup comparisons between two groups, while the Kruskal-Wallis H test was applied for comparisons among three groups. If the Kruskal-Wallis H test revealed statistically significant differences ( P<0.05), pairwise comparisons were performed using the Mann-Whitney U test, and the significance level was adjusted using the Bonferroni method to account for multiple testing.Correlations between LMR, albumin-LMR product, and disease activity indicators were analyzed using Spearman′s correlation. The diagnostic value of LMR and albumin-LMR product for SLE activity was evaluated using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Results:Both LMR and albumin-LMR product were significantly lower in active disease group compared to the non-active group {LMR:3.56 (2.15, 5.00) vs. 5.68 (3.89, 7.00); albumin-LMR product [93.21 (59.50, 143.98)g/L] vs. [187.89 (137.67, 260.90)]g/L, Z=-5.68, -7.05, P<0.001 for all}. Further subgroup analysis revealed that LMR and albumin-LMR product levels in severe, moderate, and mild active disease were also significantly decreased compared to the non-active disease group {LMR:3.83(1.78, 5.09)、3.09(2.06, 4.90)、3.65(2.45, 5.03) vs. 5.68(3.89, 7.00); albumin-LMR product: [95.69(66.57, 121.61)]g/L、[79.82(49.02, 126.91)]g/L、[104.73(69.21, 169.01)]g/L vs. [187.89(137.67, 260.90)]g/L, H=34.27, 58.29, P<0.001 for all}. A significant disparity in the levels of LMR and albumin-LMR product was detected between the non-LN and LN, with statistical significance ( Z=-3.44, P=0.001 and Z=-7.06, P<0.001). Correlation analysis indicated that LMR negatively correlated with SLEDAI( r=-0.31), urea( r=-0.29), creatinine ( r=-0.28) and 24-hour urinary protein level ( r=-0.27), all P<0.001, with no significant correlation to complement C3 or C4. Albumin-LMR product showed stronger negative correlations with SLEDAI ( r=-0.44), urea ( r=-0.40), creatinine ( r=-0.37), and 24-hour urinary protein ( r=-0.55), all P<0.001, and a positive correlation with complement C3 ( r=0.18, P=0.004). The areas under the ROC curves for LMR and LMR combined with complement C3 were 0.749 and 0.795, respectively, while for albumin-LMR product and its combination with complement C3, they were 0.809 and 0.833, indicating superior diagnostic efficacy for the modified albumin-LMR product. Conclusion:LMR and albumin-LMR product levels are significantly associated with SLE disease activity and may serve as potential biomarkers for assessing SLE activity and the degree of lupus nephritis.

Research indicates that microbe activity within the human body significantly influences health by being closely linked to various diseases.Accurately predicting microbe-disease interactions(MDIs)offers critical insights for disease intervention and pharmaceutical research.Current advanced AI-based technologies automatically generate robust representations of microbes and diseases,enabling effec-tive MDI predictions.However,these models continue to face significant challenges.A major issue is their reliance on complex feature extractors and classifiers,which substantially diminishes the models' generalizability.To address this,we introduce a novel graph autoencoder framework that utilizes decoupled representation learning and multi-scale information fusion strategies to efficiently infer po-tential MDIs.Initially,we randomly mask portions of the input microbe-disease graph based on Bernoulli distribution to boost self-supervised training and minimize noise-related performance degradation.Secondly,we employ decoupled representation learning technology,compelling the graph neural network(GNN)to independently learn the weights for each feature subspace,thus enhancing its expressive power.Finally,we implement multi-scale information fusion technology to amalgamate the multi-layer outputs of GNN,reducing information loss due to occlusion.Extensive experiments on public datasets demonstrate that our model significantly surpasses existing top MDI prediction models.This indicates that our model can accurately predict unknown MDIs and is likely to aid in disease discovery and precision pharmaceutical research.Code and data are accessible at:https://github.com/shmildsj/MDI-IFDRL.

Objective To investigate the correlation between novel bone metabolism markers and the degree of aortic calcification as well as cardiovascular event risk in elderly patients treated by PD.Methods A prospective trial was conducted on 230 elderly patients receiving continuous am-bulatory PD in our department from February 2022 to February 2024.According to the occur-rence of cardiovascular events during dialysis treatment,they were divided into a cardiovascular event group(n=92)and a control group(n=138).Relevant clinical data were collected,aortic calcification was assessed using AAC scores,and serum levels of bone metabolism markers,inclu-ding osteoprotegerin,TRACP,and PINP were measured.Results The serum levels of osteoprote-gerin,TRACP and PINP were significantly higher in the cardiovascular event group than the con-trol group(P＜0.01).The cardiovascular event group had obviously severe calcification and higher AAC score than the control group(P＜0.01).The serum levels of the three bone metabolism markers were notably higher in the patients with severe calcification than those with moderate calcification,followed by mild calcification in turn(P＜0.01).Spearman correlation analysis indi-cated that the levels of the three indicators were positively correlated with the degree of aortic cal-cification in elderly PD patients(r=0.465,P=0.000;r=0.396,P=0.000;r=0.434,P=0.000).Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that these three indicators were risk factors for cardiovascular events in elderly PD patients(P＜0.01).Conclusion The three bone metabolism markers are significantly correlated with aortic calcification severity and cardiovascular event risk in elderly PD patients.Monitoring these marker levels may be helpful for the assessment and man-agement of cardiovascular risk.