ObjectiveCerebrospinal fluid (CSF) plays a crucial role in maintaining the homeostasis of the central nervous system (CNS). CSF rapidly exchanges with interstitial fluid (ISF) via the glymphatic system within the brain parenchyma. CSF-ISF circulation and its associated mechanisms are often referred to as the brain lymphatic system. This system is connected directly to meningeal lymphatic vessels (mLVs), jointly performing the function of clearing metabolic waste from the CNS. Emerging evidence indicates that this system is closely associated with the onset and progression of neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Importantly, abnormal CSF circulation is not only a downstream consequence of AD pathology, but also a risk factor. In AD, the dynamics of CSF flow within the CNS are diminished, immune dysregulation occurs, and this may increase the risk of AD by exacerbating the burden of amyloid β-protein (Aβ). In the mouse model of AD, impaired CSF flow compromises this clearance function, leading to cognitive deficits. Clinically, acupuncture at cognition-related acupoints is commonly used for the prevention and treatment of AD. However, whether its therapeutic effects are mediated through the modulation of CSF dynamics remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of acupuncture on CSF flow and investigate its acupoint specificity. MethodsMice were randomly assigned to experimental groups for the different electroacupuncture groups with the following acupoints: Baihui point (GV 20), Ear point, Neiguan point (PC 6), and Tianshu point (ST 25). Wild-type mice on a C57BL/6J background were used as controls. Fluorescent tracer was injected into the cisterna magna to label CSF flow. Fluorescence imaging was employed to assess the distribution of CSF within the brain before and after acupuncture stimulation. ResultsFollowing tracer injection into the cisterna magna, fluorescence signals rapidly reached the cerebellum and medulla—the regions closest to the injection site. Fluorescence intensity was higher in ventral brain regions compared to dorsal regions, likely due to greater vascular density in ventral areas facilitating CSF-ISF exchange. Electroacupuncture at the GV 20 produced the most pronounced enhancement of CSF across the whole brain, while stimulation at the ST 25 primarily augmented flow within subcortical regions. In contrast, electroacupuncture at the Ear point or the PC 6 had no observable effect on CSF in mice. ConclusionElectroacupuncture promotes CSF flow into the brain parenchyma in an acupoint-specific manner, with GV 20 exhibiting the most pronounced enhancement of CSF dynamics. These findings suggest that acupuncture-mediated facilitation of CSF flow may represent a potential therapeutic strategy for preventing or delaying age-related cognitive decline.

ObjectiveCerebrospinal fluid (CSF) plays a crucial role in maintaining the homeostasis of the central nervous system (CNS). CSF rapidly exchanges with interstitial fluid (ISF) via the glymphatic system within the brain parenchyma. CSF-ISF circulation and its associated mechanisms are often referred to as the brain lymphatic system. This system is connected directly to meningeal lymphatic vessels (mLVs), jointly performing the function of clearing metabolic waste from the CNS. Emerging evidence indicates that this system is closely associated with the onset and progression of neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Importantly, abnormal CSF circulation is not only a downstream consequence of AD pathology, but also a risk factor. In AD, the dynamics of CSF flow within the CNS are diminished, immune dysregulation occurs, and this may increase the risk of AD by exacerbating the burden of amyloid β-protein (Aβ). In the mouse model of AD, impaired CSF flow compromises this clearance function, leading to cognitive deficits. Clinically, acupuncture at cognition-related acupoints is commonly used for the prevention and treatment of AD. However, whether its therapeutic effects are mediated through the modulation of CSF dynamics remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of acupuncture on CSF flow and investigate its acupoint specificity. MethodsMice were randomly assigned to experimental groups for the different electroacupuncture groups with the following acupoints: Baihui point (GV 20), Ear point, Neiguan point (PC 6), and Tianshu point (ST 25). Wild-type mice on a C57BL/6J background were used as controls. Fluorescent tracer was injected into the cisterna magna to label CSF flow. Fluorescence imaging was employed to assess the distribution of CSF within the brain before and after acupuncture stimulation. ResultsFollowing tracer injection into the cisterna magna, fluorescence signals rapidly reached the cerebellum and medulla—the regions closest to the injection site. Fluorescence intensity was higher in ventral brain regions compared to dorsal regions, likely due to greater vascular density in ventral areas facilitating CSF-ISF exchange. Electroacupuncture at the GV 20 produced the most pronounced enhancement of CSF across the whole brain, while stimulation at the ST 25 primarily augmented flow within subcortical regions. In contrast, electroacupuncture at the Ear point or the PC 6 had no observable effect on CSF in mice. ConclusionElectroacupuncture promotes CSF flow into the brain parenchyma in an acupoint-specific manner, with GV 20 exhibiting the most pronounced enhancement of CSF dynamics. These findings suggest that acupuncture-mediated facilitation of CSF flow may represent a potential therapeutic strategy for preventing or delaying age-related cognitive decline.

ObjectiveThis paper aims to investigate the effects and mechanism of Mimenghua prescription in modulating the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase （MEK）/rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog （Ras）/rapidly accelerated fibrosarcoma kinase （Raf）/extracellular signal-regulated kinase （ERK） signaling pathway to inhibit inflammatory responses in a dry eye animal model. MethodsA total of 60 C57BL/6J mice （eight weeks old， half male and half female） were used in the experiment. Ten mice were randomly selected as the blank control group， while the remaining 50 were exposed to a controlled dry system and received instillation of 0.2% benzalkonium chloride （BAC） into the eyes for four weeks to establish a dry eye mouse model. After successful modeling， the mice were randomly divided into five groups： Model group， sodium hyaluronate group， and Mimenghua prescription groups with low dose （4.83 g·kg^-1）， medium dose （9.67 g·kg^-1）， and high dose （19.34 g·kg^-1）. The mice in the model group received an equal volume of normal saline via gavage for four weeks. The mice in the sodium hyaluronate group received instillation of sodium hyaluronate eye drops twice daily for 14 consecutive days. The tear secretion volume， tear film break-up time （TBUT）， and corneal fluorescein staining were evaluated once every two weeks. After four weeks of administration， mice were euthanized， and their lacrimal gland tissues and corneas were harvested. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining was used to assess histopathological morphology. Western blot was performed to detect the protein expression levels of MEK， Ras， Raf， and ERK. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was used to measure the contents and expressions of MEK， Ras， Raf， ERK， and interleukin （IL）-1β in lacrimal gland and corneal tissues of the mice in each group. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） was employed to determine mRNA expression levels of MEK， Ras， Raf， and ERK. ResultsThe Mimenghua prescription groups and the sodium hyaluronate group exhibited significantly increased tear secretion volume （P<0.05） and prolonged TBUT （P<0.05） after treatment. Ocular surface damage of mice was visibly recovered. Western blot results indicated that protein expression levels of MEK， Ras， Raf， and ERK in the lacrimal gland and corneal tissues were significantly downregulated in the sodium hyaluronate group and Mimenghua prescription group with high dose （P<0.05）. ELISA results showed that IL-1β levels were highest in the model group but significantly reduced in the sodium hyaluronate group and Mimenghua prescription groups （P<0.05）. Both ELISA and Real-time PCR results demonstrated that the expression levels of MEK， Ras， Raf， and ERK in the lacrimal glands and corneal tissues were significantly elevated in the model group （P<0.05）， but markedly downregulated in the sodium hyaluronate group and Mimenghua prescription groups （P<0.05）， suggesting that Mimenghua prescription can decrease the expressions of MEK， Ras， Raf， and ERK in the lacrimal glands and corneal tissues. ConclusionMimenghua prescription can reduce inflammatory responses， increase tear secretion， prolong TBUT， and promote corneal recovery by inhibiting the MEK， Ras， Raf， and ERK signaling pathways in lacrimal gland and corneal tissues.

With the continuous deepening of the concept of precision diagnosis and treatment for lung cancer, how to achieve higher efficiency and accuracy in the screening, diagnosis, and treatment pathways in clinical practice has become an important issue that urgently needs to be overcome. The current clinical difficulty lies in the fact that despite continuous advancements in imaging and molecular diagnostic technologies, there are still limitations in manual efficiency and subjective experience when it comes to massive data analysis and multi-scale feature extraction. Artificial intelligence (AI), especially algorithm systems based on deep learning, is an innovative technology capable of deeply empowering medical big data. This method utilizes algorithms such as convolutional neural networks, combined with radiomics, pathomics, and multi-modal data fusion analysis, demonstrating immense potential in early precise detection and benign-malignant differentiation of pulmonary nodules, digital pathological subtype recognition and non-invasive prediction of driver genes, precise 3D surgical planning and automatic delineation of radiotherapy target volumes, as well as dynamic risk warning during follow-up. This innovative technology provides a brand-new solution for realizing intelligent and individualized lung cancer diagnosis and treatment models. This consensus, based on the latest evidence from evidence-based medicine and combined with the development trends in the AI field and real-world clinical needs, was ultimately formed by gathering the consensus opinions of multidisciplinary experts in radiology, pathology, thoracic surgery, and other fields. The main content covers the application specifications of AI in the three core scenarios of lung cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment, the technical standards for data collection and algorithm validation, as well as the ethical and regulatory challenges faced at the current stage. It aims to clarify the applicable boundaries of AI as a clinical auxiliary decision support tool, providing scientific guidance and standardized exploration directions for peers currently engaged in or planning to carry out AI-assisted clinical diagnosis, treatment, and translation of lung cancer.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the mechanism of Xibining Ⅱ formula in alleviating synovial inflammation and fibrosis in knee osteoarthritis （KOA） rats based on Janus kinase 2 （JAK2）/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 （STAT3） pathway. METHODS Seventy-five male SD rats were randomly divided into sham operation group （Sham group）， KOA group， Xibining Ⅱ low-dose group （XBNⅡ-L group， 4 g/kg）， Xibining Ⅱ high-dose group （XBNⅡ-H group， 8 g/kg）， and Xibining Ⅱ high-dose combined with STAT3 activator Colivelin trifluoroacetate （C-TFA） group [C-TFA group， 8 g/kg Xibining Ⅱ+ 1.0 mg/（kg·d） C-TFA]， with 15 rats in each group. Except for the Sham group， the KOA model was established by anterior cruciate ligament transection in the other groups. After successful modeling， each group was given corresponding drugs by intragastric administration and （or） intraperitoneal injection once daily for 28 consecutive days. After the last medication， the pathological changes of synovial tissue of knee joint in each group were evaluated and the indicators were calculated. The levels of serum inflammatory factors were detected. The positive expressions of phosphorylated JAK2 （p-JAK2） and phosphorylated STAT3 （p-STAT3） in synovial tissue of the knee joint were detected. The expressions of JAK2/STAT3 pathway-related proteins and mRNAs in synovial tissue were detected. RESULTS Compared with the Sham group， the synovial lining cells in the KOA group showed significant proliferation and disordered arrangement； the Krenn score， fibrosis ratio， positive area percentage of p-JAK2 and p-STAT3， p-JAK2/JAK2 and p-STAT3/STAT3， protein expression of Collagen-Ⅰ and α -smooth muscle actin， the mRNA expression of JAK2， STAT3， Collagen-Ⅰ and α -smooth muscle actin， as well as serum levels of interleukin-1β and interleukin-18 were significantly increased （ P ＜0.05）. Compared with the KOA group， the above pathological changes were significantly improved in each dose group of Xibining Ⅱ formula， and all indicators were significantly decreased （ P ＜0.05）， with the XBNⅡ-H group showing better effects than the XBNⅡ-L group （ P ＜0.05）. Compared with the XBNⅡ-H group， the above pathological damages were aggravated in the C-TFA group， and all indicators were significantly worsened （ P ＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS Xibining Ⅱ formula can alleviate synovial inflammation and fibrosis in KOA rats， and its mechanism may be related to inhibiting the activation of JAK2/STAT3 pathway.

Objective To investigate the expression and clinical significance of 12 plasma cytokines in patients with pancreatic cancer.Methods The study included 120 patients with pancreatic cancer diagnosed and treated at Qingdao University Affiliated Hospital and 68 healthy controls from March 2023 to June 2024.The levels of 12 plasma cytokines,including interleukin(IL)-1 β,IL-2,IL-4,IL-5,IL-6,IL-8,IL-10,IL-12P,IL-17,interferon(IFN)-α,IFN-γ,and tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α,were detected using mul-tiplex bead-based flow immunoassay.The levels of tumor markers carcinoembryonic antigen(CEA),carbohydrate antigen 19-9(CA19-9)and carbohydrate antigen 72-4(CA 72-4)in the serum of pancreatic cancer patients were detected by electrochemilumines-cence,while carbohydrate antigen 242(CA242)were detected by chemiluminescence methods.The correlation between the expression levels of differentially expressed cytokines and those of tumor markers was analyzed using Spearman's rank correlation.Results The plasma levels of 9 cytokines(IL-1 β,IL-4,IL-5,IL-6,IL-8,IL-10,IL-17,IFN-α,and IFN-γ)in the patients with pancreatic canc-er were significantly higher than those in controls(all P＜0.05).The levels of IL-1 β,IL-6,IL-8,IL-10,and IL-17 in the advanced pancreatic cancer group were significantly higher than those in the early-stage group(P＜0.05).The plasma IL-6 level in the poorly dif-ferentiated pancreatic cancer group was significantly higher than that in the well-differentiated group(P＜0.05).The serum levels of CEA,CA19-9,CA242,and CA72-4 in the advanced pancreatic cancer group were significantly higher than those in the early-stage group(P＜0.05).The serum CEA level in the poorly differentiated pancreatic cancer group was significantly higher than that in the moderately differentiated pancreatic cancer group(P＜0.05).After four cycles of chemotherapy,IL-8 levels in the disease control group were significantly reduced compared to pre-treatment levels(P＜0.05),while IL-6,IL-8,and IL-10 levels in the disease progression group were significantly elevated compared to pre-treatment levels(all P＜0.05).In the patients with pancreatic cancer,plasma IL-6 levels were positively correlated with serum CEA levels(rs=0.238,P＜0.01)and serum CA19-9 levels(rs=0.186,P＜0.05).The plasma IL-10 levels were positively correlated with serum CA72-4(rs=0.220,P＜0.05)levels in the patients.Conclusion Nine cyto-kines in plasma,such as IL-6,etc.may be involved in the formation of the inflammatory microenvironment of pancreatic cancer,as well as in the proliferation and differentiation of tumor cells.The determination of their plasma levels should be helpful for the assessing disease conditions and therapeutic effects.

Objective To explore and analyze the implementation effect of the combined traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)and Western medicine DRG payment model in TCM hospitals,aiming to provide a reference for the reform of medical in-surance payment methods in such hospitals.Methods R language was utilized to statistically analyze the costs and other indica-tors of the sample hospitals before and after the implementation of the combined TCM and Western medicine DRG payment within 1-2 years.Results Following the implementation of the combined TCM and Western medicine DRG payment,there was a de-crease in average hospitalization costs and average length of stay,accompanied by an increase in CMI(average weight).The cost structure underwent changes:the proportions of western medicine fees and auxiliary examination fees decreased,whereas the pro-portion of TCM treatment fees increased.Significant statistical differences were observed in each group of data(p＜2.2e-16).Conclusion The combined TCM and Western medicine DRG payment reform model can facilitate TCM hospitals in reducing medical costs,controlling medical expenses,optimizing the cost structure,and promoting the development of TCM diagnosis and treatment characteristics.

Objective:To explore the surgical efficacy of high position dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) under nasal endoscopy in patients with chronic dacryocystitis secondary to failure of nasolacrimal duct stent implantation.Methods:A total of 101 patients with chronic dacryocystitis who were treated at People′s Hospital of Peking University from 2013 to 2024 were retrospectively selected, including 14 males and 87 females, aged (56.82±13.00) years (Mean±SD). The patients were divided into control group (53 cases, 59 eyes) and stent group (48 cases, 60 eyes). The control group consisted of randomly selected patients with simple dacryocystitis, while, the stent group included patients with secondary dacryocystitis after failure of nasolacrimal duct stent implantation. All patients underwent endoscopic high DCR with exposed the Rosenmüller valve, combined with intraoperative lacrimal silicone tube implantation. After the operation, the surgical efficacy was evaluated by methods such as Munk score, endoscopic observation of intranasal ostia, lacrimal duct irrigation, and fluorescein test. SPSS 27.0 software was used for data statistics.Results:All 101 patients were followed up for at least one year after DCR surgery. In the control group, one patient (two eyes) was lost to follow-up; while, in the stent group, three patients (three eyes) were lost to follow-up, with one case diagnosed with lacrimal sac cancer. Excluding the lost-to-follow-up cases and the patient with lacrimal sac cancer, anatomical success was achieved in 54 eyes (96.4%, 54/56) in the stent group, and both anatomical and functional success in 53 eyes (94.6%, 53/56); in the control group, 55 eyes (96.5%, 55/57) achieved both anatomical and functional success. No statistically significant difference was found in postoperative effectiveness efficacy between the two groups ( χ2=0.000, P=0.984). Conclusion:For patients with secondary dacryocystitis after nasolacrimal duct stent implantation, high position DCR with exposure of Rosenmüller valve combined with lacrimal duct silicone intubation can achieve better long-term efficacy.

Objective To analyze the association between lifestyle and the risk of type 2 diabetes(T2D)among adult residents.Methods The data was sourced from the Shanghai Suburban Adult Cohort and Biobank.A total of 42 096 adult residents who had not developed T2D were recruited from four districts of Shanghai(Songjiang,Jiading,Minhang,and Xuhui)between 2016 and 2019.The follow-up ended on Feb 28,2023.A structured questionnaire was used to collect information on six lifestyle-related items,including smoking,alcohol consumption,BMI,waist circumference(WC),physical activity,and diet.The unhealthy lifestyle scores(UHLS)were calculated by counting the number of all the unhealthy lifestyle items,with a range of 0-6.New-onset T2D events diagnosed by physicians were obtained through the medical information system.Cox proportional hazards regression model and restricted cubic spline model were utilized to evaluate the association between unhealthy lifestyles and the risk of T2D incidence.Results About 28.1%of the participants led 4-6 unhealthy lifestyles.A total of 1 752 new T2D cases were identified during 218 513.4 person-years of follow-up.Analysis of single unhealthy lifestyle showed that abnormal WC(HR=1.5,95%CI:1.4-1.7)and abnormal BMI(HR=1.3,95%CI:1.2-1.5)were associated with an increased risk of T2D.Compared with individuals with a UHLS of 0-1,those with a UHLS of 3 and 4-6 had 30%(95%CI:1.1-1.6)and 50%(95%CI:1.2-1.8)higher risks of T2D,respectively.Each additional unhealthy lifestyle was associated with a 10%increase in T2D incidence risk(HR=1.1,95%CI:1.1-1.2).Conclusion The risk of T2D in adult residents increases with the cumulative number of unhealthy lifestyles.Adult residents with abnormal WC or BMI,or have three or more unhealthy lifestyles accumulated,will increase the risk of new-onset T2D.

A mounting body of research suggests that circRNAs significantly contribute to the develop-ment of myocardial fibrosis.The microarray results of human circular RNA expression profile indicated that circHERC4_041 expression increased in the myocardium of patients with heart failure,RT-qPCR a-nalysis confirmed that the myocardial expression level of circHERC4_041 in individuals with heart failure were considerably elevated compared to that in healthy organ donors.Fluorescence in situ hybridization(FISH)confirmed that circHERC4_041 was abundant in the cytoplasm of human cardiomyocyte AC16.Overexpression of circHERC4_041 in mouse myocardial fibroblasts(mCFs)mediated by adenovirus in-hibited the expression of fibrosis-related proteins in mCFs.Experiments involving cell proliferation,wound healing,and Transwell assays demonstrated that overexpression of circHERC4_041 suppressed the growth and mobility of mCFs(P＜0.001).Sequence analysis results suggested that circHERC4_041 con-tains potential ribosome entry sequence(IRES)and open reading frame(ORF).Western blot confirmed that circHERC4_041 could translate the 516 amino acid HERC4-516aa protein,which was mainly located in the cytoplasm of the cell.Cell functional experiments confirmed that circHERC4_041 inhibited the fi-brotic phenotype of mCFs by specifically translating HERC4-516aa(P＜0.05).The specific interaction between HERC4-516aa and transglutaminase 2(TGM2)was confirmed by IP-MS screening and Co-IP i-dentification.Further results found that the degradation of TGM2 was promoted through proteasome path-way.The overexpression of TGM2 in mCFs facilitated by adenoviral vectors could counteract the suppres-sive effects of HERC4-516aa on the fibrotic phenotype of mCFs.Therefore,this study confirmed that the HERC4-516aa protein translated by circHERC4_041 can specifically bind to TGM2 to inhibit the fibrotic phenotype of myocardial fibroblasts.