ObjectiveThe widespread adoption of portable fundus cameras for primary care and community screening is hindered by limitations in current autofocus(AF) technologies. Image-based methods relying on sharpness evaluation require iterative searches, resulting in slow convergence, while projection-based techniques are susceptible to optical artifacts and calibration errors. To address these challenges, this study introduces a novel AF system based on direct wavefront sensing, designed to deliver simultaneous high speed, high precision, and operational robustness within the compact form factor essential for portable ophthalmic devices. MethodsOur approach fundamentally reimagines the AF process by directly measuring the ocular wavefront aberration. We developed a custom portable fundus camera integrating a miniaturized Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor (SHWS) into the optical path. An 850 nm laser diode projects a point source onto the retina via oblique illumination to minimize corneal reflections. Light scattered from this spot carries the eye’s refractive error through the imaging optics and is directed to the SHWS, positioned at a plane optically conjugate to the primary color CMOS imaging sensor. A microlens array within the SHWS samples the incident wavefront, generating a pattern of focal spots on a CCD. Real-time centroid analysis of these spots provides a map of local wavefront slopes. These measurements are processed through a singular value decomposition (SVD) algorithm to fit a Zernike polynomial basis set, enabling real-time reconstruction of the wavefront phase. The defocus component (S) is extracted from the second-order Zernike coefficients, providing a direct, quantitative measure of the refractive error in diopters. This value serves as a precise error signal in a closed-loop control system, which commands a voice-coil actuated focusing lens to its null position in a single, deterministic step, eliminating the need for iterative search algorithms. ResultsComprehensive evaluation demonstrated the system’s high performance. Testing on a calibrated model eye (OEMI-7) established a highly linear relationship between the computed defocus S and the focusing lens position across a ±20 Diopter (D) compensation range, achievable within a 5 mm mechanical travel. The system achieved a focusing precision of 0.08 D, corresponding to an 18-fold improvement over a conventional projection spot-size method tested under identical conditions. The total focus acquisition time, encompassing wavefront measurement, computation, and lens actuation, averaged under 0.5 s. Clinical validation with 25 human volunteers (50 eyes, refractive range -15 D to +10 D) confirmed practical efficacy. The wavefront-sensing AF succeeded in 92% of attempts with a mean time of 0.5 s, substantially outperforming a projection-based benchmark which achieved only a 32% success rate with an average time of 4.25 s. The system provided instantaneous directional guidance and maintained stability during minor ocular movements. Objective assessment of image quality, via amplitude contrast of retinal vasculature, showed consistent and significant enhancement following AF correction across the entire tested diopter range. ConclusionThis work successfully implements and validates a direct wavefront-sensing autofocus paradigm for portable fundus cameras. By directly quantifying and compensating for the optical defocus aberration, this method bypasses the fundamental limitations of image-processing and projection-based techniques, enabling rapid, precise, and deterministic diopter compensation. The developed system delivers an exceptional combination of a wide operational range (±20 D), high accuracy (0.08 D), fast convergence (0.5 s), and a compact physical footprint. This technology provides a practical and high-performance focusing solution capable of enhancing the reliability, throughput, and diagnostic utility of portable retinal imaging in large-scale screening applications. Future efforts will be directed towards system cost optimization and performance adaptation for diverse ocular conditions.

Mitochondria, functioning not only as the central hub of cellular energy metabolism but also as semi-autonomous organelles, orchestrate cellular fate decisions through their endogenous mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), which encodes core components of the electron transport chain. Emerging research has identified microRNAs localized within mitochondria, termed mitochondria-located microRNAs (mitomiRs). Recent studies have revealed that mitomiRs are transcribed from nuclear DNA (nDNA), processed and matured in the cytoplasm, and subsequently transported into mitochondria. mitomiRs regulate mtDNA through diverse mechanisms, including modulation of mtDNA expression at the translational level and direct binding to mtDNA to influence transcription. Aberrant expression of mitomiRs leads to mitochondrial dysfunction and contributes to the pathogenesis of metabolic diseases. Restoring mitomiR expression to physiological levels using mitomiRs mimics or inhibitors has been shown to improve mitochondrial function and alleviate related diseases. Consequently, the regulatory mechanisms of mitomiRs have become a major focus in mitochondrial research. Given that mitomiRs are located in mitochondria, targeted delivery strategies designed for mtDNA can be adapted for the delivery of mitomiRs mimics or inhibitors. However, numerous intracellular and extracellular barriers remain, highlighting the need for more precise and efficient delivery systems in the future. The regulation of mtDNA expression mediated by mitomiRs not only expands our understanding of miRNA functions in post-transcriptional gene regulation but also provides promising molecular targets for the treatment of mitochondrial-related diseases. This review systematically summarizes recent research progress on mitomiRs in regulating mtDNA expression and discusses the underlying mechanisms of mitomiRs-mtDNA interactions. Additionally, it provides new perspectives on precision therapeutic strategies, with a particular emphasis on mitomiRs-based regulation of mitochondrial function in mitochondrial-related diseases.

Optical imaging is highly valued for its superior temporal and spatial resolution. This is particularly important in near-infrared II (NIR-II, 1 000-3 000 nm) imaging, which offers advantages such as reduced tissue absorption, minimal scattering, and low autofluorescence. These characteristics make NIR-II imaging especially suitable for deep tissue visualization, where high contrast and minimal background interference are critical for accurate diagnosis and monitoring. Currently, inorganic fluorescent probes—such as carbon nanotubes, rare earth nanoparticles, and quantum dots—offer high brightness and stability. However, they are hindered by ambiguous structures, larger sizes, and potential accumulation toxicity in vivo. In contrast, organic fluorescent probes, including small molecules and polymers, demonstrate higher biocompatibility but are limited by shorter emission wavelengths, lower quantum yields, and reduced stability. Recently, gold clusters have emerged as a promising class of nanomaterials with potential applications in biocatalysis, fluorescence sensing, biological imaging, and more. Water-soluble gold clusters are particularly attractive as fluorescent probes due to their remarkable optical properties, including strong photoluminescence, large Stokes shifts, and excellent photostability. Furthermore, their outstanding biocompatibility—attributed to good aqueous stability, ultra-small hydrodynamic size, and high renal clearance efficiency—makes them especially suitable for biomedical applications. Gold clusters hold significant potential for NIR-II fluorescence imaging. Atomic-precision gold clusters, typically composed of tens to hundreds of gold atoms and measuring only a few nanometers in diameter, possess well-defined three-dimensional structures and clear spatial coordination. This atomic-level precision enables fine-tuned structural regulation, further enhancing their fluorescence properties. Variations in cluster size, surface ligands, and alloying elements can result in distinct physicochemical characteristics. The incorporation of different atoms can modulate the atomic and electronic structures of gold clusters, while diverse ligands can influence surface polarity and steric hindrance. As such, strategies like alloying and ligand engineering are effective in enhancing both fluorescence and catalytic performance, thereby meeting a broader range of clinical needs. In recent years, gold clusters have attracted growing attention in the biomedical field. Their application in NIR-II imaging has led to significant progress in vascular, organ, and tumor imaging. The resulting high-resolution, high signal-to-noise imaging provides powerful tools for clinical diagnostics. Moreover, biologically active gold clusters can aid in drug delivery and disease diagnosis and treatment, offering new opportunities for clinical therapeutics. Despite the notable achievements in fundamental research and clinical translation, further studies are required to address challenges related to the standardized synthesis and complex metabolic behavior of gold clusters. Resolving these issues will help accelerate their clinical adoption and broaden their biomedical applications.

This study explores the mechanism of Guben Jiannao Liquid on Alzheimer's disease(AD) by regulating autophagy based on the liver kinase B1(LKB1)/adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase(AMPK)/mammalian target of rapamycin(mTOR) pathway. Male SD rats were randomly divided into the blank group, model group, low-dose and high-dose groups of Guben Jiannao Liquid, and rapamycin group, with 10 rats in each group. Except for the blank group, all other groups of rats were injected bilaterally in the hippocampus with β-amyloid(Aβ)_(1-42) to establish the AD model. The low-dose(6.21 g·kg~(-1)) and high-dose(12.42 g·kg~(-1)) groups of Guben Jiannao Liquid and rapamycin group(1 mg·kg~(-1)) were given the corresponding drugs by gavage, and the blank and model groups were given an equal volume of saline by gavage for four weeks. Morris water maze was used to test the learning and memory ability of rats in each group; hematoxylin-eosin(HE) and Nissl staining were used to observe the morphological and quantitative changes of neurons and Nissl bodies in the CA1 region of rat hippocampus; immunohistochemistry was utilized to detect Aβ-positive cell expression in the CA1 region of rat hippocampus; transmission electron microscopy was employed to observe ultrastructural changes in rat hippocampal tissue, and Western blot was used to examine the protein expression levels of LKB1, p-AMPK/AMPK, p-mTOR/mTOR, Beclin1, p62, and LC3-Ⅱ in the hippocampal tissue of the rats. The results showed that compared with those in the blank group, rats in the model group had elevated evasion latency and decreased number of platform transversal and residence time in the platform quadrant. The number of neurons in the hippocampal area was reduced, and the morphology was impaired. The average integral optical density value of Aβ-positive cells was elevated; the expression levels of LKB1, p-AMPK/AMPK, Beclin1, and LC3-Ⅱ were decreased, and the expression levels of p-mTOR/mTOR and p62 were increased. Compared with those in the model group, rats in the low-dose and high-dose groups of Guben Jiannao Liquid had shorter evasion latency, higher number of platform transversal, longer residence time in the platform quadrant, increased number of neurons, decreased expression of Aβ-positive cells and average integral optical density values, and increased number of autophagic lysosomes in hippocampal tissue. The expression levels of LKB1, Beclin1, and LC3-Ⅱ were elevated in the hippocampus of rats in the low-dose group of Guben Jiannao Liquid. The expression levels of LKB1, p-AMPK/AMPK, Beclin1, and LC3-Ⅱ were elevated in the hippocampal tissue of rats in the high-dose group of Guben Jiannao Liquid, and the expression levels of p-mTOR/mTOR and p62 were decreased. The findings suggest that Guben Jiannao Liquid can improve cognitive impairment in AD rats, and its mechanism of action may be related to the activation of the LKB1/AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway and the up-regulation of autophagy level.
Animals ; Alzheimer Disease/physiopathology* ; Male ; TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases/genetics* ; Autophagy/drug effects* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases/genetics* ; AMP-Activated Protein Kinases/genetics* ; Rats ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; AMP-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases ; Humans ; Hippocampus/metabolism*

This study aims to investigate the effect of Congrong San(CRS) on endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced neuroinflammation in the rat model of Aβ_(1-42)-induced Alzheimer's disease(AD). Sixty male Sprague-Dawley rats(2 months old) were randomized into blank(CON), model(MOD), low-dose Congrong San(L-CRS), medium-dose Congrong San(M-CRS), high-dose Congrong San(H-CRS), and memantine hydrochloride(MJG) groups. The Morris water maze test was carried out to examine the learning and memory abilities of rats in each group. Hematoxylin-eosin staining and Nissl staining were employed to observe the morphology and number of CA1 neurons in the hippocampus of rats in each group. The morphology and structure of the endoplasmic reticulum in the hippocampus were observed by transmission electron microscopy. The immunofluorescence assay was employed to detect the expression of 78 kDa glucose-regulated protein(GRP78) in the hippocampus. Western blot was employed to determine the expression of apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD(ASC), cysteinyl aspartate-specific proteinase(caspase-1), interleukin-18(IL-18), interleukin-1β(IL-1β), GRP78, and pathway proteins including protein kinase RNA-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase(PERK), phosphorylated PERK(p-PERK), C/EBP homologous protein(CHOP), and NOD-like receptor pyrin domain-containing protein 3(NLRP3) in the rat hippocampus. Compared with the MOD group, the M-CRS and H-CRS groups showed improved learning and memory abilities, reduced neuron losses in the hippocampus, alleviated endoplasmic reticulum stress, inhibited PERK-CHOP-NLRP3 pathway, and lowered levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-α). The results suggest that CRS can alleviate cognitive impairment and hippocampal neuron damage and reduce neuroinflammation in AD rats by alleviating endoplasmic reticulum stress to inhibit the activation of NLRP3 inflammasomes.
Animals ; Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress/drug effects* ; Male ; Alzheimer Disease/psychology* ; NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein/metabolism* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rats ; Inflammasomes/genetics* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Cognitive Dysfunction/metabolism* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Hippocampus/drug effects* ; Humans ; Neuroinflammatory Diseases/drug therapy*

Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum is a precious animal-derived Chinese medicinal material, while there are often adulterants derived from animals not specified in the Chinese Pharmacopeia in the market, which disturbs the safety of medication. This study was conducted with the aim of strengthening the quality control of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum and standardizing the medication. To achieve digital identification of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum from different sources, a digital identification model was constructed based on ultra-high performance liquid chromatography tandem quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry(UHPLC-QTOF-MS~E) combined with an adaptive boosting algorithm(Adaboost). The young furred antlers of sika deer, red deer, elk, and reindeer were processed and then subjected to polypeptide analysis by UHPLC-QTOF-MS~E. Then, the mass spectral data reflecting the polypeptide information were obtained by digital quantification. Next, the key data were obtained by feature screening based on Gini index, and the digital identification model was constructed by Adaboost. The model was evaluated based on the recall rate, F_1 composite score, and accuracy. Finally, the results of identification based on the constructed digital identification model were validated. The results showed that when the Gini index was used to screen the data of top 100 characteristic polypeptides, the digital identification model based on Adaboost had the best performance, with the recall rate, F_1 composite score, and accuracy not less than 0.953. The validation analysis showed that the accuracy of the identification of the 10 batches of samples was as high as 100.0%. Therefore, based on UHPLC-QTOF-MS~E and Adaboost algorithm, the digital identification of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum can be realized efficiently and accurately, which can provide reference for the quality control and original animal identification of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum.
Animals ; Algorithms ; Antlers/chemistry* ; Boosting Machine Learning Algorithms ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid/methods* ; Deer ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Mass Spectrometry/methods* ; Quality Control ; Reindeer ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry/methods* ; Tissue Extracts/analysis*

The interactions between microorganisms and medicinal plants are crucial to the quality improvement of medicinal plants. Medicinal plants attract microorganisms to colonize by secreting specific compounds and provide niche and nutrient support for these microorganisms, with a symbiotic network formed. These microorganisms grow in the rhizosphere, phyllosphere, and endophytic tissues of plants and significantly improve the growth performance and medicinal component accumulation of medicinal plants by promoting nutrient uptake, enhancing disease resistance, and regulating the synthesis of secondary metabolites. Microorganisms are also widely used in the ecological planting of medicinal plants, and the growth conditions of medicinal plants are optimized by simulating the microbial effects in the natural environment. The interactions between microorganisms and medicinal plants not only significantly improve the yield and quality of medicinal plants but also enhance their geoherbalism, which is in line with the concept of green agriculture and eco-friendly development. This study reviewed the research results on the interactions between medicinal plants and microorganisms in recent years and focused on the analysis of the great potential of microorganisms in optimizing the growth environment of medicinal plants, regulating the accumulation of secondary metabolites, inducing systemic resistance, and promoting the ecological planting of medicinal plants. It provides a scientific basis for the research on the interactions between medicinal plants and microorganisms, the research and development of microbial agents, and the application of microorganisms in the ecological planting of medicinal plants and is of great significance for the quality improvement of medicinal plants and the green and sustainable development of TCM resources.
Plants, Medicinal/metabolism* ; Bacteria/genetics* ; Symbiosis

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of single Kirschner wire assisted poking and closed reduction in the treatment of Gartland type Ⅲ supracondylar humeral fractures in children. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on patients diagnosed with Gravland type Ⅲ supracondylar humeral fractures between January 2022 and June 2023. A total of 46 patients were treated with closed reduction assisted by Kirschner wires and percutaneous Kirschner wire internal fixation.There were 25 males and 21 females. The age ranged from 5 to 10 years old, with an average of (5.8±1.8) years old. The left side was involved in 28 patients and the right side in 18 patients. Record the operative duration for patients, the number of fluoroscopic exposures, fracture healing time, postoperative carrying angle, Baumann angle, elbow joint function score at three months post-operation, and any associated complications. RESULTS: All 46 patients were followed up for a period of 12 to 16 weeks, with an average of (13.74±1.44 )weeks. The operation duration was (30.7±5.1) minutes, the fluoroscopy count was (10.2±2.7) times, the postoperative carrying angle of the elbow joint was (8.7±2.2) degrees, and the Baumann angle was (71.5±2.9) degrees. All fractures achieved successful union in all patients, with a mean healing time of (25.5±1.7) days.At the final follow-up, elbow joint function was assessed using the Flynn criteria, with 43 patients rated as excellent and 3 patients rated as good. No complications were observed, including cubitus varus, nerve injury, or local infection. CONCLUSION The use of a single Kirschner wire assisted prying reduction for treating Gartland type Ⅲ supracondylar humeral fractures in children demonstrates excellent clinical efficacy and safety.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Child ; Bone Wires ; Child, Preschool ; Humeral Fractures/physiopathology* ; Retrospective Studies ; Fracture Fixation, Internal/instrumentation* ; Treatment Outcome ; Fracture Healing