Although video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) offers clear advantages, including minimal trauma and rapid recovery, stable intraoperative visualization still depends heavily on the camera assistant. Traditional manual endoscope holding is therefore susceptible to several limitations, including image instability, assistant fatigue, and poor coordination with the primary surgeon. Operating in complex and confined anatomical spaces with a rigid thoracoscope further increases the demands on hand-eye coordination. Thoracoscopic camera-holding technology has progressively evolved from passive support systems to active camera holders and robot-assisted thoracic surgery (RATS) platforms, and is now advancing toward artificial intelligence-driven tracking and intelligent control. Based on this, a series of devices, including multifunctional intelligent assistant arms and active camera-holding arms for thoracic surgery, have been developed and have attracted increasing attention. This article reviews the development of intelligent camera-holding assistant arms and discusses related advances and future directions in the field.

Objective To identify renal function and other readily accessible indicators influencing the prognosis of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) patients after nephrectomy, and to construct a prognostic prediction model based on them. Methods The clinical and pathological data of 624 RCC patients undergoing radical or partial nephrectomy in the First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University during Jan. 2013 and Dec. 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. The independent prognostic factors affecting postoperative overall survival (OS) were identified with LASSO algorithm combined with Cox regression analysis. Based on these factors, a nomogram was constructed to predict the 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates. The performance of the model was evaluated using the concordance index (C-index), time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and the area under the curve (AUC), calibration plots, and decision curve analysis (DCA). Finally, the cutoff value of the nomogram was calculated to stratify patients into risk groups. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis with log-rank testing was performed to compare outcomes between the risk groups. Results Nine independent prognostic factors were identified, including age, smoking history, diabetes mellitus history, maximum tumor diameter, tumor subtype, N stage, Fuhrman grade, preoperative serum creatinine and cystatin C (P＜0.05). The nomogram achieved a C-index of 0.891, with time-dependent AUC of 0.920, 0.903, and 0.867 for 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS, respectively. Calibration curves showed excellent agreement with actual observations, and DCA demonstrated significant clinical net benefits across a wide threshold probability range. Using a cutoff score of 110.4, Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed statistically significant survival differences between risk groups (P＜0.001). Conclusion The proposed nomogram, incorporating renal function and other readily accessible clinical indicators, exhibits strong predictive accuracy for postoperative survival in RCC patients and may serve as a practical tool for individualized clinical decision-making.

Objective To explore the feasibility of magnetic compression technique (MCR) in the treatment of severe single mid-ureteral stricture in a rabbit model. Methods After 10 female New Zealand rabbits were selected, the distal end of the right ureter was ligated with silk thread. Two weeks after the operation, when the right ureter was dilated, the mid-ureter was ligated again with silk thread to create a severe single mid-ureteral stricture animal model. Longitudinal incisions were made at the upper and lower ends of the ligation site, and cylindrical NdFeB magnets with central holes (sub-magnets and main magnets) were placed to anastomose and recanalize the mid-ureteral stricture. The magnets were adjusted to the appropriate position to automatically align and attract each other. The longitudinal incision sites of the ureter were sutured with 6-0 Prolene thread, and the abdominal cavity was closed layer by layer. The operation time was recorded. X-ray films were taken every two days to confirm the position of the magnets and record the time of magnet detachment. Three weeks after the operation, the anastomotic specimens were obtained, and the formation of the anastomosis was evaluated with gross observation and histological staining. Results Two weeks after ligation, all experimental rabbits showed obvious dilation of the right ureter. The mid-ureteral ligation and placement of the male and female magnets were successfully completed in all 10 experimental rabbits, with an operation time of (24.00±5.15)minutes. The male and female magnets attracted each other well. X-ray examination showed that the magnets detached and entered the distal ureter (14.0±1.9) days after magnetic compression. The recanalization of the severe single mid-ureteral stricture was successfully achieved. The gross specimens and histological examination of the anastomosis showed that the anastomosis remained patent and the mucosal healing was good. All experimental rabbits survived well after the operation without serious complications. Conclusion MCT provides a new idea and novel method for the treatment of mid-ureteral stricture. This study confirmed the feasibility of this technique in treating severe single mid-ureteral stricture in a rabbit model. The operation is relatively simple and has potential for clinical application.

Objective: This study compared the effects of personalized exercise versus acupuncture on multidimensional cognitive function in individuals at high risk for stroke with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Methods: A randomized controlled trial enrolled 200 stroke-risk adults aged 50−80 years. Ninety participants diagnosed with MCI (MMSE, HIS, CDR criteria) were randomly assigned to exercise (n = 30), acupuncture (n = 30), or control (n = 30) groups. Interventions lasted 6 months. Cognitive outcomes (MMSE, Raven’s Progressive Matrices, Digit Symbol Substitution Test, Animal Fluency, Rey-Osterrieth test, Stroop test) were assessed before and after intervention. Multivariate regression identified risk factors for MCI. ANOVA was used for group comparisons. Results: Hypertension (aOR = 1.5) and diabetes (aOR = 1.3) were significant risk factors for MCI. After intervention, the exercise group showed the largest MMSE improvement (Δ = 5.0), compared with acupuncture (Δ = 3.0) and control (Δ = 1.0) (p < 0.001). Exercise produced greater gains in non-verbal reasoning (31.8% vs. 26.1% in acupuncture, p < 0.01). Acupuncture more effectively enhanced processing speed and attention (DSST: Δ = 26 vs. Δ = 20 in exercise, p = 0.03) and executive function (Stroop interference time: Δ = 16 vs. Δ = 15 seconds in exercise, p = 0.04). Both interventions significantly improved verbal fluency (p < 0.001), with larger benefits in those with baseline MMSE ≤ 20. Conclusion Hypertension and diabetes are key risk factors for MCI in stroke-prone individuals. Exercise yields greater improvement in global cognition and memory, whereas acupuncture is more effective for enhancing attention and executive function. Both modalities benefit verbal fluency, particularly in lower-functioning participants.

Hepatic sinusoidal capillarization is the first event in the process of fibrogenesis， and inhibiting hepatic sinusoidal capillarization can effectively improve the pathological process of liver fibrosis. Various studies have shown that traditional Chinese medicine can significantly inhibit hepatic sinusoidal capillarization. This article systematically reviews the effective constituents， monomers， and compound prescriptions of traditional Chinese medicine， summarizes their mechanism of action in inhibiting hepatic sinusoidal capillarization， and analyzes the theoretical core of traditional Chinese medicine in inhibiting hepatic sinusoidal capillarization from the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine， in order to provide ideas and literature support for the treatment of liver fibrosis.

ObjectiveThe present study aimed to investigate alterations in white matter microstructure and spontaneous neural activity in male college smokers, and to further explore their associations with nicotine dependence. Given that adolescence and early adulthood represent critical periods for brain maturation, particularly for white matter development, understanding the neural correlates of smoking behavior during this stage is of substantial importance for both neuroscience and public health. MethodsA total of 115 male undergraduate students were initially recruited for this study. After quality control and exclusion procedures, 52 male college smokers and 42 demographically matched healthy non-smokers were included in the final analysis. All participants underwent multimodal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), including diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI). White matter fiber tracts were reconstructed using the automated fiber quantification (AFQ) method, which enables precise identification and quantification of major fiber bundles. Eighteen major white matter tracts were segmented for each participant. Along the core trajectory of each tract, 100 equidistant nodes were sampled. Fractional anisotropy (FA) was calculated at each node to assess white matter microstructural integrity, while amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) was computed to evaluate spontaneous neural activity within white matter tracts. Between-group differences in FA and ALFF were assessed using two-sample t-tests, with appropriate corrections applied for multiple comparisons. Furthermore, Pearson correlation analyses were conducted to examine the relationships between imaging-derived metrics (FA and ALFF values in regions showing significant group differences) and nicotine dependence severity, as measured by the Fagerström test for nicotine dependence (FTND). ResultsCompared with healthy non-smokers, male college smokers exhibited significantly increased FA values in several white matter tracts, including the left thalamic radiation, right corticospinal tract, forceps major of the corpus callosum, left uncinate fasciculus, and right arcuate fasciculus. These findings suggest altered microstructural organization or increased directional coherence within these pathways. In addition, smokers demonstrated significantly elevated ALFF values in the forceps major, right uncinate fasciculus, and left arcuate fasciculus, indicating enhanced spontaneous neural activity in these white matter regions. Correlation analyses revealed that FA values in the left thalamic radiation and right corticospinal tract were negatively correlated with FTND scores, suggesting that higher levels of nicotine dependence were associated with reduced microstructural integrity or altered fiber organization in these regions. In contrast, ALFF values in the forceps major and right uncinate fasciculus were positively correlated with FTND scores, indicating that greater nicotine dependence was associated with increased spontaneous neural activity in specific white matter pathways. ConclusionThe present study provides evidence that male college smokers exhibit distinct alterations in both white matter microstructure and functional activity. These abnormalities are not uniformly distributed but rather localized to specific fiber tracts implicated in sensorimotor processing, interhemispheric communication, and higher-order cognitive and emotional regulation. Importantly, the observed associations between imaging metrics and nicotine dependence severity suggest that these structural and functional alterations may reflect neurobiological mechanisms underlying addiction. The combination of AFQ-based tract profiling and multimodal MRI offers a sensitive approach for detecting subtle changes along white matter pathways, highlighting its potential utility in identifying neuroimaging biomarkers of nicotine dependence. Overall, these findings indicate that smoking during early adulthood may disrupt ongoing white matter maturation, potentially leading to long-term consequences for brain function. This study provides novel insights into the neural basis of nicotine dependence and underscores the importance of early intervention and prevention strategies targeting young smokers.

ObjectiveTo analyze the epidemiological characteristics of a local dengue fever cluster outbreak in Qingpu District of Shanghai in 2024, and to provide a reference for subsequent dengue fever prevention and control. MethodsSeven confirmed local dengue fever cases reported through the National Notifiable Infectious Diseases Surveillance System in Qingpu District of Shanghai in 2024 were selected as the research subjects. Descriptive epidemiological methods were used to conduct investigation and analysis from the aspects of onset, medical treatment and reporting, clinical symptoms, travel and contact history within 15 days before onset, and activity trajectories. ResultsA total of 7 cases were identified in this outbreak. None of the cases had a travel history to dengue-endemic areas within 15 days prior to onset, while all had shared exposure environments and mosquito bite histories, indicating a local clustered transmission pattern. The main clinical manifestations included fever (100.00%) and myalgia (42.86%). All 7 cases were positive for dengue virus serotype 2 (DENV-2) by nucleic acid testing. Genetic sequencing showed that the virus strains belonged to the Cosmopolitan genotype and were most closely related to the epidemic DENV strains circulating in southern China in recent years. ConclusionThis outbreak might be a local secondary infection caused by the short-term stay of dengue fever-infected individuals, and the possible source of importation was dengue fever endemic areas in southern China.

ObjectiveTo clarify whether METTL14 mediates the core role of acupuncture at Neiguan (PC6) in promoting myelination and improving behavior in young autistic rats through gene intervention technology. MethodsThe ASD model was established by intraperitoneal injection of valproic acid (VPA) in pregnant rats. Male offspring were intracerebroventricularly injected with adenovirus-packaged METTL14 shRNA (sh-METTL14) or its control (sh-NC) on postnatal day 1, with a model group set as well. Subsequently, the juvenile rats were divided into model group, acupuncture group, acupuncture+sh-NC group, and acupuncture+sh-METTL14 group. The acupuncture group received acupuncture at Neiguan (PC6) from postnatal day 7, once daily for 21 consecutive days. Neurobehavioral changes were evaluated by behavioral tests; METTL14 knockdown efficiency and the expression of METTL14, METTL3, and PTEN were detected by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western blot (WB); PTEN m⁶A levels were measured by RNA immunoprecipitation-qPCR (RIP-qPCR); myelin ultrastructure, expression of myelin basic protein (MBP) and neurofascin 155 (NF155), and dendritic spine density were observed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), immunofluorescence, qRT-PCR, and primary neuron culture. ResultsBehaviorally, knockdown of METTL14 significantly counteracted the beneficial effects of acupuncture in improving self-grooming, open field exploration, three-chamber social interaction, and Morris water maze learning and memory (P<0.05, P<0.01). Compared with the acupuncture+sh-NC group, the acupuncture+sh-METTL14 group showed significantly decreased mRNA and protein expression of hippocampal METTL14 (P<0.01), and the upregulating effects of acupuncture on METTL3 and PTEN expression were reversed (P<0.01). Meanwhile, knockdown of METTL14 significantly inhibited the acupuncture-induced increase in PTEN m⁶A levels (P<0.01). Morphologically, knockdown of METTL14 attenuated the improvement of myelin structure by acupuncture, reversed the downregulation of MBP and upregulation of NF155 induced by acupuncture, and blocked the increase in dendritic spine density (P<0.05, P<0.01). ConclusionMETTL14 is a key molecule mediating the therapeutic effect of acupuncture at Neiguan. Acupuncture at Neiguan upregulates METTL14, thereby enhancing m⁶A methylation modification of PTEN mRNA to stabilize its expression, ultimately promoting myelin development and improving behavioral symptoms in ASD juvenile rats. This preliminarily reveals the modern biological connotation of “opening Xuanfu and dredging myelin”.

ObjectiveTo explore the function and role of UFL1 in maintaining the genomic stability of prostate cancer （PCa） cells. MethodsThe differentially expressed genes in the two groups of data with high and low PCa aneuploidy levels were analyzed using bioinformatics and RNA-seq. Gene set enrichment analysis （GSEA） was conducted to identify biological processes associated with UFL1. Functional assays， including immunofluorescence， CCK-8， colony formation， wound healing， and apoptosis assays， were employed to evaluate the effects of UFL1 on the mitotic progression， proliferation， migration， and apoptosis of PCa cells. ResultsIntegrated bioinformatics and RNA-seq analyses identified that UFL1 showed low expression in PCa tissues and cell lines with high genomic instability characteristics. GSEA further indicated an association between UFL1 and mitotic biological processes. Subsequent immunofluorescence experiments demonstrated that UFL1 depletion increased the frequency of chromosomal segregation errors during mitosis in PCa cells. Functional in vitro assays， including CCK-8， colony formation， wound healing， and apoptosis analysis， consistently revealed that after the knockdown of UFL1 in PCa cells， the proliferation activity and migration ability of the cells showed a weakened trend， while the apoptosis rate showed an upward trend. ConclusionUFL1 maintains genomic stability by precisely regulating the mitotic process of PCa cells， thereby promoting the proliferation of PCa cells.

ObjectiveTo investigate the functional role and underlying molecular mechanisms of fumarylacetoacetate hydrolase （FAH） in the progression of glioblastoma （GBM）. MethodsDifferential expression analysis was performed on the TCGA-GBM， GSE4290， and GSE116520 datasets. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis （WGCNA） was used to identify key modules， and Cox regression and risk modeling were used to screen prognostic genes. Immune infiltration analysis of prognostic genes was carried out by using single-cell RNA sequencing panels. The clinical expression signature of FAH in GBM was analyzed in the TCGA and HPA databases. The functional role of FAH was validated by in vitro and in vivo experiments， and pathway analysis was performed to explore the underlying mechanisms. ResultsA total of 152 overlapping genes were identified across the three GBM datasets （P<0.05）. WGCNA revealed that the turquoise module was most strongly associated with tumor purity， stromal score， immune score， and ESTIMATE score （P<0.001）. Compared with normal tissues， three prognostic genes （CTSD， FAH， and THBD） were upregulated in GBM and correlated with immune infiltration （P<0.05）. FAH mRNA and protein levels were elevated in GBM tissues relative to normal tissues， and its expression was significantly associated with age stratification and TP53 mutation （P<0.05）. CCK-8 assay results showed that， compared with the shNC group， the proliferative activity of GBM cells in the shFAH group was reduced （P<0.001）. Transwell migration and invasion assays demonstrated that， relative to the shNC group， the numbers of migrated and invaded cells in the shFAH group decreased （P<0.05）. Western blot analysis revealed that the protein expression levels of PI3K， p-AKT， and p-mTOR in the shFAH group decreased compared with those in the shNC group （P<0.05）. In vivo subcutaneous xenograft experiments further confirmed that tumor volume and weight significantly decreased in the shFAH group compared with the shNC group （P<0.001）. ConclusionFAH promotes GBM progression by activating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway and may serve as a potential therapeutic target for GBM.