Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) decoction pieces are a core carrier for the inheritance and innovation of TCM, and their quality and safety are critical to public health and the sustainable development of the industry. Conventional quality control models, while having established a well-developed system through long-term practice, still face challenges such as relatively long inspection cycles, insufficient objectivity in characterizing complex traits, and urgent needs for improving the efficiency of integrating multidimensional quality information when confronted with the dual demands of large-scale production and precision quality control. With the rapid development of artificial intelligence, machine learning can deeply analyze multidimensional data of the morphology, spectroscopy, and chemical fingerprints of decoction pieces by constructing high-dimensional feature space analysis models, significantly improving the standardization level and decision-making efficiency of quality evaluation. This article reviews the research progress in the application of machine learning in the processing, production, and rapid quality evaluation of TCM decoction pieces. It further analyzes current challenges in technological implementation and proposes potential solutions, offering theoretical and technical references to advance the digital and intelligent transformation of the industry.
Machine Learning ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/standards* ; Quality Control ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional/standards* ; Humans

OBJECTIVE: Recombination events are common and serve as the primary driving force of diverse human adenovirus (HAdV), particularly in children with acute respiratory tract infections (ARIs). Therefore, continual monitoring of these events is essential for effective viral surveillance and control. METHODS: Respiratory specimens were collected from children with ARIs between January 2022 and December 2023. The penton base, hexon, and fiber genes were amplified from HAdV-positive specimens and sequenced to determine the virus type. In cases with inconsistent typing results, genes were cloned into the pGEM-T vector to detect recombination events. Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) was performed to characterize the recombinant HAdV genomes. RESULTS: Among 6,771 specimens, 277 (4.09%, 277/6,771) were positvie for HAdV, of which 157 (56.68%, 157/277) were successfully typed, with HAdV-B3 being the dominant type (91.08%, 143/157), and 14 (5.05%, 14/277) exhibited inconsistent typing results, six of which belonged to species B. The penton base genes of these six specimens were classified as HAdV-B7, whereas their hexon and fiber genes were classified as HAdV-B3, resulting in a recombinant genotype designated P7H3F3, which closely resembled HAdV-B114. Additionally, a partial gene encoding L1 52/55 kD was identified, which originated from HAdV-B16. CONCLUSION A novel recombinant, P7H3F3, was identified, containing sequences derived from HAdV-B3 and HAdV-B7, which is similar to HAdV-B114, along with additional sequences from HAdV-B16.
Humans ; Adenoviruses, Human/isolation & purification* ; Respiratory Tract Infections/epidemiology* ; Child, Preschool ; Child ; Recombination, Genetic ; Male ; Beijing/epidemiology* ; Infant ; Female ; Phylogeny ; Adenovirus Infections, Human/epidemiology* ; Acute Disease ; Genome, Viral

Testicular histology based on testicular biopsy is an important factor for determining appropriate testicular sperm extraction surgery and predicting sperm retrieval outcomes in patients with azoospermia. Therefore, we developed a deep learning (DL) model to establish the associations between testicular grayscale ultrasound images and testicular histology. We retrospectively included two-dimensional testicular grayscale ultrasound from patients with azoospermia (353 men with 4357 images between July 2017 and December 2021 in The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China) to develop a DL model. We obtained testicular histology during conventional testicular sperm extraction. Our DL model was trained based on ultrasound images or fusion data (ultrasound images fused with the corresponding testicular volume) to distinguish spermatozoa presence in pathology (SPP) and spermatozoa absence in pathology (SAP) and to classify maturation arrest (MA) and Sertoli cell-only syndrome (SCOS) in patients with SAP. Areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUCs), accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity were used to analyze model performance. DL based on images achieved an AUC of 0.922 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.908-0.935), a sensitivity of 80.9%, a specificity of 84.6%, and an accuracy of 83.5% in predicting SPP (including normal spermatogenesis and hypospermatogenesis) and SAP (including MA and SCOS). In the identification of SCOS and MA, DL on fusion data yielded better diagnostic performance with an AUC of 0.979 (95% CI: 0.969-0.989), a sensitivity of 89.7%, a specificity of 97.1%, and an accuracy of 92.1%. Our study provides a noninvasive method to predict testicular histology for patients with azoospermia, which would avoid unnecessary testicular biopsy.
Humans ; Male ; Azoospermia/diagnostic imaging* ; Deep Learning ; Testis/pathology* ; Retrospective Studies ; Adult ; Ultrasonography/methods* ; Sperm Retrieval ; Sertoli Cell-Only Syndrome/diagnostic imaging*

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is prevalent among men, but its relationship with dietary habits is uncertain. The aim of our study was to assess whether dietary patterns enhance erectile function by reviewing the literature published before August 1, 2022, via PubMed, Web of Science, and EMBASE databases. The data compiled included author details; publication dates, countries, treatments, patient numbers, ages, follow-ups, and clinical trial outcomes, such as ED cases, odds ratios (ORs), confidence intervals (CIs), and International Index of Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5) scores with means and standard deviations. An analysis of 14 studies with 27 389 participants revealed that plant-based diets (OR = 0.71, 95% CI: 0.66-0.75; P < 0.00001), low-fat diets (OR = 0.27, 95% CI: 0.13-0.53; P = 0.0002), and alternative diets such as intermittent fasting and organic diets (OR = 0.54, 95% CI: 0.36-0.80; P = 0.002) significantly reduced ED risk. High-protein low-fat diets (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.38, 95% CI: 1.12-1.64; P < 0.00001) and high-carb low-fat diets (HR = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.55-1.04; P < 0.00001) improved IIEF-5 scores. Combined diet and exercise interventions decreased the likelihood of ED (OR = 0.49, 95% CI: 0.28-0.85; P = 0.01) and increased the IIEF-5 score (OR = 3.40, 95% CI: 1.69-5.11; P < 0.0001). Diets abundant in fruits and vegetables (OR = 0.97, 95% CI: 0.96-0.98; P < 0.00001) and nuts (OR = 0.54, 95% CI: 0.37-0.80; P = 0.002) were also correlated with lower ED risk. Our meta-analysis underscores a strong dietary-ED association, suggesting that low-fat/Mediterranean diets rich in produce and nuts could benefit ED management.
Humans ; Male ; Erectile Dysfunction/epidemiology* ; Diet ; Diet, Fat-Restricted ; Feeding Behavior ; Penile Erection/physiology* ; Diet, Vegetarian

OBJECTIVE: Investigating the clinical efficacy of treating dorsally displaced distal radial double-column Die-punch fractures using a dorsal approach external fixator combined with Kirschner wires. METHODS: Retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 15 patients with distal radial double-column Die-punch fractures treated with an external fixator combined with Kirschner wire between July 2020 and January 2023. There were 10 males and 5 females;6 cases on the left side and 9 on the right;age ranged from 22 to 76 years old. Recorded the preoperative and the final follow-up Cooney wrist function scores for the patients. The fracture healing time, and occurrence of complications were recorded. RESULTS: All 15 patients were followed up ranged from 12 to 16 months post-operation. All fractures achieved bony union, healing time ranging form 8 to 16 weeks. Not a single patient exhibited complications such as surgical site infection, fracture redislocation, or tendon injury. All individuals had their Kirschner wires and external fixation devices removed six weeks post-operatively and commenced rehabilitative therapy for wrist articulation. The Cooney wrist function scores at preoperative and ranged from 5 to 45 scores, at the latest follow-up ranged from 65 to 100 scores. At the final follow-up, the results were assessed as excellent in 10 patients, good in 4 patients, and fair in 1 patient. CONCLUSION The clinical efficacy of treating distal radial double-column Die-punch fractures using a dorsal approach external fixator combined with Kirschner wires is satisfactory.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; External Fixators ; Bone Wires ; Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Radius Fractures/physiopathology* ; Young Adult ; Fracture Fixation/methods*

OBJECTIVE: Myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury (MIRI) is an obstacle to the success of cardiac reperfusion therapy. This study explores whether luteolin can mitigate MIRI by regulating the p53 signaling pathway. METHODS: Model mice were subjected to a temporary surgical ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery, and administered luteolin. The myocardial infarct size, myocardial enzyme levels, and cardiac function were measured. Latent targets and signaling pathways were screened using network pharmacology and molecular docking. Then, proteins related to the p53 signaling pathway, apoptosis and oxidative stress were measured. Hypoxia/reoxygenation (HR)-incubated HL1 cells were used to validate the effects of luteolin in vitro. In addition, a p53 agonist and an inhibitor were used to investigate the mechanism. RESULTS: Luteolin reduced the myocardial infarcted size and myocardial enzymes, and restored cardiac function in MIRI mice. Network pharmacology identified p53 as a hub target. The bioinformatic analyses showed that luteolin had anti-apoptotic and anti-oxidative properties. Additionally, luteolin halted the activation of p53, and prevented both apoptosis and oxidative stress in myocardial tissue in vivo. Furthermore, luteolin inhibited cell apoptosis, JC-1 monomer formation, and reactive oxygen species elevation in HR-incubated HL1 cells in vitro. Finally, the p53 agonist NSC319726 downregulated the protective attributes of luteolin in the MIRI mouse model, and both luteolin and the p53 inhibitor pifithrin-α demonstrated a similar therapeutic effect in the MIRI mice. CONCLUSION Luteolin effectively treats MIRI and may ameliorate myocardial damage by regulating apoptosis and oxidative stress through its targeting of the p53 signaling pathway. Please cite this article as: Zhai P, Ouyang XH, Yang ML, Lin L, Li JY, Li YM, Cheng X, Zhu R, Hu DS. Luteolin protects against myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury by reducing oxidative stress and apoptosis through the p53 pathway. J Integr Med. 2024; 22(6): 652-664.
Luteolin/pharmacology* ; Animals ; Myocardial Reperfusion Injury/metabolism* ; Oxidative Stress/drug effects* ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53/genetics* ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; Mice ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Male ; Disease Models, Animal ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Myocardial Infarction/prevention & control* ; Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolism*

Platelets are reprogrammed by cancer via a process called education, which favors cancer development. The transcriptional profile of tumor-educated platelets (TEPs) is skewed and therefore practicable for cancer detection. This intercontinental, hospital-based, diagnostic study included 761 treatment-naïve inpatients with histologically confirmed adnexal masses and 167 healthy controls from nine medical centers (China, n = 3; Netherlands, n = 5; Poland, n = 1) between September 2016 and May 2019. The main outcomes were the performance of TEPs and their combination with CA125 in two Chinese (VC1 and VC2) and the European (VC3) validation cohorts collectively and independently. Exploratory outcome was the value of TEPs in public pan-cancer platelet transcriptome datasets. The AUCs for TEPs in the combined validation cohort, VC1, VC2, and VC3 were 0.918 (95% CI 0.889-0.948), 0.923 (0.855-0.990), 0.918 (0.872-0.963), and 0.887 (0.813-0.960), respectively. Combination of TEPs and CA125 demonstrated an AUC of 0.922 (0.889-0.955) in the combined validation cohort; 0.955 (0.912-0.997) in VC1; 0.939 (0.901-0.977) in VC2; 0.917 (0.824-1.000) in VC3. For subgroup analysis, TEPs exhibited an AUC of 0.858, 0.859, and 0.920 to detect early-stage, borderline, non-epithelial diseases and 0.899 to discriminate ovarian cancer from endometriosis. TEPs had robustness, compatibility, and universality for preoperative diagnosis of ovarian cancer since it withstood validations in populations of different ethnicities, heterogeneous histological subtypes, and early-stage ovarian cancer. However, these observations warrant prospective validations in a larger population before clinical utilities.
Humans ; Female ; Blood Platelets/pathology* ; Biomarkers, Tumor/genetics* ; Ovarian Neoplasms/pathology* ; China

Objective: To investigate the clinical efficacy of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) for treating steroid-refractory gastrointestinal acute graft-versus-host disease (GI-aGVHD) . Methods: This analysis included 29 patients with hematology who developed steroid-refractory GI-aGVHD after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) in Huaian Hospital Affiliated to Xuzhou Medical University from March 2017 to March 2022. Among them, 19 patients underwent FMT treatment (the FMT group) and 10 patients did not (the control group). The efficacy and safety of FMT were assessed, as well as the changes in intestinal microbiota abundance, lymphocyte subpopulation ratio, peripheral blood inflammatory cytokines, and GVHD biomarkers before and after FMT treatment. Results: ① Complete remission of clinical symptoms after FMT was achieved by 13 (68.4%) patients and 2 (20.0%) controls, with a statistically significant difference (P<0.05). Intestinal microbiota diversity increased and gradually recovered to normal levels after FMT and FMT-related infections did not occur. ②The proportion of CD3(+) and CD8(+) cells in the FMT group after treatment decreased compared with the control group, and the ratio of CD4(+), regulatory T cells (Treg), and CD4(+)/CD8(+) cells increased (all P< 0.05). The interleukin (IL) -6 concentration in the FMT group was lower than that in the control group [4.15 (1.91-5.71) ng/L vs 6.82 (2.40-8.91) ng/L, P=0.040], and the IL-10 concentration in the FMT group was higher than that in the control group [12.11 (5.69-20.36) ng/L vs 7.51 (4.10-9.58) ng/L, P=0.024]. Islet-derived protein 3α (REG3α) was significantly increased in patients with GI-aGVHD, and the REG3α level in the FMT group was lower than that in the control group after treatment [30.70 (10.50-105.00) μg/L vs 74.35 (33.50-139.50) μg/L, P=0.021]. Conclusion: FMT is a safe and effective method for the treatment of steroid-refractory GI-aGVHD by restoring intestinal microbiota diversity, regulating inflammatory cytokines, and upregulating Treg cells.
Humans ; Fecal Microbiota Transplantation/methods* ; Treatment Outcome ; Graft vs Host Disease/etiology* ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation/adverse effects* ; Steroids

Objective: To investigate surgical strategies and the corresponding benefits for patients with perihilar cholangiocarcinoma(pCCA). Methods: A total of 81 patients with pCCA who underwent radical excision in the Department of Biliary and Pancreatic Surgery of Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital between January 2014 and December 2021 were retrospectively collected.The cohort consisted of 50 male and 31 female patients,with an age of (62.5±11.5)years(range:26 to 83 years).Seventy-five cases were diagnosed with jaundice,60 of whom received preoperative biliary drainage,while 20 patients received portal vein embolization.Their serum bilirubin level within one week before the operation(M(IQR)) was 44.3 (41.9) μmol/L(range:8.0 to 344.2 μmol/L).Preoperative imaging examinations were performed to evaluate the Bismuth-Corlette type of pCCA,showing 3,6,21,27,and 24 cases of Bismuth-Corlette type Ⅰ,Ⅱ,Ⅲa,Ⅲb,and Ⅳ,respectively.The primary outcome was overall survival (OS),and the secondary outcomes were relapse-free survival (RFS),90-day postoperative morbidity and 90-day postoperative mortality.OS and RFS were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared by the Log-rank test.Significant prognostic factors were determined using univariate and multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression analyses. Results: In the cohort of 81 pCCA patients,67 cases(82.7%) underwent major hepatectomy while 3 cases received major hepatectomy combined with pancreaticoduodenectomy.Thirty-four patients underwent hepatectomy combined with vascular resection and reconstruction(18 cases of portal vein resection and reconstruction alone;9 cases of hepatic artery resection and reconstruction alone;7 cases of combination of portal vein and hepatic artery resection and reconstruction).Margin negative(R0 excision) were achieved in 53.1%(43/81) of these patients.The operation duration was (627±136)minutes(range:565 to 940 minutes),and the intraoperative blood loss was 400(455)ml(range:200 to 2 800 ml).The 90-day postoperative mortality was 3.7%(3/81).Grade 3-4 postoperative morbidity was 23.4% (19/81) according to the Clavien-Dindo classification of surgical complications.Up to the last follow-up at September 2022,the follow-up time was 34.0(24.2)months (range:0.4 to 103.6 months).Three patients who died within 90 days after surgery were excluded from the survival analysis.The median OS was 36.10 months (95%CI:18.23 to 42.97 months) and the 1-,3-and 5-year OS rates were 85.3%,46.8% and 27.3%,respectively.The median OS of 41 patients with negative margins was 47.83 months(95%CI:36.90 to 58.80 months) and that of 37 patients with positive margins was 20.47 months(95%CI:10.52 to 30.58 months).The median RFS of 70 patients with R0 and R1 resection was 24.50 months(95%CI:12.15 to 31.85 months)and the 1-,3-and 5-year RFS rates were 65.2%,45.7% and 29.9%,respectively.The median RFS of 41 patients with R0 resection was 38.57 months(95%CI:21.50 to 55.63 months) and that of 29 patients with R1 resection was 10.83 months(95%CI:2.82 to 19.86 months). Conclusions: The primary therapy for pCCA is radical surgical resection.A precise preoperative evaluation and sufficient preparation can reduce postoperative morbidity.Surgical treatment can achieve a better survival outcome by increasing the radical resection rate.

Since Curcumae Radix decoction pieces have multiple sources, it is difficult to distinguish depending on traditional cha-racters, and the mixed use of multi-source Curcumae Radix will affect its clinical efficacy. Heracles Neo ultra-fast gas phase electronic nose was used in this study to quickly identify and analyze the odor components of 40 batches of Curcumae Radix samples from Sichuan, Zhejiang, and Guangxi. Based on the odor fingerprints established for Curcumae Radix decoction pieces of multiple sources, the odor components was identified and analyzed, and the chromatographic peaks were processed and analyzed to establish a rapid identification method. Principal component analysis(PCA), discriminant factor analysis(DFA), and soft independent modeling cluster analysis(SIMCA) were constructed for verification. At the same time, one-way analysis of variance(ANOVA) combined with variable importance in projection(VIP) was employed to screen out the odor components with P<0.05 and VIP>1, and 13 odor components such as β-caryophyllene and limonene were hypothesized as the odor differential markers of Curcumae Radix decoction pieces of diffe-rent sources. The results showed that Heracles Neo ultra-fast gas phase electronic nose can well analyze the odor characteristics and rapidly and accurately discriminate Curcumae Radix decoction pieces of different sources. It can be applied to the quality control(e.g., online detection) in the production of Curcumae Radix decoction pieces. This study provides a new method and idea for the rapid identification and quality control of Curcumae Radix decoction pieces.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/analysis* ; Electronic Nose ; China ; Plant Roots/chemistry* ; Limonene/analysis* ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid