This study aims to investigate the polarized microscopic mineral phase characteristics, inorganic element content, and potential health risks associated with the intake of raw and calcined fossil mineral Chinese medicinal material Draconis Os. Microscopy was employed to observe the mineralogical characteristics of Draconis Os and compare the microscopic features and phase composition of raw and calcined Draconis Os under monochromatic and orthogonal polarized light. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry(ICP-MS) was employed to determine the content of 30 inorganic elements. Health risk assessment was conducted by calculating the single pollution index(P_i), average daily intake of elements for adults(ADI), target hazard quotient(THQ), non-carcinogenic assessment method-hazard quotient(HQ), and the carcinogenic risk of elements(CR). The results indicated that under monochromatic polarized light, the Draconis Os powder sections exhibited light gray-brown to gray-brown irregular fragments, some with undulating textures that were slightly curved. Under crossed polarized light, they appeared dark gray, grayish-white, and yellowish-white. Clear apatite was visible in the ground sections of Draconis Os under crossed polarized light. P_i results indicated that Draconis Os samples were free from contamination and were of good quality. According to the maximum allowable limits of heavy metals stipulated in ISO Traditional Chinese Medicine: Determination of heavy metals in herbal medicines used in Traditional Chinese Medicine, ADI, THQ, HQ, and CR were taken as assessment indicators. Only the THQ value for As(arsenic) in raw Draconis Os was greater than 1, while the THQ values for other heavy metal elements in the Draconis Os samples were all less than 1. The study demonstrates that the primary mineral phase of raw and calcined Draconis Os is apatite, with some samples co-existing with calcite, which can serve as one of the means for quality control of Draconis Os. The elemental analysis results from ICP-MS provide scientific evidence for the safety assessment of Draconis Os, indicating that Draconis Os is safe in clinical application.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/analysis* ; Risk Assessment ; Minerals/chemistry* ; Fossils ; Humans ; Drug Contamination ; Mass Spectrometry

ObjectiveTo investigate the prevalence and associated factors of malocclusion among preschool children in Fengxian District, Shanghai, and to provide a scientific basis for local medical and public health departments to formulate targeted interventions. MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted from September to December 2024. A total of 1 172 children aged 3‒5 years were recruited from 10 kindergartens across 5 townships in Fengxian District, using stratified cluster random sampling method. Clinical examinations were conducted to record occlusal parameters such as the relationship of the second deciduous molars, canine teeth relationship, anterior overbite and overjet, anterior and posterior crossbite, and crowded dentition. A questionnaire survey was performed to the parents to collect information on factors influencing malocclusion, including genetic predisposition, poor oral habits, dietary patterns, and sleep-related breathing conditions. Data were statistically analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics 27 software, with chi-square test for categorical data and binary logistic regression analysis for influencing factors. ResultsThe overall prevalence of malocclusion among 3‒5-year-old children in Fengxian District of Shanghai was 70.73%, with no statistically significant differences between genders (P>0.05). Deep overbite accounted for the highest proportion (49.66%), followed by Angle Class Ⅱ malocclusion of the second deciduous molars (17.83% on the left, 19.11% on the right), midline deviation (13.23%), anterior crossbite (6.74%), and crowding of the maxillary and mandibular anterior teeth (16.38% for the maxillary dentition, 17.58% for the mandibular dentition). Multivariate analyses showed that habitual mouth breathing during the day (OR=0.509, P=0.009) and morning dry mouth upon waking (OR=1.455, P=0.023) were independent influencing factors for malocclusion. ConclusionThe prevalence of malocclusion is relatively high among preschool children in Fengxian District, Shanghai,with deep overbite being the dominant trait. Sleep-related breathing conditions (such as habitual mouth breathing during the day and morning dry mouth) is an important influencing factor for malocclusion. Public health authorities should strengthen oral health education and promote the correction of bad habits to reduce the prevalence of malocclusion and improve children’s oral health.

Objective: To develop a rapid quantification method for neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) by quantifying neutrophils forming NETs (NETotic cells) on routine peripheral blood smears, and to evaluate the performance of an early warning model combining NETs with traditional coagulation indicators for risk of sepsis-induced coagulopathy (SIC) in septic patients. Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted in Wuxi People's Hospital Affiliated with Nanjing Medical University between May 2023 and May 2025. A total of 147 patients with sepsis (diagnosed based on Sepsis-3.0 criteria) who had not developed SIC [the international society on thrombosis and haemostasis (ISTH SIC score <4)] were enrolled. Blood samples were collected within 2 hours of admission. Neutrophil smudge cells (NETs%) were counted using an automated cell morphology analyzer. Serum levels of myeloperoxidase-DNA (MPO-DNA) complexes, circulating free DNA (cf-DNA) and sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) scores were also determined. Based on progression to SIC (ISTH score ≥4) within 72 hours of admission, patients were categorized into a sepsis without SIC group (n=85) and a sepsis with SIC group (n=62). Risk factors were analyzed using binary logistic regression, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted, and the predictive value of NETs%, SOFA, and AT-Ⅲ for coagulation dysfunction was assessed. Results: The NETs% level was significantly higher in the sepsis with SIC group [8.50% (7.00, 11.50)] compared to both the healthy control group [1.00% (0.00, 2.00)] and sepsis without SIC group [4.40%(3.50, 6.50)] (P<0.01). NETs% was identified as an independent risk factor for SIC in sepsis patients. ROC analysis showed that the area under the curve (AUC) for predicting SIC was 0.90 for NETs%, 0.85 for MPO-DNA, and 0.79 for cf-DNA. The combined model of NETs% and SOFA score demonstrated the best performance, with an optimal cut-off value of 0.33, an AUC of 0.92, a sensitivity of 77%, and a specificity of 93%. Conclusion: NETs% shows promise as a novel biomarker for SIC. Peripheral blood smear morphology provides a simple, rapid, and cost-effective method for quantifying NETs%. NETs% enhances the early clinical identification of patients at high risk for SIC, and its combination with the SOFA score facilitates SIC prediction, offering a critical time window for initiating timely preventive interventions.

There are difficulties in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in medical community. Since the surgery of cervical deep lymphatic vessel/lymphatic node-vein anastomosis (LVA/LnVA) has made clinical improvement in patients with AD, it offers a surgical option to treat AD. Especially improvements in cognitive impairment. However the mechanism in treatment of AD is not yet made clear. This article preliminarily explores the mechanism in improvement of some symptoms in patients with AD through cervical deep LVA/LnVA on the basis of morphological characteristics of the cribriform plate-cervical lymphatic pathway.

Objective:To establish tumor specific protein (SP70) targeted tumor cell enrichment technology and to assess applicational value of next-generation sequencing (NGS) analysis for enriched circulating tumor cell (CTC) in precision medicines of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).Methods:The monoclonal antibody NJ001 was covalently coupled to the surface of magnetic beads to build targeted magnetic bead enrichment technology based on SP70. The limit of detection, coincidence rate, interference experiment, recovery test and clinical performance were evaluated. From March 2016 to August 2017, NGS analysis with or without pre-treatment of targeted enrichment for serous fluids of 43 NSCLC in the First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University were compared (Kappa or Fisher exact test).Results:The CTC enrichment technology based on SP70 targeted immunomagnetic beads can specifically enrich tumor cells. The limit of detection was 10 4 SPC-A1 cells/L, and the coincidence rate, sensitivity and specificity were 100% (3/3). The endogenous interfering substances such as red blood cells, hemoglobin, white blood cells, epithelial cells and triglycerides had no interfering effects, as well as the exogenous interfering substances such as EDTA-K2, cefoxitin, carboplatin and paclitaxel. The recovery rate was 56.0% (56 000/100 000). A total of 30 gene mutations including 65 loci were found in 43 NSCLC under SP70 targeted enrichment, with a higher detection rate compared with unenrichment method [95.0% (19/20) vs 65.0% (13/20), χ 2=5.625, P=0.044]. Conclusion:In this study, SP70-targeted enriched CTC liquid biopsy method was established, with higher sensitivity and specificity of NGS detection than unenrichment method.

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a malignant hematologic disorder caused by abnormal proliferation of hematopoietic stem cells. In recent years, while the application of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) has significantly improved the prognosis of CML patients through in-depth exploration of pathogenesis of CML and advancements in targeted therapies, some patients still face challenges including drug resistance, disease relapse, and failure to achieve treatment-free remission. Imunotherapy, as a complementary or alternative strategy, holds significant potential for overcoming these limitations, and has gradually emerged as a critical research focus in CML treatment. This review aims to summarize the current research status and latest advances in immunotherapy for CML.

Cholestatic liver disease(CLD)encompasses a range of acute and chronic disorders characterized by impaired bile formation and/or flow.If left untreated,it may progress to cirrhosis and even liver failure.In recent years,with the development of molecular biology and omics technologies,the diagnosis and treatment of CLD are entering the era of precision medicine.This article reviews the advances in the diagnosis of CLD based on genetic testing and omics biomarkers and summarizes the latest studies and clinical trials on hydrophilic bile acid,FXR agonist,PPAR agonist,antibiotics,and novel molecules in targeted therapy for CLD.In the future,integrating omics data and implementing individualized diagnosis and treatment will be the main directions in precision medicine for CLD.This article aims to provide a reference for basic research and clinical translation in the field of CLD.

Regarding the challenge of early identification of critically ill patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(AECOPD),a radiomics-clinical fusion model is proposed based on non-contrast CT images of accessory respiratory muscles to predict life-threatening conditions.A retrospective study is conducted involving 233 AECOPD patients(153 non-life-threatening and 80 life-threatening cases).Patients are divided into a training set(n=186)and a test set(n=47)at a 4:1 ratio.A total of 1 874 radiomic features are extracted from the erector spinae and pectoralis muscle regions delineated by radiologists on non-contrast CT images,and the features selection is performed using maximum relevance minimum redundancy and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator(LASSO)algorithms.Meanwhile,clinical data are analyzed with t-test and LASSO for variable screening.The selected features are input into C-support vector classification,Logistic regression,random forest,adaptive boosting(AdaBoost),and extreme gradient boosting(XGBoost)to construct radiomics model,clinical model,and fusion model.Predictive performance and clinical practicality are evaluated in the test set using receiver operating characteristic curve,area under the curve(AUC),and decision curve analysis.The radiomics-clinical fusion model built with XGBoost outperformed standalone radiomics and clinical models,achieving an AUC of 0.902(95％CI 0.846,0.994),with accuracy,sensitivity,specificity,and precision of 0.837,0.933,0.786,and 0.7,respectively.Results demonstrate that the fusion model based on the non-contrast CT radiomics of accessory respiratory muscles and clinical data exhibits promising diagnostic performance,highlighting its potential clinical significance for stratified management and preemptive critical care intervention in AECOPD patients.

Objective The optimal ventilation mode for patients with obesity undergoing laparoscopic surgery remains unclear.We aimed to compare the effects of pressure-controlled ventilation(PCV)and pressure-controlled ventilation-volume guaranteed(PCV-VG)on perioperative oxygenation and respiratory mechanics in patients undergoing laparoscopic bariatric surgery.Methods In this prospective randomized controlled study,114 subjects who underwent laparoscopic bariatric surgery from Jan 2017 to Mar 2020 were randomly divided into PCV-VG group(n=56)or PCV group(n=54),with 4 lost to follow-up.The perioperative pulmonary mechanics and arterial blood gas results were compared between the two groups.Postoperative extubation time,the incidences of postoperative pulmonary complications(PPCs)and abnormal radiographic changes(ARCs)were also recorded.Results During intraoperative pneumoperitoneum,the pulmonary dynamic compliance(Cdyn)was significantly lower in PCV-VG group than that in PCV group(T2:P=0.022;T3:P=0.039).There were no significant differences in perioperative oxygenation index and respiratory peak pressure(Ppeak)between the two groups.Eighty-six patients(78.2%)had ARCs on the 1st day after surgery,and 10 cases(9.1%)developed PPCs.There was no significant difference in extubation time,ARCs or PPCs between the two groups.After adjustment,anesthesia duration and oxygenation index before anesthesia induction were significantly associated with extubation time.Anesthesia duration of more than 2 hours was a risk factor for postoperative ARCs.Conclusion Compared with PCV-VG mode,PCV mode provides better pulmonary Cdyn during intraoperative pneumoperitoneum for patients undergoing laparoscopic bariatric surgery.

Objective To collect and analyze outpatient prescription data for exogenous cough treatment from a hospital in Shenzhen,and to identify the characteristics and medication patterns of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM).Methods This study collected prescriptions from a hospital in Shenzhen for exogenous cough treatment in January 2024.R language for data mining were used to analyze the medication frequency,clustering patterns,and association rules in the treatment of exogenous cough by TCM and to explore the medication patterns and the usage of classic formulas in TCM for this condition.Results A total of 451 outpatient prescriptions for exogenous cough were include,the top ten most frequently used herbs were Licorice,Bitter almond,Bellflower,Ephedra,Tangerine peel,Stemonae radix,Tuckahoe,Pinellia ternata,Nepeta,Bulb of thunberg fritillary.Cluster analysis and association rules revealed that San'ao decoction,Kikyodon soup,and Zhisou powder were commonly prescribed,targeting lung function,dispersing wind,and resolving phlegm to effectively alleviate cough symptoms.Significant differences in medication usage were observed across different syndrome types.For the wind cold attacking lung pattern,the core herbs were warm in nature and focused on dispersing with acrid-warm properties.Conversely,the treatment of wind heat attacking the lung pattern typically involved cold-natured herbs,with a primary focus on clearing and draining lung heat.Stratification by age revealed that the pediatric group often used drugs with mild properties,such as Stemona and Shegan.The young adult group tended to be prescribed cold-natured drugs like Forsythia and Hogfonnel Root.The middle-aged and elderly group preferred warming and tonifying drugs such as Japanese Catnip and Perilla frutescens.Conclusion The TCM treatment of exogenous cough primarily focuses on releasing the exterior and dispersing the lung.Due to the region's subtropical monsoon climate and temperature fluctuations physicians flexibly modified classical formulas such as San'ao decoction and Zhisou powder according to individual constitutions and symptom patterns.This targeted,syndrome-based approach effectively disperses the lung qi,stops cough and transforms phlegm,and alleviates cough.