With the rapid development of social economy and the continuous improvement of human living standard, the incidence, fatality and recurrence rates of cardiovascular disease (CVD) are increasing year by year, which seriously affects people's life and health. Conventional therapeutic drugs have limited improvement on the disability rate, so the search for new therapeutic drugs and action targets has become one of the hotspots of current research. In recent years, the therapeutic role of the natural compound rosmarinic acid (RA) in CVD has attracted much attention, which is capable of preventing CVD by modulating multiple signalling pathways and exerting physiological activities such as antioxidant, anti-apoptotic, anti-inflammatory, anti-platelet aggregation, as well as anti-coagulation and endothelial function protection. In this paper, the role of RA in the prevention of CVD is systematically sorted out, and its mechanism of action is summarised and analysed, with a view to providing a scientific basis and important support for the in-depth exploration of the prevention value of RA in CVD and its further development as a prevention drug.

This study explored the drying kinetics of Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma(SM), established the suitable models simulating the drying kinetics, and then analyzed the dynamic changes of active components during the drying processes with different methods, aiming to provide a basis for the establishment of suitable drying methods and the quality control of SM. The drying kinetics were studied based on the drying curve, drying rate, moisture effective diffusion coefficient, and drying activation energy, and the appropriate drying kinetics model of SM was established. The drying performance of different methods, such as hot air drying, infrared drying, and microwave drying of SM was evaluated, and the changes in the content of 10 salvianolic acids and 6 tanshinones during drying were analyzed by UPLC-TQ-MS. The Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution(TOPSIS) was employed to evaluate the quality of SM dried with different methods. The results showed that the drying rate and moisture effective diffusion coefficient of SM increased with the rise in drying temperature, and the maximum drying rates of different methods were in the order of microwave drying > infrared drying > hot air drying, slice > whole root. The drying rate decreased with the rise in temperature and the extension of drying time. The activation energy of hot air drying was higher than that of infrared drying in SM. The most suitable model for simulating the drying process of SM was the Page model. The TOPSIS results suggested infrared drying at 50 ℃ was the optimal drying method for SM. During the drying process, the content of salvianolic acids increased in different degrees with the loss of moisture, among which salvianolic acid B showed the largest increase of 44 times compared with that in the fresh medicinal material. Tanshinones also existed in the fresh herb of SM, and the content of tanshinone Ⅱ_A increased by 3 times after drying. The results provided a basis for the establishment of suitable drying methods and the quality control of SM.
Salvia miltiorrhiza/chemistry* ; Desiccation/methods* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Rhizome/chemistry* ; Kinetics ; Quality Control ; Abietanes

With the growing awareness of public health, the value and importance of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) resources have become increasingly prominent. Despite the undeniable significance of TCM in medical treatment and healthcare, the protection, development, and utilization of TCM resources still face numerous challenges. Under the traditional model, the development and utilization of TCM resources heavily rely on manual labor and empirical decision-making, which not only leads to inefficiencies and high costs but also causes serious issues such as unstable drug quality and imbalances in market supply and demand. In the current era of rapid advancements in artificial intelligence(AI) and technology, AI has emerged as a new engine to address many challenges and difficulties throughout the entire TCM resource industry chain. By leveraging AI technology, intelligent management, precise production, and optimized utilization of TCM resources can be achieved, thereby improving efficiency, reducing costs, ensuring stable quality, and balancing market supply and demand. This article primarily explores the application of AI technology in the entire TCM resource industry chain from different perspectives and provides an in-depth analysis of the future development of AI in the TCM industry. It holds significant importance and value in promoting the intelligent development of the TCM sector and facilitating the healthy development of the entire TCM resource industry chain.
Artificial Intelligence ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional/economics* ; Humans ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/economics* ; Drug Industry

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the association between body mass index (BMI) and mortality based on the 10-year population-based multicenter prospective study. METHODS: A general population-based multicenter prospective study was conducted at four sites in rural China between 2013 and 2023. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models and restricted cubic spline analyses were used to assess the association between BMI and mortality. Stratified analyses were performed based on the individual characteristics of the participants. RESULTS: Overall, 19,107 participants with a sum of 163,095 person-years were included and 1,910 participants died. The underweight (< 18.5 kg/m ²) presented an increase in all-cause mortality (adjusted hazards ratio [ aHR] = 2.00, 95% confidence interval [ CI]: 1.66-2.41), while overweight (≥ 24.0 to < 28.0 kg/m ²) and obesity (≥ 28.0 kg/m ²) presented a decrease with an aHR of 0.61 (95% CI: 0.52-0.73) and 0.51 (95% CI: 0.37-0.70), respectively. Overweight ( aHR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.67-0.86) and mild obesity ( aHR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.59-0.87) had a positive impact on mortality in people older than 60 years. All-cause mortality decreased rapidly until reaching a BMI of 25.7 kg/m ² ( aHR = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.92-0.98) and increased slightly above that value, indicating a U-shaped association. The beneficial impact of being overweight on mortality was robust in most subgroups and sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSION This study provides additional evidence that overweight and mild obesity may be inversely related to the risk of death in individuals older than 60 years. Therefore, it is essential to consider age differences when formulating health and weight management strategies.
Humans ; Body Mass Index ; China/epidemiology* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Rural Population/statistics & numerical data* ; Aged ; Follow-Up Studies ; Adult ; Mortality ; Cause of Death ; Obesity/mortality* ; Overweight/mortality*

OBJECTIVES: To characterize fine particulate matter (PM _2.5)-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) emitted from different cooking fumes and their exposure routes and assess their health-associated impact to provide a reference for health risk prevention from PAH exposure across different age and sex groups. METHODS: Sixteen PM _2.5-bound PAHs emitted from 11 cooking styles were analyzed using GC-MS/MS. The health hazards of these PAHs in the Handan City population (stratified by age and sex) were predicted using the incremental lifetime cancer risk ( ILCR) model. The respiratory deposition doses ( RDDs) of the PAHs in children and adults were calculated using the PM _2.5 deposition rates in the upper airway, tracheobronchial, and alveolar regions. RESULTS: The total concentrations of PM _2.5-bound PAHs ranged from 61.10 to 403.80 ng/m ³. Regardless of cooking styles, the ILCR _total values for adults (1.23 × 10 ^-6 to 3.70 × 10 ^-6) and older adults (1.28 × 10 ^-6 to 3.88 × 10 ^-6) exceeded the acceptable limit of 1.00 × 10 ^-6. With increasing age, the ILCR _total value first declined and then increased, varying substantially among the population groups. Cancer risk exhibited particularly high sensitivity to short exposure to barbecue-derived PAHs under equivalent body weights. Furthermore, barbecue, Sichuan and Hunan cuisine, Chinese cuisine, and Chinese fast food were associated with higher RDDs for both adults and children. CONCLUSION ILCR _total values exceeded the acceptable limit for both females and males of adults, with all cooking styles showing a potentially high cancer risk. Our findings serve as an important reference for refining regulatory strategies related to catering emissions and mitigating health risks associated with cooking styles.
Humans ; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons/analysis* ; Cooking/methods* ; Male ; Female ; Particulate Matter/analysis* ; Adult ; Child ; Middle Aged ; Air Pollutants/analysis* ; Adolescent ; Air Pollution, Indoor/analysis* ; Young Adult ; Child, Preschool ; Aged ; China ; Inhalation Exposure ; Age Factors ; Sex Factors ; Cities ; Infant

Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy of Modified Yinhuo Guiyuan Huayu Formula(MYGHF)in diabetic retinopathy(DR)patients with yin deficiency and blood stasis syndrome and to observe its regulatory effects on the nuclear factor κB(NF-κB)signaling pathway.Methods A total of 100 DR patients(200 eyes)with yin deficiency and blood stasis syndrome admitted to the Fourth People's Hospital of Hengshui from January 2019 to April 2020 were equally randomized into a control group(50 cases,100 eyes)and an observation group(50 cases,100 eyes)using a random number table.Both groups were required to conduct intensive glycemic control.The control group was treated with conventional western medicine of lecithin-bound iodine,while the observation group received additional MYGHF for 3 months.Parameters of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)syndrome scores,key components of NF-κB signaling pathway[NF-κB p65,inhibitor of kappa B kinase(IKK),inhibitor kappa B(IκB)],angiogenesis-related factors[fibroblast growth factor 21(FGF21),vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF),angiopoietin 2(Ang2)],and efficacy indicators[glycated hemoglobin(HbA1c),fasting blood glucose(FBG),homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance(HOMA-IR),visual field grayscale value,and best-corrected visual acuity(BCVA)]in the two groups were evaluated before treatment and 1 and 3 month(s)after treatment.After treatment,the clinical efficacy and safety of the two groups were assessed.Results(1)After 3 months of treatment,the total effective rate was 88.00%(44/50)in the observation group versus 70.00%(35/50)in the control group,demonstrating significantly superior therapeutic effects of TCM syndrome differentiation in the observation group(tested by chi-square test,P＜0.05).(2)At 1 and 3 month(s)after treatment,both groups showed reduced scores for TCM symptoms of blurred vision,dizziness and tinnitus,soreness and weakness of waist and knees,and feverish sensation in the palms and soles compared to the baseline levels(all P＜0.05).The observation group exhibited significantly greater reductions in these symptom scores than the control group at both time points(all P＜0.05).(3)The protein expression levels of NF-κB p65,IKK were decreased and IκB was increased in both groups at 1 and 3 month(s)after treatment compared to the baseline levels(all P＜0.05),and the observation group demonstrated more pronounced improvement of these key pathway components compared to the control group(all P＜0.05).(4)The levels of angiogenesis-related factors of FGF21,Ang2,and VEGF were significantly reduced in both groups at 1 and 3 month(s)compared to the baseline levels(all P＜0.05),and the observation group showed superior decreases compared to the control group(all P＜0.05).(5)The efficacy indicators of HbA1c,FBG,HOMA-IR,visual field grayscale values,and BCVA were improved in both groups at post-treatment 1 and 3 month(s)compared to the baseline levels(all P＜0.05),and the observation group achieved significantly superior improvement in all indicators compared to the control group(all P＜0.05).(6)The total incidence of adverse reactions was 2.00%(1/50)in the observation group versus 8.00%(4/50)in the control group,with no statistically significant difference between groups(P＞0.05).Conclusion MYGHF effectively alleviates clinical symptoms in patients with DR of yin deficiency and blood stasis type,and is effective on modulating angiogenesis-related factors and suppressing NF-κB signaling pathway activation,demonstrating satisfactory efficacy and good safety profile.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate a new noninvasive diagnostic model for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) based on features of tongue images. METHODS: Healthy controls and volunteers confirmed to have NAFLD by liver ultrasound were recruited from China-Japan Friendship Hospital between September 2018 and May 2019, then the anthropometric indexes and sampled tongue images were measured. The tongue images were labeled by features, based on a brief protocol, without knowing any other clinical data, after a series of corrections and data cleaning. The algorithm was trained on images using labels and several anthropometric indexes for inputs, utilizing machine learning technology. Finally, a logistic regression algorithm and a decision tree model were constructed as 2 diagnostic models for NAFLD. RESULTS: A total of 720 subjects were enrolled in this study, including 432 patients with NAFLD and 288 healthy volunteers. Of them, 482 were randomly allocated into the training set and 238 into the validation set. The diagnostic model based on logistic regression exhibited excellent performance: in validation set, it achieved an accuracy of 86.98%, sensitivity of 91.43%, and specificity of 80.61%; with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.93 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.68-0.98]. The decision tree model achieved an accuracy of 81.09%, sensitivity of 91.43%, and specificity of 66.33%; with an AUC of 0.89 (95% CI 0.66-0.92) in validation set. CONCLUSIONS The features of tongue images were associated with NAFLD. Both the 2 diagnostic models, which would be convenient, noninvasive, lightweight, rapid, and inexpensive technical references for early screening, can accurately distinguish NAFLD and are worth further study.
Humans ; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease/diagnostic imaging* ; Ultrasonography ; Anthropometry ; Algorithms ; China

Objective: To construct a nonsuicidal selfinjury (NSSI) risk prediction model for middle school students using different machine learning algorithms and evaluate the models effectiveness, so as to provide guidance for the prevention and control of NSSI in campus. Methods: In March 2023, a total of 3 372 middle and high school students from schools in Nanchang, Fuzhou and Shangrao cities in Jiangxi Province were selected by combining stratified random cluster sampling and convenient sampling methods. Questionnaire surveys were conducted using various instruments including general information questionnaire, Selfesteem Scale, Ottawa Selfinjury Scale, Social Support Assessment Scale, Chinese Version of the Olweus Bullying Questionnaire, Event Attribution Style Scale, Adolescent Resilience Scale, and Adolescent Life Events Scale. Data were divided into training set (n=2 361) and test set (n=1 011) at a ratio of 7∶3, and variables were selected based on univariate and LASSO regression results. Four machine learning algorithms including namely random forest, support vector machine, Logistic regression and XGBoost, were used to construct NSSI risk prediction models, and the models performance was evaluated and compared using metrics including area under curve (AUC), sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and F1 score. Results: The detection rate of NSSI among middle school students was 34.4%. Univariate analysis showed that there were statistically significant differences in NSSI detection rates among middle school students of different grades, genders, registered residence locations, whether they were class cadres and four types of bullying (physical, verbal, relational bullying and cyberbullying) (χ2=27.17, 15.81, 11.54, 4.63；68.22, 140.63, 77.81, 13.95, P<0.05). NSSI was included as the dependent variable in the LASSO regression model for variable screening, and the results regression identified 10 predictive variables including grade level, selfesteem, subjective support, support utilization, verbal bullying, emotional control, interpersonal relationships, punishment, loss of relatives and property, and health and adaptation issues. The AUC values of random forest, support vector machine, Logistic regression, and XGBoost algorithms were 0.76, 0.76, 0.76 and 0.77, respectively, with no statistically significant differences between pairwise comparisons (Z=-0.59-0.82, P>0.05). Sensitivity values were 0.62, 0.61, 0.62 and 0.61, respectively. Specificity values were 0.74, 0.78, 0.78 and 0.78, respectively. Positive predictive values were 0.56, 0.59, 0.60 and 0.59, respectively. Negative predictive values were 0.79, 0.79, 0.80 and 0.79, respectively. F1 scores were 0.59, 0.60, 0.61 and 0.60, respectively. Conclusions All four nonsuicidal selfinjury risk prediction models perform well, with the Logistic regression model slightly outperforming the others. Schools and parents should pay attention to the predictive factors corresponding to NSSI, so as to reduce the occurrence of NSSI among middle school students.

Malocclusion,identified by the World Health Organization(WHO)as one of three major oral diseases,profoundly impacts the dental-maxillofacial functions,facial esthetics,and long-term development of～260 million children in China.Beyond its physical manifestations,malocclusion also significantly influences the psycho-social well-being of these children.Timely intervention in malocclusion can foster an environment conducive to dental-maxillofacial development and substantially decrease the incidence of malocclusion or reduce the severity and complexity of malocclusion in the permanent dentition,by mitigating the negative impact of abnormal environmental influences on the growth.Early orthodontic treatment encompasses accurate identification and treatment of dental and maxillofacial morphological and functional abnormalities during various stages of dental-maxillofacial development,ranging from fetal stages to the early permanent dentition phase.From an economic and societal standpoint,the urgency for effective early orthodontic treatments for malocclusions in childhood cannot be overstated,underlining its profound practical and social importance.This consensus paper discusses the characteristics and the detrimental effects of malocclusion in children,emphasizing critical need for early treatment.It elaborates on corresponding core principles and fundamental approaches in early orthodontics,proposing comprehensive guidance for preventive and interceptive orthodontic treatment,serving as a reference for clinicians engaged in early orthodontic treatment.