This paper reviews the published articles of recent years on the application of deep learning methods in automatic localization of acupoint, and summarizes it from 3 key links, i.e. the dataset construction, the neural network model design, and the accuracy evaluation of acupoint localization. The significant progress has been obtained in the field of deep learning for acupoint localization, but the scale of acupoint detection needs to be expanded and the precision, the generalization ability, and the real-time performance of the model be advanced. The future research should focus on the support of standardized datasets, and the integration of 3D modeling and multimodal data fusion, so as to increase the accuracy and strengthen the personalization of acupoint localization.
Deep Learning ; Acupuncture Points ; Humans ; Neural Networks, Computer

Addressing the enduring challenge of evaluating traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs), the integrated evidence chain-based effectiveness evaluation of TCMs (Eff-iEC) has emerged. This paper explored its capacity through a demonstration study that evaluated the effectiveness evidence of six commonly used anti-hepatic fibrosis Chinese patent medicines (CPMs), including Biejiajian Pill (BP), Dahuang Zhechong Pill (DZP), Biejia Ruangan Compound (BRC), Fuzheng Huayu Capsule (FHC), Anluo Huaxian Pill (AHP), and Heluo Shugan Capsule (HSC), using both Eff-iEC and the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system. The recognition of these CPMs within the TCM academic community was also assessed through their inclusion in relevant medical documents. Results showed that the evidence of BRC and FHC received higher assessments in both Eff-iEC and GRADE system, while the assessments for others varied. Analysis of community recognition revealed that Eff-iEC more accurately reflects the clinical value of these CPMs, exhibiting superior evaluative capabilities. By breaking through the conventional pattern of TCMs effectiveness evaluation, Eff-iEC offers a novel epistemology that better aligns with the clinical realities and reasoning of TCMs, providing a coherent methodology for clinical decision-making, new drug evaluations, and health policy formulation.

Objective:To analyze the comorbidity patterns between thyroid dysfunction and other common cardiometabolic diseases.Methods:In this cross-sectional study, 93 967 participants aged 18 years or older who underwent thyroid function tests at the Health Checkup Center of China-Japan Friendship Hospital between 2017 and 2024 were included. The comorbidity patterns between thyroid dysfunction and six common cardiometabolic diseases of obesity, diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, hyperuricemia, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) were described systematicly. The logistic regression models was used to analyze the association between thyroid dysfunction and these cardiometabolic diseases.Results:The detection rates of subclinical hyperthyroidism, overt hyperthyroidism, subclinical hypothyroidism, and overt hypothyroidism in those participants was 1.9%, 0.9%, 3.7% and 1.1%, respectively. The proportion of the paticipants with subclinical hyperthyroidism, overt hyperthyroidism, subclinical hypothyroidism, and overt hypothyroidism who had at least one comorbid cardiometabolic disease was 67.5%, 64.8%, 73.5%, and 77.6%, respectively; the proportion of those participants with two or more concurrent cardiometabolic diseases was 38.6%, 36.7%, 42.8%, and 47.5%, respectively; and the proportion with three or more concurrent cardiometabolic diseases was 19.0%, 18.1%, 22.9%, and 27.5%, respectively. After adjusting for age and gender, the participants with overt hypothyroidism (≥2 comorbidities: OR=1.7, 95% CI: 1.5-1.9;≥3 comorbidities: OR=1.8, 95% CI: 1.5-2.1) or subclinical hypothyroidism (≥2 comorbidities: OR=1.3, 95% CI: 1.2-1.4;≥3 comorbidities: OR=1.3, 95% CI: 1.2-1.4) had a significantly higher risk of multiple cardiometabolic diseases when compared with euthyroid individuals. Analysis of comorbidity patterns revealed that individuals with overt hyperthyroidism ( OR=1.8, 95% CI: 1.0-3.1) and subclinical hyperthyroidism ( OR=1.5, 95% CI=1.0-2.2) had a significantly higher risk of the “NAFLD+hypertension” comorbidity complex when compared with euthyroid individuals. Similarly, individuals with overt hypothyroidism ( OR=1.7, 95% CI: 1.2-2.3) and subclinical hypothyroidism ( OR=1.3, 95% CI: 1.1-1.5) had a significantly higher risk of the “dyslipidemia+NAFLD+hyperuricemia” comorbidity complex when compared with euthyroid individuals. Conclusion:Individuals with thyroid dysfunction exhibit a high prevalence of comorbid cardiometabolic diseases, highlighting the need for future research on integrated management strategies for multimorbidity in this population.

Objective:To evaluate the role of necroptosis in paclitaxel-induced cognitive dysfunction in mice.Methods:Thirty SPF healthy male C57BL/6N mice, aged 6-8 weeks, weighing 20-25 g, were divided into 3 groups ( n=10 each) using a random number table method: vehicle control group (Veh group), paclitaxel group (PTX group), and paclitaxel+ a specific inhibitor of necroptosis Necrostatin-1 group (P+ N group). In PTX group and P+ N group, paclitaxel 10 mg/kg (diluted to 5 mg/ml in anhydrous ethanol and castor oil [1∶1], and further diluted to 1 mg/ml in 0.9% normal saline before use) was intraperitoneally injected daily for 7 consecutive days to induce cognitive dysfunction. P+ N group received an intraperitoneal injection of Necrostatin-1 6.5 mg/kg (diluted to 10 mg/ml in dimethyl sulfoxide, and further diluted to 1 mg/ml in 0.9% normal saline before use) at 2 h before paclitaxel administration every other day, 4 times in total. Veh group received the equal volume of solvent at the matched time points as previously described in P+ N group. After establishment of the model, spontaneous locomotor activity was assessed using the open field test, followed by the novel object recognition test and the Morris water maze to evaluate the cognitive function. The animals were sacrificed after the end of the Morris water maze test, and the hippocampal tissues were collected for determination of the expression of necroptosis-related proteins receptor-interacting serine/threonine-protein kinase 1 (RIPK1), RIPK3, mixed lineage kinase domain-like protein (MLKL), and phospho-MLKL (p-MLKL) (by Western blot analysis) and contents of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) (double immunofluorescence staining) and for observation of the localization of programmed necrosis cells (using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). Results:There were no significant differences in the total distance traveled and mean movement speed in the open field test or swimming speed in the Morris water maze test among the three groups ( P>0.05). Compared to Veh group, the time spent in the central zone in the open field and time spent in the original platform quadrant were significantly shortened, the discrimination index was decreased, the escape latency was prolonged, the number of crossing the original platform was reduced, the expression of RIPK1, RIPK3, MLKL and p-MLKL was up-regulated, the contents of TNF-α and IL-1β were increased, and the number of RIPK1-positive neurons was increased in PTX group ( P<0.05). Compared to PTX group, the time spent in the central zone in the open field test and time spent in the original platform quadrant were significantly prolonged, the discrimination index was increased, the escape latency was shortened, the number of crossing the original platform was increased, the expression of RIPK1, RIPK3, MLKL and p-MLKL was down-regulated, the contents of TNF-α and IL-1β were decreased, and the number of RIPK1-positive neurons was decreased in P+ N group ( P<0.05). Conclusions:Necroptosis in hippocampal neurons can lead to neuroinflammation, thus contributeing to paclitaxel-induced cognitive dysfunction in mice.

Objective:To investigate the risk factors for the formation of eggshell vertebral body after open reduction and internal fixation with posterior screw-rod system for thoracolumbar spine fractures. Methods:A retrospective study was conducted to analyze the 118 patients with thoracolumbar single-segment fracture who had been treated at Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, The First Hospital Affiliated to Soochow University between January 2020 and January 2023. The patients were divided into a case group (47 cases) and a control group (71 cases) according to whether an eggshell vertebral body developed in the injured vertebra after internal fixation with posterior screw-rod system. The 2 groups were compared in terms of gender, age, follow-up time, body mass index, history of primary hypertension, history of diabetes mellitus, vertebral bone quality (VBQ) score, local Cobb angle correction, presence or absence of screwing at the injured vertebra, fracture site, fracture type, presence or absence of injury to the posterior ligamentous complex, presence or absence of injury to the upper and lower discs/endplate complex in the injured vertebrae, recovery rates of the anterior, middle, and posterior heights of the injured vertebra, and preoperative and postoperative visual analog scale (VAS) for pain. After positive indicators were screened by univariate analysis ( P<0.05), they were included in a multivariate logistic regression model and receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) to analyze the risk factors for the formation of eggshell vertebral body after posterior screw-rod internal fixation of thoracolumbar spine fractures. Results:Of the 118 patients, 47 developed an eggshell vertebral body after surgery. Univariate analysis showed that VBQ score, presence or absence of screwing at the injured vertebra, burst fracture type, injury to the posterior ligamentous complex, injury to the upper and lower discs/endplate complex in the injured vertebrae, recovery rate of the anterior height of the injured vertebra, recovery rate of the middle height of the injured vertebra were statistically significant ( P<0.05). The multivariate logistic regression analysis and ROC curve analysis showed that a VBQ score ≥ 2.95 points( OR=6.216, 95% CI: 1.890 to 20.441, P=0.003), a recovery rate of the anterior height of the injured vertebra ≥ 25.26% ( OR=1.097, 95% CI: 1.046 to 1.149, P<0.001), a burst fracture type ( OR=6.397, 95% CI: 1.733 to 23.617, P=0.005), and injury to the upper and lower discs/endplate complex in the injured vertebrae ( OR=7.581, 95% CI: 1.827 to 31.461, P=0.005) were significantly associated with the formation of eggshell vertebral body after open reduction and internal fixation with posterior screw-rod system for thoracolumbar spine fractures ( P<0.05). Conclusion:A VBQ score ≥ 2.95 points, a recovery rate of the anterior height of the injured vertebra ≥ 25.26%, a burst fracture type, and injury to the disc/endplate complex in the injured vertebrae are the independent risk factors for the formation of eggshell vertebral body after open reduction and internal fixation with posterior screw-rod system for thoracolumbar spine fractures.

Objective To propose a clinical typing method for lumbar degenerative disease(LDD),including the diagnostic criteria for each type and the corresponding surgical treatment strategies.Methods A total of 245 LDD patients who were admitted to Department of Orthopaedics,The Second Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University from Jun.2017 to May 2022 were enrolled and assigned to nerve root type(42 cases),disc herniation type(73 cases),spinal stenosis type(61 cases),spondylolisthesis type(29 cases),and local type(40 cases)according to our diagnostic criteria of clinical typing.Treatment outcomes of various groups were compared and the reliability of the typing method was assessed using consistency test.Results A total of 205 cases received surgical treatment and 40 cases received non-surgical treatment.The surgical approach was modified transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion.The patients were followed up for(20.37±6.13)months.According to Nakai's evaluation criteria,the clinical effect was excellent in 146(59.59％)cases,good in 89(36.33％)cases,fair in 8(3.27％)cases,and poor in 2(0.82％)cases,with an excellent and good rate of 95.92％.There were no significant differences in the treatment effects among different types of LDD(P＞0.05).The results of clinical consistency evaluation confirmed that the typing method had good consistency both within observers and between observers.Conclusion This clinical typing method can help to further understand the pathogenesis of LDD,improve the accuracy of diagnosis and optimize the treatment plan.

Middle compartment defects,a common subtype of pelvic floor dysfunction(PFD),are primarily characterized by the prolapse of the uterus or vaginal vault.Magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)has emerged as a valuable diagnostic tool for PFD,offering superior soft tissue resolution while eliminating exposure to ionizing radiation.This review comprehensive summarizes current applications of MRI in the diagnosis and treatment of PFD,covering measurement methods,manifestations of three-level structural defects,postoperative efficacy evaluation,vaginal axial assessment,and evaluation of the mesh status.The authors suggest that MRI enables precise preoperative evaluation of three-level defects,thereby facilitating the development of personalized treatment plans.Additionally,MRI provides an accurate postoperative assessment of surgical outcomes and mesh status,offering a new basis for postoperative assessment.MRI demonstrates unique value in the diagnosis and treatment of middle compartment defects.

Objective To evaluate the perioperative safety and mid-term outcomes of laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy(LSC)and laparoscopic pectopexy(LP)for pelvic organ prolapse(POP).Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on 274 POP patients,including 178 who underwent LSC and 96 who underwent LP,between August 2017 and January 2023.The extent of prolapse and anatomical restoration were assessed preoperatively and postoperatively using the Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification(POP-Q)system.Quality of life outcomes were evaluated with validated questionnaires,including Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory-short form 20(PFDI-20),Pelvic Floor Impact Questionnaire-short form 7(PFIQ-7),and Pelvic Organ Prolapse/Urinary Incontinence Sexual Questionnaire-12(PISQ-12).Postoperative patient satisfaction was assessed during follow-ups.Postoperative anatomical restoration,perioperative status,and postoperative complications,recurrence,and quality of life were compared between the two groups.Multivariate logistic regression was performed to identify postoperative risk factors for recurrence.Results The operative time in the LSC group was significantly shorter than that in the LP group(P<0.05).Intraoperative blood loss was higher in the LSC group compared to that in the LP group(P<0.05).The LSC group also exhibited higher rates of de novo stress urinary incontinence and constipation(P<0.05).The mean follow-up duration was(35.91±16.90)months.The positions of the indicator points(Aa,Ba,C,Ap,and Bp)in the POP-Q classification after the operation were all better than those before the operation.The PFDI-20 score,PFIQ-7 score,and PISQ-12 score all improved compared to those before the operation(P<0.05).Comparison of preoperative and postoperative PFDI-20,PFIQ-7,and PISQ-12 scores showed no intergroup differences.Compared with the LP group,the LSC group had the lower preoperative POP-Q measurements at points Aa and Ba(P<0.05),but superior postoperative measurements for all the indicator points(Aa,Ba,C,Ap,and Bp)(P<0.05).Recurrence occurred in 28 cases in the LP group and 4 cases in the LSC group,with the LP group presenting a significantly higher anatomical recurrence rate than the LSC group did(31.46%[28/89]vs.2.41%[4/166],P<0.05).The subjective cure rate(100%)and objective cure rate(97.59%)in the LSC group were superior to those in the LP group(88.76%and 68.54%,respectively;P<0.05).The results of the multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that,after adjusting for the confounding factors,including age,gravidity,parity,body mass index,and duration of POP,the risk of recurrence after LSC surgery was 0.044 times that after LP(odds ratio[OR],0.044;95%CI,0.015-0.133;P<0.001).Conclusion Mid-term outcomes of LP with partial cervical preservation appear inferior to those of LSC,with LSC demonstrating superior anatomical restoration and lower rates of anatomical recurrence.However,improvements in sexual function and quality of life are comparable between the two procedures.Further evaluation with larger sample sizes and longer follow-up is warranted to better characterize long-term outcomes.

Objective To investigate the characteristics of laryngeal diadochokinesis(LDDK)in children with functional articulation disorder(FAD)using different corpus.Methods A total of 23 children with FAD and 21 typically developing(TD)children,aged 4-6,from Shanghai's general kindergartens were recruited.Five types of acoustic parameters were collected:average rate and jitter(％)of LDDK(/?a/,/ha/,/??/,/h?/),the diadochoki-nesis rate(/pataka/),the jitter and shimmer of the vowel/a/,maximum phonation time(MPT).Differences across different corpora of the LDDK were analyzed between the two groups.Results ① Between-group compari-son:the rate of/?a/was significantly lower in FAD children than in TD children(P＜0.05).② Different corpora comparison:the LDDK speed of/?a/-/ha/was significantly different for both groups,/?a/-/??/was significantly different in TD children,and/ha/-/h?/was significantly different in FAD children.The LDDK jitter of/ha/-/h?/was significantly different among FAD children.Conclusion The LDDK of children with FAD is weaker than the TD children,and both groups exhibiting varying abilities across different corpora.

Objective:To evaluate the diagnostic value of coronary angiography-derived fractional flow reserve (FFR) and index of microcirculatory resistance (IMR) for identifying coronary functional abnormalities.Methods:This diagnostic study enrolled patients with clinically suspected or diagnosed coronary artery disease who underwent coronary angiography at Beijing Anzhen Hospital, TEDA International Cardiovascular Hospital, and Qilu Hospital of Shandong University between December 2021 and June 2022. All enrolled patients successfully underwent invasive wire-based FFR and IMR measurements during angiography. In a core laboratory, FFR and IMR for the target vessels were measured using artificial intelligence technology based on coronary angiographic images. Spearman correlation analysis was used to evaluate the correlation between angiography-derived FFR and wire-based FFR, and between angiography-derived IMR and wire-based IMR. Coronary hemodynamic abnormality was defined as FFR≤0.80; the diagnostic performance of angiography-derived FFR for identifying this abnormality was evaluated. Microcirculatory dysfunction was defined as IMR≥25; the diagnostic performance of angiography-derived IMR for identifying microcirculatory dysfunction was evaluated.Results:A total of 181 patients, aged (60.6±8.8) years, with 62 (34.3%) females, and 181 target vessels were included in the final analysis. Angiography-derived FFR showed a significant positive correlation with wire-based FFR ( r=0.78, P<0.001). For identifying coronary hemodynamic abnormality, angiography-derived FFR showed an accuracy of 89.0%, sensitivity of 88.8%, specificity of 89.1%, positive predictive value (PPV) of 88.8%, negative predictive value (NPV) of 89.1%, and an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve ( AUC) of 0.88. Angiography-derived IMR showed a significant positive correlation with wire-based IMR ( r=0.93, P<0.001). For identifying microcirculatory dysfunction, angiography-derived IMR demonstrated an accuracy of 89.5%, sensitivity of 86.8%, specificity of 90.2%, PPV of 70.2%, NPV of 96.3%, and an AUC of 0.95. Conclusion:Angiography-derived FFR and IMR exhibit strong correlations with their invasive wire-based counterparts and demonstrate high diagnostic value for assessing coronary hemodynamics and coronary microcirculatory function.