ObjectivePrimary liver cancer, predominantly hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), is a significant global health issue, ranking as the sixth most diagnosed cancer and the third leading cause of cancer-related mortality. Accurate and early diagnosis of HCC is crucial for effective treatment, as HCC and non-HCC malignancies like intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) exhibit different prognoses and treatment responses. Traditional diagnostic methods, including liver biopsy and contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS), face limitations in applicability and objectivity. The primary objective of this study was to develop an advanced, light-weighted classification network capable of distinguishing HCC from other non-HCC malignancies by leveraging the automatic analysis of brightness changes in CEUS images. The ultimate goal was to create a user-friendly and cost-efficient computer-aided diagnostic tool that could assist radiologists in making more accurate and efficient clinical decisions. MethodsThis retrospective study encompassed a total of 161 patients, comprising 131 diagnosed with HCC and 30 with non-HCC malignancies. To achieve accurate tumor detection, the YOLOX network was employed to identify the region of interest (ROI) on both B-mode ultrasound and CEUS images. A custom-developed algorithm was then utilized to extract brightness change curves from the tumor and adjacent liver parenchyma regions within the CEUS images. These curves provided critical data for the subsequent analysis and classification process. To analyze the extracted brightness change curves and classify the malignancies, we developed and compared several models. These included one-dimensional convolutional neural networks (1D-ResNet, 1D-ConvNeXt, and 1D-CNN), as well as traditional machine-learning methods such as support vector machine (SVM), ensemble learning (EL), k-nearest neighbor (KNN), and decision tree (DT). The diagnostic performance of each method in distinguishing HCC from non-HCC malignancies was rigorously evaluated using four key metrics: area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUC), accuracy (ACC), sensitivity (SE), and specificity (SP). ResultsThe evaluation of the machine-learning methods revealed AUC values of 0.70 for SVM, 0.56 for ensemble learning, 0.63 for KNN, and 0.72 for the decision tree. These results indicated moderate to fair performance in classifying the malignancies based on the brightness change curves. In contrast, the deep learning models demonstrated significantly higher AUCs, with 1D-ResNet achieving an AUC of 0.72, 1D-ConvNeXt reaching 0.82, and 1D-CNN obtaining the highest AUC of 0.84. Moreover, under the five-fold cross-validation scheme, the 1D-CNN model outperformed other models in both accuracy and specificity. Specifically, it achieved accuracy improvements of 3.8% to 10.0% and specificity enhancements of 6.6% to 43.3% over competing approaches. The superior performance of the 1D-CNN model highlighted its potential as a powerful tool for accurate classification. ConclusionThe 1D-CNN model proved to be the most effective in differentiating HCC from non-HCC malignancies, surpassing both traditional machine-learning methods and other deep learning models. This study successfully developed a user-friendly and cost-efficient computer-aided diagnostic solution that would significantly enhances radiologists’ diagnostic capabilities. By improving the accuracy and efficiency of clinical decision-making, this tool has the potential to positively impact patient care and outcomes. Future work may focus on further refining the model and exploring its integration with multimodal ultrasound data to maximize its accuracy and applicability.

The inheritance, innovation, and development of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) need to be based on Chinese medicinal materials. The TCM seed industry is the source of TCM production, which is related to the stable supply and quality safety of TCM. This paper summarizes the basic situation of the TCM seed industry and introduces relevant policies and regulations to TCM seeds in the seed industry and the TCM field. At present, the Management Measures of TCM Seeds and Seedlings has not yet promulgated, and TCM seeds are classified as non-major crops in the category of crops for management. This paper also describes the current situation of TCM seed and seedling system construction, which is in the development stage, from six aspects, including the construction of TCM seed industry technical support system; the establishment of TCM seed standard; the construction of germplasm resource preservation system; TCM seed testing, variety registration, and variety protection; production and management of TCM seeds; TCM seed supervision. According to the development status of the TCM seed industry, four problems are put forward, including imperfect systems and standards relevant to TCM seeds, insufficient supervision and law enforcement regarding TCM seeds, insufficient policy measures and capital investment to promote the development of the industry, and the industry's falling into a low-level cycle.Accordingly, four suggestions are provided, including improving laws, regulations, and policies, perfecting standards and norms,strengthening supervision and law enforcement, and promoting support system construction, in order to boost the high-quality development of the TCM seed industry.
Seeds/chemistry* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/standards* ; Plants, Medicinal/chemistry*

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical symptoms and MRI outcomes of patients with ruptured lumbar disc herniation(LDH) through a multicenter randomized controlled study, and to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of Yiqi Huoxue formula() in the treatment of this disease. METHODS: A total of 160 outpatients and inpatients with ruptured LDH admitted to 4 medical centers from January 2023 to June 2023 were selected and randomly divided into the Yiqi Huoxue formula group and the control group, with 80 patients in each group. In the Yiqi Huoxue formula group, there were 43 males and 37 females, with an age of (41.03±9.56) years and a disease duration of (10.45±25.37) days, and the patients were treated with Yiqi Huoxue formula. In the control group, there were 34 males and 46 females, with an age of (42.14±8.73) years and a disease duration of (11.31±21.14) days;during the acute phase, patients in this group could take celecoxib capsules orally, and methylcobalamin orally at the same time. The Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score, Oswestry disability index (ODI), changes in the volume of herniated disc tissue on MRI, herniation rate, and absorption rate were recorded at the time of enrollment and during follow-ups at the 3rd, 6th, and 12th month after treatment. RESULTS: A total of 156 patients completed the clinical follow-up, and 4 patients withdrew midway. The clinical symptoms of all patients who completed the study were relieved to varying degrees, and reabsorption of herniated disc tissue was observed in all patients in the Yiqi Huoxue formula group after treatment. For the JOA score:in the Yiqi Huoxue formula group, it was (10.73±2.76) points before treatment and (24.65±2.19) points at the 12th month after treatment;in the control group, it was (11.01±1.20) points before treatment and (17.07±3.26) points at the 12th month after treatment. For the ODI score:in the Yiqi Huoxue formula group, it was (26.21±3.55) points before treatment and (5.65±2.19) points at the 12th month after treatment;in the control group, it was (27.92±2.51) points before treatment and (9.09±2.15) points at the 12th month after treatment. At the 12th month after treatment, the JOA and ODI scores of both groups were better than those before treatment, and the scores of the Yiqi Huoxue formula group were better than those of the control group, with statistically significant differences (P<0.05). In terms of the herniated disc volume and herniation rate on MRI, the Yiqi Huoxue formula group was superior to the control group, with statistically significant differences(P<0.05). Reabsorption occurred in 56.96%(45/79) of patients in the Yiqi Huoxue formula group, which was significantly higher than the 37.66%(29/77) in the control group. CONCLUSION After treatment with Yiqi Huoxue formula, patients with ruptured LDH show significant improvement in clinical symptoms and a marked reduction in the volume of herniated discs. During the follow-up period, no obvious adverse drug reactions are observed in patients, and no recurrence of symptoms is found at the last follow-up, indicating that the formula has safe and reliable efficacy.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement/drug therapy* ; Adult ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/adverse effects* ; Middle Aged ; Lumbar Vertebrae

OBJECTIVES: To explore the application of the colloidal gold method and chemiluminescence method in detecting gonadotropin (Gn) in morning urine for assessing pubertal development status in children. METHODS: A total of 132 children diagnosed with central precocious puberty (CPP), early and fast puberty (EFP), and premature thelarche (PT) at Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine from November 2021 to December 2022 were included, along with 685 healthy children who underwent routine health examinations at the hospital's pediatric health care department during the same period. All 132 patients underwent a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) stimulation test. Both patients and healthy children had their urinary Gn levels measured using the colloidal gold method and chemiluminescence method, including levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). The correlation between serum Gn and urinary Gn detected by the two methods, as well as the correlation between Tanner stages of healthy children and urinary Gn, was analyzed. RESULTS: Urine Gn levels detected by both the colloidal gold method and chemiluminescence method showed a positive correlation with serum LH baseline values, LH peak values, baseline LH/FSH ratios, and peak LH/FSH ratios (P<0.05). In healthy children, urinary LH levels detected by the chemiluminescence method gradually increased from Tanner stage Ⅰ to Ⅳ (P<0.05), while urinary FSH levels were lower in Tanner stage I than in stages Ⅱ, Ⅲ, and IV (P<0.05). Urinary LH levels detected by the colloidal gold method were lower in Tanner stage I compared to stages Ⅱ, Ⅲ, and IV, with the highest levels observed in Tanner stage Ⅳ (P<0.05). Additionally, urinary FSH levels in Tanner stage Ⅲ were higher than in stages Ⅰ and Ⅱ (P<0.05). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for evaluating Tanner stages I and II in healthy children using urinary LH and FSH levels by the chemiluminescence method and urinary LH levels by the colloidal gold method were 0.730, 0.699, and 0.783, respectively. CONCLUSIONS The colloidal gold method and chemiluminescence method for detecting Gn in morning urine show good correlation with serum Gn levels. As a non-invasive and convenient detection method, the colloidal gold method can serve as a useful tool for screening the onset of pubertal development in children.
Humans ; Child ; Male ; Female ; Gold Colloid ; Luminescent Measurements/methods* ; Gonadotropins/urine* ; Puberty ; Luteinizing Hormone/urine* ; Child, Preschool ; Adolescent ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone/urine*

Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), intricate reticular structures released by activated neutrophils, play a pivotal regulatory role in the pathogenesis of malignant tumors. Lung cancer is one of the most prevalent malignancies globally, with persistently high incidence and mortality rates. Recent studies have revealed that NETs dynamically modulate the tumor microenvironment through unique pathological mechanisms, exhibiting complex immunoregulatory characteristics during the progression of lung cancer, and this discovery has increasingly become a focal point in tumor immunology research. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the latest advancements in NETs research related to lung cancer, offering an in-depth analysis of their impact on lung cancer progression, their potential diagnostic value, and the current state of research on targeting NETs for lung cancer prevention and treatment. The aim is to propose novel strategies to enhance therapeutic outcomes and improve the prognosis for lung cancer patients.
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Extracellular Traps/immunology* ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms/metabolism* ; Neutrophils/metabolism* ; Animals ; Tumor Microenvironment

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Shexiang Tongxin Dropping Pill (STDP) in treating stable angina patients with phlegm-heat and blood-stasis syndrome by exercise duration and metabolic equivalents. METHODS: This multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial enrolled stable angina patients with phlegm-heat and blood-stasis syndrome from 22 hospitals. They were randomized 1:1 to STDP (35 mg/pill, 6 pills per day) or placebo for 56 days. The primary outcome was the exercise duration and metabolic equivalents (METs) assessed by the standard Bruce exercise treadmill test after 56 days of treatment. The secondary outcomes included the total angina symptom score, Chinese medicine (CM) symptom scores, Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ) scores, changes in ST-T on electrocardiogram and adverse events (AEs). RESULTS: This trial enrolled 309 patients, including 155 and 154 in the STDP and placebo groups, respectively. STDP significantly prolonged exercise duration with an increase of 51.0 s, compared to a decrease of 12.0 s with placebo (change rate: -11.1% vs. 3.2%, P<0.01). The increase in METs was significantly greater in the STDP group than in the placebo group (change: -0.4 vs. 0.0, change rate: -5.0% vs. 0.0%, P<0.01). The improvement of total angina symptom scores (25.0% vs. 0.0%), CM symptom scores (38.7% vs. 11.8%), reduction of nitroglycerin consumption (100.0% vs. 11.3%), and all domains of SAQ, were significantly greater with STDP than placebo (all P<0.01). The changes in Q-T intervals at 28 and 56 days from baseline were similar between the two groups (both P>0.05). Twenty-five participants (16.3%) with STDP and 16 (10.5%) with placebo experienced AEs (P=0.131), with no serious AEs observed. CONCLUSION STDP could improve exercise tolerance in patients with stable angina and phlegm-heat and blood stasis syndrome, with a favorable safety profile. (Registration No. ChiCTR-IPR-15006020).
Humans ; Double-Blind Method ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/adverse effects* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Angina, Stable/physiopathology* ; Aged ; Syndrome ; Treatment Outcome ; Placebos ; Tablets

Salvia miltiorrhiza (Danshen) is a traditional Chinese herb that is commonly known for its cardiovascular and hepatoprotective benefits. Recent studies have confirmed that Danshen and its bioactive components can influence gut microbial homeostasis, thereby affecting Helicobacter pylori (HP) colonization in the human stomach. HP is a bacterial pathogen associated with various gastrointestinal diseases. Current HP treatments mainly involve antibiotics and proton pump inhibitors. However, their efficacy is strongly compromised by the rapid emergence of antibiotic resistance in HP and genetic heterogeneity among patients. The interaction between Danshen and gut microbial status provides a novel perspective for HP treatment. Understanding the medical properties of Danshen in altering gut microbiota and eliminating HP, as well as the underlying mechanisms, is important for improving human gastrointestinal healthcare. This review investigates the interaction between Danshen and gut microbiota and its impact on HP infection using databases including Web of Science, PubMed, and Google Scholar. We explored the unconventional intersection between Danshen, gut microbiota, and HP infection, shedding light on their intricate interplay and potential therapeutic implications. A comprehensive understanding of this interaction provides valuable insights into developing novel therapeutic strategies that target the gut microbiota to mitigate HP-associated gastrointestinal disorders. Please cite this article as: Li SJ, Miao JX, Wang F, Wang HY, Ma YW, Jiang Y, Xue X. Salvia miltiorrhiza components and gut microbiota interactions in Helicobacter pylori infection. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(5):462-470.
Salvia miltiorrhiza/chemistry* ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome/drug effects* ; Humans ; Helicobacter Infections/microbiology* ; Helicobacter pylori/drug effects* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use*

Objective To study the pharmacokinetic characteristics of lamotrigine tablets in Chinese healthy subjects under fasting and fed conditions,and to evaluate the bioequivalence and safety profiles between the domestic test preparation and the original reference preparation.Methods Twenty-four Chinese healthy male and female subjects were enrolled under fasting and fed conditions,18 male and 6 female subjects under fasting conditions,17 male and 7 female subjects under fed conditions.A random,open,single-dose,two preparations,two sequences and double-crossover design was used.Plasma samples were collected over a 72-hour period after give the test or reference preparations 50 mg under fasting and fed conditions.The concentration of lamotrigine in plasma was detected by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry,and the main pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated to evaluate the bioequivalence by WinNonLin 8.1 program.Results The main pharmacokinetic parameters of single-dose the tested and reference preparations were as follows:The fasting condition Cmax were(910.93±248.02)and(855.87±214.36)ng·mL-1;tmax were 0.50(0.25,4.00)and 1.00(0.25,3.50)h;t1/2 were(36.1±9.2)and(36.0±8.2)h;AUC0_72h were(27 402.40±4 752.00)and(26 933.90±4 085.80)h·ng·mL-1.The fed condition Cmax were(701.62±120.67)and(718.95±94.81)ng·mL-1;tmax were 4.00(1.00,5.00)and 4.00(0.50,5.00)h;t1/2 were(44.2±12.4)and(44.0±12.0)h;AUC0-72h were(30 253.20±7 018.00)and(30 324.60±6 147.70)h·ng·mL-1.The 90％confidence intervals of the geometric mean ratios of Cmax and AUC0-72 hfor the test preparation and reference preparation were all between 80.00％and 125.00％under fasting and fed conditions.Conclusion Two kinds of lamotrigine tablets are bioequivalent,and have similar safety in Chinese healthy male and female subjects under fasting and fed conditions.

italic>Polygonum capitatum is a characteristic Miao medicine in Guizhou, commonly used in clinical practice to treat gastrointestinal and urinary tract infections. Research has found that it has good antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects, and its main active ingredient is flavonoids. Lavonoid O-methyltransferase (FOMT) is a key enzyme for oxymethylation modification of flavonoid compounds. In order to understand the function and properties of FOMT protein in Polygonum capitatum, the transcriptome was sequenced by Illumina HiSeq 4000 high throughput sequencing technology. Then, the obtained transcripts were annotated and analyzed, and the whole genome of the FOMT gene family in Polygon capitalis was mined and identified. A total of 99 298 Unigenes were obtained, of which 71 514 were successfully annotated by the public database. In the genome of Polygonum capitatum, a total of 50 FOMT genes were identified. The phylogenetic tree showed that FOMT genes were divided into two subfamilies: caffeoyl CoA O-methyltransferase (CCoAOMT) and caffeic acid O-methyltransferase (COMT). Gene sequence analysis showed that the number of FOMT encoded amino acids ranged from 99 to 1 053 aa, the molecular weight ranged from 11 224.91 to 86 687.42 Da, and the isoelectric point ranged from 4.79 to 9.45. The 50 FOMT family members were hydrophobic proteins. Subcellular localization results showed that 54% of FOMT subfamily CCoAOMT and COMT members were located in cytoplasm and 28% were located in chloroplasts. The FOMT gene was tissue specific and highly expressed in the flowers of Polygonum capitatum, followed by the stems, and the least expressed in the roots. In this study, the FOMT gene family of Polygonum capitatum was identified and analyzed to provide theoretical basis for further study of FOMT function and biosynthesis of methylated flavonoids.