This comprehensive review systematically explores the multifaceted applications, inherent challenges, and promising future directions of artificial intelligence (AI) within the medical domain. It meticulously examines AI's specific contributions to basic medical research, disease prevention, intelligent diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, nursing, and health management. Furthermore, the review delves into AI's innovative practices and pivotal roles in clinical trials, hospital administration, medical education, as well as the realms of medical ethics and policy formulation. Notably, the review identifies several key challenges confronting AI in healthcare, encompassing issues such as inadequate algorithm transparency, data privacy concerns, absent regulatory standards, and incomplete risk assessment frameworks. Looking ahead, the future trajectory of AI in healthcare encompasses enhancing algorithm interpretability, propelling generative AI applications, establishing robust data-sharing mechanisms, refining regulatory policies and standards, nurturing interdisciplinary talent, fostering collaboration among industry, academia, and medical institutions, and advancing inclusive, personalized precision medicine. Emphasizing the synergy between AI and emerging technologies like 5G, big data, and cloud computing, this review anticipates a new era of intelligent collaboration and inclusive sharing in healthcare. Through a multidimensional analysis, it presents a holistic overview of AI's medical applications and development prospects, catering to researchers, practitioners, and policymakers in the healthcare sector. Ultimately, this review aims to catalyze the deep integration and innovative deployment of AI technology in healthcare, thereby driving the sustainable advancement of smart healthcare.

Objective: To explore the longitudinal associations between dietary macronutrients and lung function in schoolaged children, so as to provide the nutritional research evidence for promoting children s lung health. Methods: In November 2021, two primary schools located in Chengdu, Sichuan Province were selected from the Southwest China Childhood Nutrition and Growth (SCCNG) cohort by a stratified cluster random sampling method, enrolling a total of 1 112 school aged children aged 8 to 13 years. At baseline, the dietary and sociodemographic characteristics of the children were assessed. One year later, the forced vital capacity (FVC) of the children was measured and converted into Z scores (FVC- Z ), while the vital capacity index (VCI) was also calculated. Generalized linear regression analysis was employed to examine the associations between dietary macronutrients and lung function, considering interactions with gender and age, followed by stratified analysis. Results: After adjusting for confounding factors, the analysis results of the generalized linear regression model showed that the carbohydrate energy ratio was negatively correlated with FVC- Z ( β =-0.02) and VCI ( β =-0.16), while the fat energy ratio showed a positive correlation with FVC- Z ( β =0.03) and VCI ( β =0.23) ( P <0.05). The protein energy ratio was positively correlated with FVC- Z ( β =0.09) and VCI ( β =0.60) specifically in girls ( P <0.05). Additionally, there was an interaction effect of age on the associations between macronutrients and lung function ( P <0.01); in children aged 8-9 and 10-11, the carbohydrate energy supply ratio was negatively correlated with FVC- Z ( β =-0.04, -0.03) and VCI ( β =-0.29, -0.21), and fat energy supply ratio was positively correlated with FVC- Z ( β =0.07, 0.05) and VCI ( β =0.46, 0.32) ( P <0.05). Conclusions There are age and sex differences in the association of dietary macronutrients with lung function, with a low carbohydrate, high fat diet promoting lung function in children. Additionally, protein intake appears to have a positive influence on the lung function of girls. The early school age period may represent a critical window for dietary interventions aimed at promoting lung health.

After being treated with acupuncture, some patients with idiopathic tinnitus may experience a short-term aggravation of tinnitus symptoms on the original basis. These symptoms can be gradually relieved and the overall condition fluctuates towards recovery. This phenomenon has brought some difficulties to patients and clinicians. Based on the academic view of TCM, "destroying pathogens and re-building balance", and in association with the existing understanding of acupuncture in modern medicine for tinnitus, this paper briefly discusses the mechanism and influencing factors of symptom fluctuation in patients with idiopathic tinnitus after acupuncture treatment in terms of both TCM and modern medicine, and proposes the future direction in the research of symptom fluctuation, so as to promote the recognition of clinicians and patients on symptom fluctuation and make rational use of its positive effects. Besides, it is hoped that more researchers will pay attention to symptom fluctuation and advance the exploration of it in academic field.
Humans ; Tinnitus/physiopathology* ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Male ; Female

BackgroundObsessive-compulsive disorder （OCD） is a common neuropsychiatric illness and is listed as one of the top ten disabling conditions causing loss of income and reduced quality of life. Psychological distress is an important cause of anhedonia in OCD patients， and is closely related to psychosomatic symptoms. Therefore， exploring the role of anhedonia in the relationship between psychological distress and psychosomatic symptoms is of great significance for optimizing clinical psychological treatment protocols for OCD patients. ObjectiveTo explore the role of anhedonia in the relationship between psychological distress and psychosomatic symptoms in OCD patients， with the aim of providing references for managing psychosomatic symptoms in patients. MethodsA total of 90 patients who met the diagnostic criteria for OCD according to the International Classification of Diseases， tenth edition （ICD-10）， and who visited the Mental Health Center outpatient clinic of General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University from September 2023 to November 2024 were selected as the study objects. The instruments and techniques used for the evaluation were： Dimensional Anhedonia Rating Scale （DARS）， 10-item Kessler Psychological Distress Scale （K10） and Psychosomatic Symptom Scale （PSSS）. Model 4 of the Process for SPSS 26.0 was used to test the mediating role of anhedonia in the relationship between psychological distress and psychosomatic symptoms， with Bootstrapping used to assess the significance of mediating effect. ResultsA total of 84 patients （93.33%） completed the valid questionnaire. K10 score was positively correlated with PSSS total score， psychological symptom score and physical symptom score （r=0.559， 0.460， 0.551， P<0.01）. K10 score was negatively correlated with DARS total score （r=-0.527， P<0.01）. The total score of DARS was negatively correlated with PSSS total score （r=-0.497， P<0.01）. Anhedonia mediated the relationship between psychological distress and psychosomatic symptoms， with an indirect effect value was 0.148 （95% CI： 0.042~0.278）， accounting for 26.48% of the total effect. ConclusionPsychological distress can affect the psychosomatic symptoms in OCD patients both directly and indirectly via anhedonia.

Objective To investigate the effects of cucurbitacin B (CucB) on alleviating skin lesions and inflammation in psoriasis mice via the cGAS-STING signaling pathway. Methods The expression of genes associated with the cGAS-STING signaling pathway in psoriatic lesions and non-lesional skin was analyzed, and hallmark gene set enrichment analysis was performed. The cytotoxicity of CucB on BMDMs was evaluated using the CCK-8 assay. The expression levels of genes and proteins related to the cGAS-STING signaling pathway, along with the secretion of inflammatory cytokines, were measured at different concentrations of CucB using quantitative PCR, Western blotting, and ELISA. Imiquimod-induced psoriasis BALB/c mice were divided into four groups: normal group, model group, low-dose CucB group [0.1 mg/ (kg.d)], and high-dose CucB group [0.4 mg/ (kg.d)], with five mice per group. PASI scoring was performed to assess the severity of psoriasis after 6 days of treatment, and HE staining was conducted to observe pathological damage. Meanwhile, the mRNA levels of inflammatory cytokines and their secretion were detected by qPCR and ELISA. Results Most cGAS-STING signaling-related genes were upregulated in lesional skin of psoriasis patients, and the hallmark gene set enrichment analysis revealed that the most significantly upregulated genes were primarily associated with immune response signaling pathways. CucB inhibited dsDNA-induced phosphorylation of interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3) and STING proteins in both bone-marrow derived macrophages(BMDMs) and THP-1 cells. CucB also suppressed dsDNA-induced mRNA expression of IFNB1, TNF, IFIT1, CXCL10, ISG15, and reduced the secretion of cytokines such as IFN-β, IL-1β, and TNF-α in THP-1 cells. In the imiquimod-induced psoriasis mouse model, CucB treatment reduced psoriatic symptoms, alleviated skin lesions, and attenuated inflammation. ELISA and qPCR results showed that CucB significantly reduced serum secretion levels of IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β, as well as the mRNA levels of IL23A, IL1B, IL6, TNF, and IFNB1. Conclusion CucB inhibits cytoplasmic DNA-induced activationc of the GAS-STING pathway. CucB significantly attenuates skin lesions and inflammation in IMQ-induced psoriatic mice, and the potential molecular mechanism may be related to the down-regulation of the cGAS-STING pathway.
Animals ; Psoriasis/pathology* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Membrane Proteins/genetics* ; Mice ; Nucleotidyltransferases/genetics* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Skin/metabolism* ; Triterpenes/therapeutic use* ; Humans ; Cytokines/metabolism* ; Inflammation/drug therapy* ; Male

Microglial pyroptosis and neuroinflammation have been implicated in the pathogenesis of sepsis-associated encephalopathy (SAE). OGT-mediated O-GlcNAcylation is involved in neurodevelopment and injury. However, its regulatory function in microglial pyroptosis and involvement in SAE remains unclear. In this study, we demonstrated that OGT deficiency augmented microglial pyroptosis and exacerbated secondary neuronal injury. Furthermore, OGT inhibition impaired cognitive function in healthy mice and accelerated the progression in SAE mice. Mechanistically, OGT-mediated O-GlcNAcylation of ATF2 at Ser44 inhibited its phosphorylation and nuclear translocation, thereby amplifying NLRP3 inflammasome activation and promoting inflammatory cytokine production in microglia in response to LPS/Nigericin stimulation. In conclusion, this study uncovers the critical role of OGT-mediated O-GlcNAcylation in modulating microglial activity through the regulation of ATF2 and thus protects against SAE progression.
Animals ; Microglia/metabolism* ; Pyroptosis/physiology* ; Mice ; Sepsis-Associated Encephalopathy/prevention & control* ; Activating Transcription Factor 2/metabolism* ; N-Acetylglucosaminyltransferases/genetics* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Male ; Mice, Knockout

Human alphaherpesvirus 2 (HSV-2) is the main pathogen resulting human genital herpes, which poses a major threat to the socio-economic development, while there is no effective vaccine. In this study, we developed a novel lipopolyplex (LPP)-delivered mRNA vaccine expressing the HSV-2 envelope glycoprotein gD and evaluated its immunogenicity in mice. The mRNA vaccine was prepared from the genetically modified gD mRNA synthesized in vitro combined with the LPP delivery platform and it was named gD-ORI mRNA. The expression of gD antigen in the mRNA vaccine was validated in vitro by Western blotting and indirect immunofluorescence assay, then the immune responses induced by this mRNA vaccine in mice were evaluated. The immunization with gD mRNA alone induced strong humoral and cellular immune responses in mice. Robust and long-lasting gD-specific IgG antibodies were detected in the mouse serum after booster immunization with gD-ORI mRNA. The immunized mice exhibited a Th1/Th2 balanced IgG response and robust neutralizing antibodies against HSV-2, and a clear dose-response relationship was observed. The gD-specific IgG antibodies were maintained in mice for a long time, up to 18 weeks post-booster immunization. At the same time, multifunctional gD-specific CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells in vaccinated mice were detected by intracellular cytokine staining (ICS). This novel gD-expressing mRNA vaccine delivered by LPP induces strong and long-lasting immune responses in mice post booster immunization and has a promising prospect for development and application. This study provides scientific evidence and reference for the development of a new mRNA vaccine for HSV-2.
Animals ; Herpesvirus 2, Human/genetics* ; Viral Envelope Proteins/genetics* ; Mice ; Herpes Genitalis/immunology* ; RNA, Messenger/immunology* ; Female ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Antibodies, Viral/blood* ; mRNA Vaccines/immunology* ; Antibodies, Neutralizing/blood* ; Humans

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a heterogeneous lung condition characterized by persistent airflow obstruction caused by long-term airway inflammation or alveolar abnormalities, often manifested as chronic respiratory symptoms and decreased lung function. In recent years, experimental research has shown that mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) have anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and repairing properties of lung epithelial cells, which can be used to treat various diseases including COPD. This article is mainly based on the main findings of in vitro and in vivo animal model experiments and clinical studies of MSC treatment for COPD. It summarizes and discusses the possible mechanisms of action of MSC as a new therapy, and provides new ideas for clinical treatment of COPD.

Objective:To discuss the protective effect of velvet antler peptide(VAP)on the postmenopausal osteoporosis(PMOP)model rats,and to clarify its possible mechanism.Methods:A total of 60 twelve-week-old female SD rats were randomly divided into sham operation group,model group,alendronate sodium group(1 mg·kg 1·d-1 alendronate sodium administered via gavage),low dose of VAP group(100 mg·kg·d-1 VAP administered via gavage),medium dose of VAP group(200 mg·kg 1·d-1 VAP administered via gavage),and high dose of VAP group(300 mg·kg1·d-1 VAP administered via gavage),and there were 10 rats in each group.Except for the sham operation group,the rats in the other groups underwent bilateral ovariectomy to establish the PMOP rat models.Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry was used to detect the femur bone mineral density(BMD)of the rats in various groups;enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)was used to detect the levels of serum calcium(Ca2+),serum phosphorus(P),bone alkaline phosphatase(BALP),and procollagen type Ⅰ N-terminal propeptide(PINP)of the rats in various groups;Kits were used to detect the activities of superoxide dismutase(SOD)and the levels of malondialdehyde(MDA)of the rats in various groups;HE staining was used to observe the pathomorphology of bone tissue of the rats in various groups;Western blotting method was used to detect the expression levels of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase(PI3K),phosphorylated PI3K(p-PI3K),protein kinase B(AKT),and phosphorylated AKT(p-AKT)proteins in bone tissue of the rats in various groups.Results:Compared with sham operation group,the BMD in femur of the rats in model group was decreased(P＜0.01);compared with model group,the BMD in femur of the rats in alendronate sodium group,medium dose of VAP group,and high dose of VAP group was increased(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01).Compared with sham operation group,the levels of Ca2+,P,BALP,PINP,and SOD activity in serum of the rats in model group were decreased(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01),and the MDA level was increased(P＜0.01);compared with model group,the level of P in serum of the rats in medium dose of VAP group was increased(P＜0.01),and the levels of Ca2+,P,BALP,PINP and the activities of SOD in serum of the rats in alendronate sodium group and high dose of VAP group were increased(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01),and the level of MDA in serum was decreased(P＜0.05).The HE staining results showed that compared with sham operation group,the bone trabeculae in bone tissue of the rats in model group were thin and fractured,and the medullary cavity was enlarged;compared with model group,the bone trabeculae in bone tissue of the rats in alendronate sodium group,medium dose of VAP group,and high dose of VAP group were thick and tightly arranged,and had more osteocytes.The Western blotting results showed that compared with sham operation group,the ratios of p-PI3K/PI3K and p-AKT/AKT in bone tissue of the rats in model group were decreased(P＜0.01);compared with model group,the ratios of p-PI3K/PI3K in bone tissue of rats in different doses of VAP groups were increased(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01),and the ratios of p-AKT/AKT of the rats in alendronate sodium group and high dose of VAP group was increased(P＜0.01).Conclusion:VAP can improve PMOP in the rats,and its mechanisms may be related to the regulation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway and the reduction of oxidative stress in bone tissue by VAP.

Objective:To establish a UPLC method for the simultaneous determination of paeoniflorin,naringin,hesperidin,neohesperidin,costunolide and dehydrocostuslactone to improve the quality standard of Shangke Dieda Tablets.Methods:An Agilent Poroshell 120 C18 column(100 mm × 4.6 mm;2.7 μm)was used with a mobile phase of acetonitrile and 0.1％phosphate solution with binary gradient system at a flow rate of 1.0 mL·min-1.The detection wavelength was 230 nm and the column temperature was 30 ℃.Results:Paeoniflorin,naringin,hesperidin,neohesperidin,cosinolide and dehydrocosinolide showed a good linear relationship between injection concentration and peak area(r＞0.999).The linear ranges of six components were 0.854 2-256.272 μg·mL-1(r=0.999 9),1.057 5-317.247 μg·mL-1(r=0.999 9),and 0.989 5-269.850 μg·mL-1(r=0.999 9),1.055 6-316.689 μg·mL-1(r=0.999 9),0.905 1-271.527 μg·mL-1(r=0.999 8),and 1.064 7-319.395 μg·mL-1(r=0.999 9),respectively.The average recoveries of six components were 99.4％(RSD=1.2％),104.0％(RSD=1.2％),101.6％(RSD=1.0％),102.9％(RSD=0.4％),97.0％(RSD=1.9％),and 104.2％(RSD=1.0％),respectively.A total of 74 batches of samples were collected from 10 manufacturers.The contents of paeoniflorin,naringin,hesperidin,neohesperidin,coxinolactone,and dehydro-cosinolactone were 0.250 8-0.653 2,0.042 2-0.930 9,0.590 9-3.978 0,0.021 2-0.592 6,0.002 4-0.156 7,0.009 2-0.231 3 mg per tablet,respectively.Conclusion:The validated results showed that the method can be used to control the quality of Shangke Dieda Tablets.