Objective To investigate the therapeutic effect of Huangkui capsules on targeted drug-related proteinuria in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on clinical data of HCC patients with targeted drug-related proteinuria from June 2023 to December 2024 at Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University. According to the treatment plan, patients were divided into the conventional treatment group and the Huangkui combination treatment group (Huangkui capsules combined with conventional treatment), and the clinical efficacy between the two groups was compared. The logistic regression analysis was used to identify the main factors affecting treatment efficacy. Results The Huangkui combination treatment group (n＝29) showed a significantly higher overall effective rate (79.3% vs 42.3%, P＝0.005), and an earlier proteinuria improvement (median time: 3 months vs 6 months, P＝0.008) than the conventional treatment group (n＝26) . The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) or angiotensin Ⅱ receptor blocker (ARB) using (OR＝0.190, 95%CI 0.045-0.808, P＝0.025), targeted drug adjustment (OR＝0.132, 95%CI 0.030-0.581, P＝0.007), and Huangkui capsules using (OR＝0.168, 95%CI 0.039-0.730, P＝0.017) were protective factors for treatment efficacy of targeted drug-related proteinuria. Conclusions On the basis of conventional treatment, additive treatment with Huangkui capsules can alleviate targeted drug-related proteinuria faster and more effectively in HCC patients.

Objective To study the five-year survival status and influencing factors of elderly patients with lung cancer complicated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Methods A cohort study was conducted to follow up 450 patients with lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who were hospitalized in our hospital from January 2018 to December 2023. The endpoint of the follow-up was the end of a five-year period or death. The Life Tables method was used to calculate survival rates and plot survival curves. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to analyze the influencing factors of five-year survival. Results The results indicated that the overall five-year survival rate of patients was 4.89%, and it decreased year by year. Cox regression analysis showed that age, gender, family functioning, and psychological status significantly influenced patient survival rate (all P<0.05). Stratified analysis found that the smoking status, family functioning, and psychological status of male patients all had an impact on survival rate (all P<0.05), while the psychological status of female patients had a more significant impact on survival (P=0.008). Conclusion This study provides a scientific basis for comprehensive intervention of elderly lung cancer patients with COPD. It is recommended that clinical attention should be paid to psychological and family factors to improve patient prognosis.

Objective To explore the application effect of a standardized management method based on failure mode and effect analysis （FMEA） in optimizing the whole-process quality control system of the intravenous admixture service （PIVAS）. Methods The quality control management system of the PIVAS was optimized by establishing six quality control groups led by the head nurse, with full participation of pharmacy, nursing, and logistical staff, ensuring comprehensive coverage and traceability of all quality control links. Each group conducted risk priority number （RPN） scoring for potential failure modes in their respective quality control processes, and targeted improvement measures were formulated based on the scoring results. The RPN values of failure modes and quality control-related evaluation indicators before and after implementation were compared to achieve closed-loop management. Results After one year of management, the RPN values of the six major failure modes significantly decreased compared to those before implementation （P<0.05）. The compounding error rate dropped to 0.13%, the dispensing error rate decreased to 0.95%, the compounding efficiency increased to 98%, the delivery time was shortened by 0.45 h per batch, the intervention rate for irrational prescriptions rose to 94.87%, satisfaction improved to 96.78%, and the participation rate of quality control personnel reached 95.36% （P<0.05）. Conclusion FMEA-based identification of potential failure modes in the whole-process quality control system of the IVAS, combined with risk quantification and targeted interventions, significantly reduced high-risk failure modes, improved compounding accuracy and efficiency, and ensured the safety of clinical intravenous medication and the effectiveness of healthcare quality management.

Objective To explore the application effect of a standardized management method based on failure mode and effect analysis （FMEA） in optimizing the whole-process quality control system of the intravenous admixture service （PIVAS）. Methods The quality control management system of the PIVAS was optimized by establishing six quality control groups led by the head nurse, with full participation of pharmacy, nursing, and logistical staff, ensuring comprehensive coverage and traceability of all quality control links. Each group conducted risk priority number （RPN） scoring for potential failure modes in their respective quality control processes, and targeted improvement measures were formulated based on the scoring results. The RPN values of failure modes and quality control-related evaluation indicators before and after implementation were compared to achieve closed-loop management. Results After one year of management, the RPN values of the six major failure modes significantly decreased compared to those before implementation （P<0.05）. The compounding error rate dropped to 0.13%, the dispensing error rate decreased to 0.95%, the compounding efficiency increased to 98%, the delivery time was shortened by 0.45 h per batch, the intervention rate for irrational prescriptions rose to 94.87%, satisfaction improved to 96.78%, and the participation rate of quality control personnel reached 95.36% （P<0.05）. Conclusion FMEA-based identification of potential failure modes in the whole-process quality control system of the IVAS, combined with risk quantification and targeted interventions, significantly reduced high-risk failure modes, improved compounding accuracy and efficiency, and ensured the safety of clinical intravenous medication and the effectiveness of healthcare quality management.

Although global brain science research has progressed rapidly in recent decades, several fundamental questions in neuroscience remain unresolved. In particular, the physical mechanism underlying neural signal transmission remains controversial, and the carriers responsible for neural information storage and retrieval have not yet been fully clarified. These unresolved issues motivate us to re-examine the processes of neural information generation, transmission, integration, storage, and retrieval from multiple perspectives. A key observation is that neural electromagnetic activities are closely associated with time. Their duration, temporal structure, and dynamic evolution play crucial roles in neural information processing. In this work, we analyze neural electromagnetic activities from the perspective of temporal scales (referred to here as the “time course”). By reviewing and integrating findings from previous studies, we examine the characteristic time requirements and dynamic features of neural processes occurring at different stages of information processing. These stages include neural signal generation, signal transmission along axons, synaptic integration, synaptic plasticity, and memory formation and retrieval. Based on this temporal analysis, we outline a framework describing neural electromagnetic activities across a wide range of time scales, spanning from microseconds to minutes, hours, or even longer periods associated with long-term memory, which suggests that neural information processing involves multiple physical processes operating at different time levels. Rapid electromagnetic events may occur on microsecond scales, whereas electrophysiological phenomena such as action potentials typically last on the order of milliseconds. Longer time scales are associated with synaptic plasticity and memory-related processes. From this perspective, we propose that the physical carrier of neural information may be transient electromagnetic pulses with durations on the microsecond scale. In this framework, action potentials can be interpreted as the macroscopic electrophysiological manifestation of underlying electromagnetic processes triggered by ionic currents across neuronal membranes. Rather than being the fundamental neural signal itself, the action potential may represent a measurable membrane-level response associated with the successful activation of these electromagnetic events. Moreover, we discuss a possible mechanism for long-term memory storage. Considering the apparent temporal contradiction between the millisecond-scale excitation of neurons and the long-term persistence of memories, we believe that long-term memory information may be stored within neural network topologies formed by electrical synapse coupling. Such structures, referred to as electrically coupled memory networks (ECMNs), may enable neurons within the same network to respond rapidly and synchronously to stimuli, thereby facilitating efficient memory retrieval. Overall, this study emphasizes the importance of considering the temporal organization of neural electromagnetic activities when interpreting neural signaling mechanisms. It may provide new insights into the physical nature of neural information carriers and the mechanisms of memory storage and retrieval. Furthermore, highlighting the potential role of electromagnetic interactions in neural activity may contribute to the development of new theoretical frameworks and experimental approaches in neuroscience. Such perspectives may also offer valuable references for future research on neural coding, brain function mechanisms, and neuromodulation technologies.

ObjectiveBased on analytic hierarchy process（AHP）-criteria importance through intercriteria correlation（CRITIC） hybrid weighting method， grey relational analysis and backpropagation artificial neural network（BP-ANN）， to optimize the water extraction process of Qizhi prescription， so as to provide an experimental basis for optimization of the preparation process of this prescription and the establishment of quality standards. MethodsL₉（3⁴） orthogonal test was employed， and the AHP-CRITIC hybrid weighting method was utilized to determine the weight coefficients of the quality fractions of various components， including astragaloside Ⅳ， polygalaxanthone Ⅲ， calycosin-7-O-β-D-glucoside， tenuifolin， and 3，6′-disinapoylsucrose， as well as the dry extract yield. The comprehensive score of each factor level combination in the orthogonal test were calculated as evaluation indicator to select the optimal extraction process parameters. The effects of extraction times， extraction time， and solvent dosage on the aqueous extraction process of the formula were investigated through intuitive analysis， variance analysis， and grey relational analysis. Meanwhile， a BP-ANN model was established to reverse-predict the optimal extraction process parameters of Qizhi prescription， and the optimized process parameters were validated. ResultsThe weight coefficients of the five index components（astragaloside Ⅳ， tenuifolin， calycosin-7-O-β-D-glucoside， polygalaxanthone Ⅲ， and 3，6′-disinapoylsucrose） and dry extract yield were 25.7%， 20.82%， 16.41%， 12.45%， 15.96% and 8.67%， respectively. The optimized extraction process parameters were extracted 3 times with 8， 6， 6 times the amount of water， each time for 1 h. The network prediction results of BP-ANN test samples were consistent with the orthogonal test results， and the mean square error（MSE） of the predicted and measured values of the network was <1%. The water extraction process of Qizhi prescription analyzed and predicted by relevant mathematical models was stable and feasible， which could effectively improve the extraction efficiency of the active ingredients of Astragali Radix and Polygalae Radix， and the average comprehensive score of the validation test was 90.85 with the relative standard deviation（RSD） of 1.55%. ConclusionThis study establishes a water extraction process for compound Qizhi granules， and the optimized extraction process can effectively improve the extraction efficiency of active ingredients， which provides useful references for the optimization of preparation process and the establishment of quality standards for other clinical experience formulas.

Direct compression is an ideal method for tablet preparation, but it requires the powder's high functional properties. The functional properties of the powder during compression directly affect the quality of the tablet. 15 parameters such as Py, FES-8KN, FES-12KN, FES-16KN, CR-8KN, CR-12KN, and CR-16KN were used as the characteristic variables in this paper. Unsupervised learning methods like principal component analysis, cluster analysis, and factor analysis were applied to analyze and classify the compression behavior data of 36 traditional Chinese medicine powders. The results showed that both different dimensionality reduction classification methods could effectively differentiate the compression behavior characteristics of 36 traditional Chinese medicine compound powders. The hierarchical cluster analysis results showed a better agreement with the actual compression phenomena of the powders, where group 1 was high elasticity and low compressibility, group 2 was easily compressed and hard to break, group 3 was excellent compressibility and compactibility. This study is expected to provide references and ideas for predicting the behavior of traditional Chinese medicine powders and the screening of tablet formulations.

Lung transplantation is the optimal treatment for end-stage lung diseases and can significantly improve prognosis of the patients. However, postoperative complications such as infection, rejection, ischemia-reperfusion injury, and other challenges (like shortage of donor lungs) , limit the practical application of lung transplantation in clinical practice. Chinese research teams have been making continuous efforts and have achieved breakthroughs in basic research on lung transplantation by integrating emerging technologies and cutting-edge achievements from interdisciplinary fields, which has strongly propelled the development of this field. This article will comprehensively review the academic progress made by Chinese research teams in the field of lung transplantation in 2024, with a focus on the achievements of Chinese teams in basic research on lung transplantation. It aims to provide innovative ideas and strategies for key issues in the basic field of lung transplantation and to help China's lung transplantation cause reach a higher level.

BACKGROUND:The pathogenesis of diabetic peripheral neuropathy has not yet been clarified,and TAM(Tyro3,Axl,and MerTK)receptor tyrosine kinases can control apoptotic cells and suppress inflammatory responses in the central nervous system. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the difference of Mer receptor tyrosine kinase(MerTK)levels in plasma and sciatic nerve tissue of Sprague-Dawley rats with type 2 diabetes and diabetic peripheral neuropathy,and to study the correlation between MerTK and diabetic peripheral neuropathy. METHODS:Forty male Sprague-Dawley were randomly divided into control group with 15 rats,type 2 diabetes group with 10 rats,and diabetic peripheral neuropathy group with 15 rats.The control group was fed with ordinary diet,while the experimental groups were fed with high-fat and high-sugar diet.After 6 weeks,intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin at the minimum dose of 35 mg/kg was administered in the two experimental groups.After 14 days,tail vein blood was collected to detect blood glucose.If blood glucose≥16.7 mmol/L,the model of type 2 diabetes was successfully established.Rats in the diabetic peripheral neuropathy group continued to be fed with a high-sugar and high-fat diet for 8 weeks.The sciatic nerve conduction velocity of rats was detected through live isolation under anesthesia.Blood samples were collected from the abdominal aorta,and the sciatic nerve tissue was collected.Histological changes of nerve fibers in each group were observed under a light microscope to confirm the success of diabetic peripheral neuropathy modeling.ELISA was used to detect peripheral blood glucose,blood lipids and serum MerTK levels in rats;hematoxylin-eosin staining was used to observe the histological changes in the sciatic nerve;immunofluorescence,immunohistochemistry and western blot were used to detect the expression of MerTK in the sciatic nerve tissue. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The Sprague-Dawley rat models of type 2 diabetes and type 2 diabetes peripheral neuropathy were successfully constructed,and the modeling rate of diabetic peripheral neuropathy was 80%.Compared with the control group,the blood glucose levels of rats in the type 2 diabetes and diabetic peripheral neuropathy groups were significantly higher(P<0.000 1),while the blood glucose level in the diabetic peripheral neuropathy group was higher than that in the type 2 diabetes group;and the sciatic nerve conduction velocity was significantly decreased(P<0.05),which was lower in the diabetic peripheral neuropathy group than the type 2 diabetes group.Histological examination:Compared with the control group,the sciatic nerve nuclei were reduced in the type 2 diabetes group,with some vacuolar degeneration and phagocytosis;in the diabetic peripheral neuropathy group,the cell body was swollen,the nuclear spacing was increased,vacuolar degeneration was observed,and the myelin sheath was partitioned and unsmooth,and lattice-like axons appeared.Serum MerTK levels were significantly higher in the diabetic peripheral neuropathy group than the control group.Expression of MerTK in the sciatic nerve tissue was significantly upregulated in the diabetic peripheral neuropathy group compared with the control group(P<0.05).To conclude,elevated levels of MerTK in plasma and sciatic nerve tissue of rats with diabetic peripheral neuropathy are presumably related to its anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects.

Surgical methods for varicocele remain controversial. This study intends to evaluate the efficacy and safety of different surgical approaches for treating varicocele through a network meta-analysis (NMA). PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, and Web of Science databases were thoroughly searched. In total, 13 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and 24 cohort studies were included, covering 9 different surgical methods. Pairwise meta-analysis and NMA were performed by means of random-effects models, and interventions were ranked based on the surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA). According to the SUCRA, microsurgical subinguinal varicocelectomy (MSV; 91.6%), microsurgical retroperitoneal varicocelectomy (MRV; 78.2%), and microsurgical inguinal varicocelectomy (MIV; 76.7%) demonstrated the highest effectiveness in reducing postoperative recurrence rates. In this study, sclerotherapy embolization (SE; 87.2%), MSV (77.9%), and MIV (67.7%) showed the best results in lowering the risk of hydrocele occurrence. MIV (82.9%), MSV (75.9%), and coil embolization (CE; 58.7%) were notably effective in increasing sperm motility. Moreover, CE (76.7%), subinguinal approach varicocelectomy (SV; 69.2%), and SE (55.7%) were the most effective in increasing sperm count. SE (82.5%), transabdominal laparoscopic varicocelectomy (TLV; 76.5%), and MRV (52.7%) were superior in shortening the length of hospital stay. The incidence rates of adverse events for MRV (0), SE (3.3%), and MIV (4.1%) were notably low. Cluster analyses indicated that MSV was the most effective in the treatment of varicocele. Based on the existing evidence, MSV may represent the optimal choice for varicocele surgery. However, selecting clinical surgical strategies requires consideration of various factors, including patient needs, surgeon experience, and the learning curve.
Humans ; Male ; Embolization, Therapeutic/methods* ; Microsurgery/methods* ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Sclerotherapy/methods* ; Treatment Outcome ; Urologic Surgical Procedures, Male/methods* ; Varicocele/surgery*