ObjectiveThis paper aims to investigate and evaluate the staged efficacy and safety of the representative empirical prescription of the “Zhu Ke Jiao” theory， Qijia Rougan prescription， combined with entecavir in the treatment of hepatic fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B. MethodsA multicenter randomized controlled clinical study was conducted， and 101 patients diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B-related hepatic fibrosis （CHB-HF） who met the diagnosis and inclusion criteria were randomly assigned to an observation group （Qijia Rougan prescription + entecavir） and a control group （entecavir）. The treatment duration was 24 weeks. Liver stiffness measurement （LSM）， fibrosis-4 index （FIB-4）， portal vein diameter， hepatitis B serology， biochemical indicators， hepatic fibrosis markers in serum ［hyaluronic acid （HA）， laminin （LN）， procollagen Ⅲ peptide （PⅢP）， and type Ⅳ collagen （Ⅳ-C）］， and traditional Chinese medicine syndrome scores were used as efficacy evaluation indicators. Efficacy assessments and explorations of different staged subgroups of Qijia Rougan prescription were conducted according to LSM values based on the Metavir pathological staging standard. ResultsA total of 98 cases were included for statistical analysis， with 49 cases in the observation group and 49 in the control group. The general data of the patients in both groups were comparable. Compared with the same group before treatment， the observation group showed a significant reduction in LSM and FIB-4 （P<0.01）， as well as notable improvements in LN， Ⅳ-C， and various TCM syndrome scores （P<0.05， P<0.01）. When compared to the control group after treatment， the observation group demonstrated significant improvements in LSM， FIB-4， and various TCM syndrome score indicators （P<0.05， P<0.01）， indicating that the observation group performed better than the control group. Subgroup analysis of the regression of hepatic fibrosis stages showed that compared to the same group before treatment， the observation group had better improvement in regression of stages F2 and F3 （P<0.05）. When compared to the control group after treatment， the observation group exhibited superior improvement in regression of stage F3 （P<0.05）. No adverse events occurred in either group during the treatment period. ConclusionCompared with entecavir alone， the combination of Qijia Rougan prescription and entecavir significantly improves the degree of hepatic fibrosis and clinical TCM symptoms in patients. The optimal intervention period is primarily during stage F3， which is a potential “interception” point of the “Zhu Ke Jiao” theory.

Objective To investigate the effect of drug-eluting bead DACE(DEB-TACE)combined with systemic treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)in different locations.Methods A total of 204 HCC patients who underwent DEB-TACE combined with systemic therapy(targeted and immunotherapy)were retrospectively collected.According to the anatomical location of HCC,86 cases with lesions located at the main trunk of portal vein(PV)or within 1 cm of the first PV branch were classified into central type group,while 118 cases with lesions located at the other areas were classified as peripheral type group.Follow-up was regularly performed after DEB-TACE until August,2024.The objective response rate(ORR)and disease control rate(DCR)at 1,3,6 and 12 months after DEB-TACE,also patients'progression-free survival(PFS)and overall survival(OS)were compared between groups.Results All patients were followed up for a median of 32.6 months,during which 164 cases died.Significant differences of ORR at 1 and 3 months after DEB-TACE(77.91％[67/86]vs.89.83％[106/118],34.88％[30/86]vs.54.24％[64/118])and DCR at 3 and 6 months after DEB-TACE(51.16％[44/86]vs.66.95％[79/118],34.88％[30/86]vs.50.00％[59/118])were found between groups(all P＜0.05).Patients'PFS(30.18[9.12,48.54]months)and OS(37.36[17.79,56.68])in peripheral type group were better than those in central type group(20.11[11.35,28.87]months and 23.24[3.11,43.47]months,x2=3.971,4.162,P=0.048,0.041).Conclusion The effect of DEB-TACE combined with systemic treatment for peripheral type HCC was better than for central type HCC.

This consensus will introduce the characteristics of fillers used in the surgical cavities of domestic nasal surgery patients based on relevant literature and expert opinions. It will also provide recommendations for the selection of cavity fillers for different nasal diseases, with chronic sinusitis as a representative example.
Humans ; Nasal Cavity/surgery* ; Nasal Surgical Procedures ; China ; Consensus ; Sinusitis/surgery* ; Dermal Fillers

Objective To investigate the histological and cellular bases for the improvement of portal hypertension(PH)by observing liver histopathological changes after treatment in patients with cirrhotic portal hypertension,and to provide a basis for clinical drug development.Methods A total of 322 patients with hepatitis B cirrhosis who completed 48 weeks of antiviral therapy or combined anti-fibrotic treatment in 20 hospitals across 12 provinces in China from September 2014 to October 2018 were enrolled,and the noninvasive diagnostic criteria for clinically significant portal hypertension(CSPH)from Baveno Ⅶ were used to assess the severity of PH;43 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of CSPH were identified based on liver stiffness measurement(LSM)≥25 kPa before treatment,and according to whether the severity of PH was reduced by≥2 grades after treatment,the patients were divided into PH improvement(n=19)group and PH non-improvement group(n=24).Related data were collected,including demographic data,laboratory tests.Liver fibrosis were assessed,including HE staining and reticular fiber staining;liver microvascular lesions were assessed,including obliterative portal venopathy(OPV),nodular regenerative hyperplasia(NRH),and incomplete septal fibrosis(ISF).Single immunohistochemical staining was performed for von Willebrand factor(vWF),and fibronectin;multiplex immunohistochemical staining was performed for fibrinogen,CD32b,CD31,alpha-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA).The independent-samples t test or the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of continuous data between two groups,and the chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between two groups.Results After 48 weeks of treatment,43 patients had significant improvements in red blood cell count,alanine aminotransferase,aspartate aminotransferase,aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index score,liver fibrosis grade,and PH grade(all P<0.05),among whom 19 patients showed a reduction in PH severity by≥2 grades(PH improvement group),while the remaining patients were enrolled as the PH non-improvement group.There was no significant difference in the outcome of liver fibrosis between the two groups(χ2=3.380,P=0.066).Microvascular lesion assessment showed that compared with the PH non-improvement group,the PH improvement group had significantly lower OPV severity,microvascular density(the expression level of vWF),and expression of fibronectin(all P<0.05),while there were no significant differences in NRH severity,ISF severity,and the expression level of fibrinogen between the two groups(all P>0.05).Cytological evaluation showed no significant differences in the expression levels of CD32b,CD31,and α-SMA between the two groups before and after treatment(all P>0.05),and comparison of the expression levels before and after treatment showed that the PH improvement group had a significant increase in the expression level of CD32b(t=-2.007,P=0.045)and a significant reduction in the expression level of α-SMA(t=2.628,P=0.013).Conclusion The pathological features of PH improvement are associated with liver fibrosis regression and the improvement in liver microvascular lesions,and at the cellular level,PH improvement is associated with the dedifferentiation of liver sinusoidal endothelial cells and the activated phenotype of hepatic stellate cells.

Polymyxin serves as the"last line of defense"for treating infection with multidrug-resistant Gram-ne-gative bacteria.However,the emergence and spread of polymyxin-resistant genes such as mcr-1 severely weakens its clinical efficacy.This paper systematically summarizes the antimicrobial and resistance mechanisms of polymy-xin,comprehensively summarizes the current research progresses in polymyxin sensitizers particular focusing on three aspects:natural compounds,synthetic small molecules,and drug repurposing.Furthermore,this paper explores the innovative strategies of gene intervention,new targets,and nanotechnology-based formulations in the develop-ment of sensitizer,aiming to provide systematic theoretical support and research ideas against polymyxin resistance.

With the emergence of deep learning techniques based on convolutional neural networks, artificial intelligence (AI) has driven transformative developments in the field of medical image analysis. Recently, large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT have also started to achieve distinction in this domain. Increasing research shows the undeniable role of AI in reshaping various aspects of medical image analysis, including processes such as image enhancement, segmentation, detection in image preprocessing, and postprocessing related to medical diagnosis and prognosis in clinical settings. However, despite the significant progress in AI research, studies investigating the recent advances in AI technology in the aforementioned aspects, the changes in research hotspot trajectories, and the performance of studies in addressing key clinical challenges in this field are limited. This article provides an overview of recent advances in AI for medical image analysis and discusses the methodological profiles, advantages, disadvantages, and future trends of AI technologies.
Artificial Intelligence ; Humans ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted/methods* ; Neural Networks, Computer ; Deep Learning ; Diagnostic Imaging/methods*

Objective:To assess the efficacy and safety of Tacrolimus（TAC）in combination with glucocorticosteroid（GC）for treating IgA vasculitis nephritis（IgAVN）in children.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on pediatric patients who were diagnosed with IgAVN from January 2015 to January 2022 in Children's Hospital of Hebei Province.The patients presented with nephrotic-range proteinuria or persistent urine protein（>0.5g/24 h）despite adequate glucocorticoid and other treatments in patients who do not reach massive proteinuria levels.They were treated with TAC combined with GC. The following laboratory parameters were obtained for outcome assessment: 24-hour urinary protein excretion, serum albumin, serum creatinine levels, and fasting blood glucose measurements. The efficacy and adverse reactions of TAC were summarized.Results:A total of 97 children (55 males and 42 females) were included. The average age of diagnosis of IgA vasculitis was (8.65±2.46) years, and 95.9% of the children developed renal involvement within 30 days after diagnosis. Pathological examination of renal puncture: 5 cases of grade Ⅱa, 2 cases of grade Ⅱb, 31 cases of grade Ⅲa, 57 cases of grade Ⅲb, and 2 cases of grade Ⅳb.Remission rate at 3 months was 96.9%（94/97）.Three patients failed to achieve clinical remission who were treaed with other immunosuppressants.After 1, 3, 6 and 12 months of TAC treatment, the urine protein levels of 94 children were lower than those before treatment, and the differences were statistically significant ( P < 0.05), showing a gradual downward trend. Serum albumin levels were higher than those before treatment, and the differences were statistically significant ( P < 0.05), showing a gradual upward trend.After 3 months and 6 months of TAC treatment, the serum creatinine and fasting blood glucose of the children increased. With the remission of the disease, TAC dosage decreased, the mean values of serum creatinine and fasting blood glucose decreased after 12 months of treatment.The average treatment time of TAC was (10.8±2.6) months, the average follow-up time was (3.33±1.56) years, and the longest follow-up time was 8 years. During the follow-up period, there were no serious adverse reactions such as gastrointestinal discomfort, liver function damage and severe infection. After stopping GC and TAC treatment, 80 children got sustained remission. Conclusion:The combination of TAC and GC has been proved to be effective in treating IgAVN in children.The overall effective rate is high,and clinical remission can be achieved quickly with relatively mild adverse reactions.

Objective To explore the efficiency improvement in segmenting neural network with the application of Transformer + U-Net artificial intelligence (AI) and modeling with the application of Python scripts in three-dimensional (3D) printing brachytherapy. Methods A Transformer + U-Net AI neural network model was constructed, and Adam optimizer was used to ensure rapid gradient descent. Computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging data of patients were standardized and processed as self-made data sets. The training set was used to train AI and the optimal result weight parameters were saved. The test set was used to evaluate the AI ability. Python programming language was used to write an automated script to obtain the output segmentation image and convert it to the STL file for import. The source applicator and needle could be automatically modeled. The time of automatic segmentation and modeling and the time of manual segmentation and modeling were entered by two people, and the difference was verified by paired t-test. Results Dice similarity coefficient (DSC), mean intersection over union (MIOU), and Hausdorff distance (HD95) were used for evaluation. DSC was 0.9341, MIOU was 0.8762, and mean HD95 was 2.516. The mean time of manual segmentation was 1187 s, and the mean time of AI segmentation was 145 s (P < 0.01). The mean time of manual modeling was 321 s, and the mean time of modeling with Python automated scripts was 18 s (P < 0.01). Conclusion The application of Transformer + U-Net automatic segmentation and Python automated scripts can effectively improve work efficiency in the 3D printing brachytherapy for cervical cancer.

Objective:To analyze the differences in determination of fluoride level in drinking water by ion-selective electrode method and high-throughput rapid determination method.Methods:The precision test was carried out by using the two methods to measure two kinds of fluoride standard substances, water samples of external quality control assessment from 2021 to 2023 (two kinds each year) and the fluoride level in three drinking water samples (for 5 times/each sample). Accuracy testing was conducted by measuring the external quality control assessment water samples and the spiked recovery rates drinking water, and water samples were grouped (water fluoride ≤1.00, > 1.00 mg/L) and analyzed according to the "Hygienic Standards for Drinking Water" (GB 5749-85). SPSS 23.0 software was used for statistical analysis of the measurement results.Results:(1) The correlation coefficients ( r) of the working curves of the two methods were both > 0.990, meeting the quality control requirements. (2) In the precision test, when comparing the results of the two methods for detecting two kinds of fluoride standard substances, there was no statistically significant difference ( F = 0.36, 0.15, P = 0.564, 0.707), and the coefficients of variation ( CV) were all < 5%. The CV of the detection results of the external quality control assessment water samples and drinking water samples were < 5%. (3) In the accuracy test, when the fluoride concentration in water was ≤1.00 mg/L, there was no statistically significant difference in the spiked recovery rates between the two methods ( F = 0.49, P = 0.504). When the fluoride concentration in water was > 1.00 mg/L, there was a statistically significant difference in the spiked recovery rates between the two methods ( F = 24.75, P = 0.003). Conclusions:The ion-selective electrode method has the advantages of wide detection range and wide adaptability, while the high-throughput rapid determination method has high accuracy. Testing personnel can weigh and choose the appropriate determination method based on the actual laboratory conditions and sample concentration range.

Objective To elucidate the effects and mechanisms of Biejiajian pill(BJJP)-containing serum on the malignant biological behaviors of hepatocellular carcinoma Huh7 cells.Methods This research knocked down CKLF-like MARVEL transmembrane domain containing 6(CMTM6)expression using a CMTM6-specific small interfering RNA(siRNA).Healthy Sprague-Dawley rats were used to prepare normal rat serum and low-(0.55 g/kg),medium-(1.1 g/kg),and high-(2.2 g/kg)BJJP-containing.Huh7 cells were cultured with normal fetal bovine serum(BC),normal rat serum(NC),and low-,medium-,and high-dose BJJP serum(LBJJP,MBJJP,and HBJJP,respectively).BJJP-containing serum and si-CMTM6 were applied to Huh7 cancer cells,and the proliferation,migration,and invasion abilities were evaluated by CCK-8 and Transwell assays,respectively.Protein expression levels of proliferating cell nuclear antigen(PCNA),epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT)markers,and CMTM6 were detected by Western blot.Results CMTM6 knockdown significantly reduced the mRNA and protein expression level of CMTM6 in Huh7 cells(P＜0.05).There were no significant differences between the BC and NC groups in terms of cell proliferation,migration,invasion,expression levels of PCNA,EMT markers,and CMTM6(all P＞0.05).BJJP-containing serum markedly inhibited Huh7 cell proliferation,migration,and invasion(P＜0.05),downregulated PCNA,CMTM6,N-cadherin,and Vimentin expression,and upregulated E-cadherin compared with the NC group(all P＜0.05).CMTM6 knockdown suppressed malignant behaviors,with reduced PCNA,Vimentin,and N-cadherin and elevated E-cadherin expression(all P＜0.05).Conclusions BJJP-containing serum can significantly inhibit Huh7 cell growth,invasion,migration,and EMT progression,potentially mediated via CMTM6 suppression.