OBJECTIVE To explore the transformation of the dispensing and drug pickup process in traditional Chinese medicine pharmacy （TCM Pharmacy） in our hospital based on data-intelligence-driven， aiming to improve pharmacists’ work efficiency and patients’ drug pickup experience. METHODS Value stream mapping and journey mapping were used to systematically identify non-value-added links in pharmacists’ dispensing process and key pain points in patients’ drug pickup under the traditional process. An intelligent dispensing and drug pickup system for the TCM Pharmacy was developed based on the C# and Android television platforms， and a machine-learning model was adopted to predict patients’ drug pickup waiting time. A comprehensive evaluation was performed from three perspectives： system performance， prediction accuracy， and satisfaction of pharmacists and patients. RESULTS The system successfully streamlined non-value-added links such as “waiting for writing on the board” and “searching for drugs”， and realized multimodal dynamic prompts of dispensing status through auditory （number calling） and visual （television terminal） channels. The constructed model for predicting drug pickup waiting time exhibited good fitting degree and generalization ability （mean absolute error＝4.28 min， R 2 ＝0.882）. The comprehensive satisfaction scores of pharmacists and patients in the traditional mode were significantly increased from （70.99±1.74） and （73.58±1.98） to （90.02±1.30） and （88.61±2.08） in the new system， respectively （ P ＜0.01）. CONCLUSIONS The transformation of the intelligent drug dispensing and pickup system for TCM pharmacy based on data-intelligence-driven effectively improves the efficiency of pharmacists’ dispensing work， realizes process transparency and waiting time predictability， and significantly enhances patients’ drug pickup experience.

Intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor(anti-VEGF)therapy has been widely used, but the variability in its therapeutic efficacy limits individualized treatment. In recent years, the application of artificial intelligence(AI)has opened up new avenues for personalized treatment response prediction, and its core branches include machine learning(ML)and deep learning(DL). This review systematically retrieved and analyzed 41 relevant studies published up to April 2025. Comprehensive analysis reveals that AI predictive models are evolving from forecasting single endpoints(such as visual acuity or central retinal thickness)to integrating multi-dimensional endpoints(encompassing anatomical, functional, and treatment demand parameters)and generating predictive imaging outputs. In terms of technical approaches, DL models(28 studies, accounting for 68.3%)dominate this field due to their robust image interpretation capabilities, while ML models(10 studies, 24.4%)retain significant value in the analysis of structured clinical data. Cross-disease comparisons indicate that research efforts are most concentrated on age-related macular degeneration(ARMD)and diabetic macular edema(DME), with shared conceptual frameworks for model construction, yet distinct anatomical and functional indicators are prioritized for each disease. Currently, the field confronts several key challenges, including insufficient prospective clinical validation, limited model interpretability(the “black box problem”), and a scarcity of high-quality multi-center datasets. Moving forward, it is imperative to advance real-world validation and develop explainable AI techniques to expedite the clinical translation of these predictive models.

Objective:To investigate the therapeutic efficacy of different modes of neoadjuvant therapy for locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) with proficient in mismatch repair intact (pMMR) or microsatellite stability (MSS).Methods:A retrospective case series study was conducted. A total of 210 LARC patients with pMMR or MSS admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from January 2020 to December 2022 were selected. Patients were divided into the chemotherapy alone group (98 cases) and the total neoadjuvant therapy (TNT) group (112 cases) based on different neoadjuvant treatment modes. The pathological complete remission (pCR) rate of both groups was compared. In the TNT group, 24 patients received short-course radiotherapy (SCRT) plus chemotherapy (group A), 62 patients received SCRT plus chemotherapy combined with immunotherapy (group B), 23 patients received long-course radiotherapy (LCRT) plus chemotherapy (group C), and 3 patients received LCRT plus chemotherapy combined with immunotherapy (group D). The pCR rate, tumor down-staging and the incidence of adverse reactions were compared between the 4 groups. A subgroup analysis was performed in 87 patients with the distance from the tumor site to anal verge >5 cm and T 2-3N 0-2M 0 TNM staging. And then 87 patients were divided into the chemotherapy alone group (47 cases) and the TNT group (40 cases), and the overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) of patients were compared between the 2 groups. Results:Among the 210 LARC patients, 126 cases were male and 84 cases were female, with the age of (51±11) years. There were 3 cases in clinical stage Ⅱ and 207 cases in clinical stage Ⅲ; 68 cases with the distance from the tumor site to the anal verge <5 cm and 142 cases with the distance from the tumor site to the anal verge ≥ 5 cm. The pCR rate of the TNT group was higher than that of the chemotherapy alone group [40.2% (45/112) vs. 7.2% (7/98)], and the difference was statistically significant ( χ2 = 30.62, P < 0.001). In group D, 1 patient achieved pCR, but no statistical comparison was made due to the small sample size. There was no statistically significant difference in pCR rate between group A and group C [25.0% (6/24) vs. 21.7% (5/23), χ2 = 0.07, P = 0.792]. The pCR rate of group B was higher than that of group A and group C [53.2% (33/62) vs. 25.0% (6/24), 53.2% (33/62) vs. 21.7% (5/23)], and the differences were statistically significant ( χ2 = 5.56, P = 0.029; χ2 = 6.73, P = 0.013). However, there were no statistically significant differences in T and N down-staging among group A, group B and group C (all P > 0.05). During neoadjuvant treatment, the incidence of grade 3-4 myelosuppression was 10.7% (12/112) in the TNT group, and no grade 3-4 radiation proctitis was observed. The incidence of granulocytopenia in group B was lower than that in group A, and the incidence of thrombocytopenia in group was lower than that in group C; and the differences were statistically significant (all P < 0.05). In the subgroup analysis, there were no statistically significant differences in OS and DFS between the chemotherapy alone group and the TNT group ( χ2 = 2.17, P = 0.141; χ2 = 0.24, P = 0.624). Conclusions:The neoadjuvant treatment of SCRT combined with immunotherapy has a high pCR rate and a good safety in LARC patients with pMMR or MSS. TNT is not effective in improving the survival of low-risk LARC patients with tumors located in the mid to high segment of the rectum and may have the risk of overtreatment.

Objective:To investigate the therapeutic efficacy of different modes of neoadjuvant therapy for locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) with proficient in mismatch repair intact (pMMR) or microsatellite stability (MSS).Methods:A retrospective case series study was conducted. A total of 210 LARC patients with pMMR or MSS admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from January 2020 to December 2022 were selected. Patients were divided into the chemotherapy alone group (98 cases) and the total neoadjuvant therapy (TNT) group (112 cases) based on different neoadjuvant treatment modes. The pathological complete remission (pCR) rate of both groups was compared. In the TNT group, 24 patients received short-course radiotherapy (SCRT) plus chemotherapy (group A), 62 patients received SCRT plus chemotherapy combined with immunotherapy (group B), 23 patients received long-course radiotherapy (LCRT) plus chemotherapy (group C), and 3 patients received LCRT plus chemotherapy combined with immunotherapy (group D). The pCR rate, tumor down-staging and the incidence of adverse reactions were compared between the 4 groups. A subgroup analysis was performed in 87 patients with the distance from the tumor site to anal verge >5 cm and T 2-3N 0-2M 0 TNM staging. And then 87 patients were divided into the chemotherapy alone group (47 cases) and the TNT group (40 cases), and the overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) of patients were compared between the 2 groups. Results:Among the 210 LARC patients, 126 cases were male and 84 cases were female, with the age of (51±11) years. There were 3 cases in clinical stage Ⅱ and 207 cases in clinical stage Ⅲ; 68 cases with the distance from the tumor site to the anal verge <5 cm and 142 cases with the distance from the tumor site to the anal verge ≥ 5 cm. The pCR rate of the TNT group was higher than that of the chemotherapy alone group [40.2% (45/112) vs. 7.2% (7/98)], and the difference was statistically significant ( χ2 = 30.62, P < 0.001). In group D, 1 patient achieved pCR, but no statistical comparison was made due to the small sample size. There was no statistically significant difference in pCR rate between group A and group C [25.0% (6/24) vs. 21.7% (5/23), χ2 = 0.07, P = 0.792]. The pCR rate of group B was higher than that of group A and group C [53.2% (33/62) vs. 25.0% (6/24), 53.2% (33/62) vs. 21.7% (5/23)], and the differences were statistically significant ( χ2 = 5.56, P = 0.029; χ2 = 6.73, P = 0.013). However, there were no statistically significant differences in T and N down-staging among group A, group B and group C (all P > 0.05). During neoadjuvant treatment, the incidence of grade 3-4 myelosuppression was 10.7% (12/112) in the TNT group, and no grade 3-4 radiation proctitis was observed. The incidence of granulocytopenia in group B was lower than that in group A, and the incidence of thrombocytopenia in group was lower than that in group C; and the differences were statistically significant (all P < 0.05). In the subgroup analysis, there were no statistically significant differences in OS and DFS between the chemotherapy alone group and the TNT group ( χ2 = 2.17, P = 0.141; χ2 = 0.24, P = 0.624). Conclusions:The neoadjuvant treatment of SCRT combined with immunotherapy has a high pCR rate and a good safety in LARC patients with pMMR or MSS. TNT is not effective in improving the survival of low-risk LARC patients with tumors located in the mid to high segment of the rectum and may have the risk of overtreatment.

Objective:To analyze the efficacy and safety of nalbuphine for analgesia in patients with non-mechanical ventilation in intensive care unit (ICU).Methods:From December 2018 to August 2021, a multicenter randomized controlled clinical study was conducted to select non-mechanical ventilation patients with analgesic needs admitted to ICU of four hospitals in Henan Province and Guizhou Province. Patients were randomly assigned to nalbuphine group and fentanyl group. The nalbuphine group was given continuous infusion of nalbuphine [0.05~0.20 mg/(kg·h)], and the fentanyl group was given continuous infusion of fentanyl [0.5~2.0 μg/(kg·h)]. The analgesic target was critical-care pain observation tool (CPOT) score<2. The observation time was 48 hours. The primary endpoint was CPOT score, the secondary endpoints were Richmond agitation-sedation score (RASS), ICU length of stay, adverse events, and proportion of mechanical ventilation. The quantitative data of the two groups were compared by t test or Mann-Whitney U test. The enumeration data were compared by chi square test or Fisher exact probability method. The data at different time points between groups were compared by repeated measures analysis of variance. Results:A total of 210 patients were enrolled, including 105 patients in the nalbuphine group and 105 patients in the fentanyl group. There was no significant difference in baseline data between the two groups (all P>0.05). There was no significant difference in CPOT score between nalbuphine group and fentanyl group at each time point after medication ( P>0.05), the CPOT score of both groups at each time point after medication was significantly lower than that before medication, and the analgesic target could be achieved and maintained 2 hours after medication. There was no significant difference in RASS between the two groups at each time point after medication ( P>0.05), which was significantly lower than that before medication, and the target sedative effect was achieved 2 hours after medication. There was no significant difference in ICU length of stay between nalbuphine group and fentanyl group [5.0(4.0,7.5) d vs. 5.0(4.0,8.0) d, P=0.504]. The incidence of delirium, nausea and vomiting, abdominal distension, pruritus, vertigo and other adverse events in the nalbuphine group was lower than that in the fentanyl group (all P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of other adverse events such as deep sedation, hypotension and bradycardia between the two groups (all P>0.05). The incidence of respiratory depression in nalbuphine group was not significantly different from that in fentanyl group ( P>0.05), but the proportion of mechanical ventilation was significantly lower than that in the fentanyl group [1.9% (2/105) vs. 8.6%(9/105), P=0.030]. Conclusions:Nalbuphine could be used for analgesia in ICU patients with non-mechanical ventilation. The target analgesic effect could be achieved within 2 hours, and it had a certain sedative effect with a low incidence of adverse reactions.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the clinical efficacy of modified Houpo Dahuangtang in moderate and severe acute respiratory distress syndrome （ARDS） patients with phlegm-heat accumulation，and monitor the pulmonary ventilation changes of patients before and after treatment by electrical impedance tomography（EIT）. MethodThe 62 cases of moderate and severe ARDS patients with phlegm-heat accumulation who required mechanical ventilation in the department of intensive care unit （ICU） in Chongqing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from September 2021 to June 2022 were selected，and divided into an experimental group（31 cases）and a control group（31 cases）using a random number table. On the basis of regular Western medicine treatment，the experimental group received modified Houpo Dahuangtang and the control group received warm water by a nasogastric tube for seven days. The changes in the clinical efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine（TCM），the oxygenation index［arterial oxygen partial pressure （PaO₂）/fractional inspired oxygen（FiO₂），P/F］，lactic acid（Lac），acute physiology and chronic health evaluation Ⅱ（APACHE Ⅱ） score，compliance，plateau pressure，gas distribution parameters monitored by EIT（Z1，Z2，Z3 and Z4），inflammatory factors［interleukin-6 （IL-6），IL-10， tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） and C-reactive protein （CRP）］ of both groups before and after treatment were recorded. Besides， the mechanical ventilation time， length of stay in ICU， 28-day mortality and incidence of adverse reactions（delirium，abdominal pain and diarrhea）in the two groups were also observed. ResultThere was no significant difference in the baseline indexes of patients in the two groups，and thus the two groups were comparable. After treatment for one week， the total effective rate for TCM syndromes in the experimental group was 90.30%（28/31）， higher than the 67.74%（21/31）in the control group（Z=-2.415，P<0.05）.Compared with the same group before treatment， the plateau pressure and Lac decreased （P<0.01）and the compliance and P/F increased （P<0.01） in experimental group， while the Lac decreased （P<0.05）and the P/F increased （P<0.05）， and the compliance and plateau pressure did not change significantly in the control group. After treatment，the plateau pressure and inflammatory factors in the experimental group were lower than those in the control group（P<0.05）， but the compliance and P/F in the experimental group were higher than those in the control group（P<0.05）， and the gas distribution parameters Z1，Z2，Z3，Z4，Z1+Z2，and Z3+Z4 monitored by EIT in the experimental group were all higher than those in the control group （P<0.05）. There was no significant difference in mechanical ventilation time， ICU hospitalization time， 28-day mortality， delirium， abdominal pain， diarrhea and other adverse reactions between the two groups. ConclusionModified Houpo Dahuangtang can significantly improve the P/F，pulmonary ventilation in gravity-dependent regions and pulmonary compliance，reduce the release of inflammatory factors in moderate and severe ARDS patients. Compared with conventional methods，EIT can timely monitor the pulmonary ventilation changes in ARDS patients，which suggests its clinical feasibility.

Objective:There is no standard method for esophageal remnant gastric reconstruction for proximal gastrectomy. Reflux esophagitis caused by esophagogastrostomy remains a difficult surgical problem. To report the preliminary surgical results of novel esophagus-conical remnant gastric side overlap anastomosis (CGEO) , with particular emphasis on postoperative esophageal reflux.Methods:In June 2022, we developed a novel CGEO for laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy on two patients with Siewert type II esophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma. Surgical procedures for CGEO: (1) Laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy and preparation of conically shaped gastric remnant; (2) Determining anastomotic site of residual stomach and esophagus; (3) Side-to-side anastomosis of right esophageal wall to anterior of conical gastric remnant; (4) Valvuloplasty of esophageal stump.Results:Case 1 was a 71-year-old man with an operation time of 305 minutes and was successfully discharged from the hospital on the 9th day after surgery, and the postoperative pathology was T3N0M0. Case 2 was an 82-year-old man with an operation time of 325 minutes. He was discharged on the 10th day after surgery. In both cases, only mild esophageal mucosal changes were seen in gastroscopy, there were no obvious symptoms of esophageal reflux. There was also no significant weight change at half a year after operation.Conclusion:CGEO is moderately safe in radical surgery for proximal gastric cancer, and may have a preventive effect on the occurrence of postoperative esophageal reflux, but long-term results need to be confirmed by further studies with follow-up.

Objective:To investigate the effect of chimeric flap pedicled with superficial branch of superficial iliac circumflex artery in repair of soft tissue defect of dorsal hand combined with metacarpal bone defect.Methods:From May 2015 to January 2022, 34 patients(28 males and 6 females) of soft tissue defects of dorsal hand with metacarpal bone defects were treated in the Department of Orthopedics of Yibin Third People's Hospital. The age of patients ranged from 22 to 51 years old, with an average age of 37 years old. The areas of soft tissue defects after debridement were 2.5 cm×5.0 cm-4.5 cm×9.0 cm, and the defects were all in dorsal hand and dorsal wrist. The lengths of metacarpal bone defect were 1.8-4.1 cm. All the patients had only single metacarpal bone defect, among which: 14 patients had defects in first metacarpal bone, 7 in second metacarpal bone, 4 in third metacarpal bone, 8 in fourth metacarpal bone and 1 in fifth metacarpal bone. All the patients were repaired by chimeric flap pedicled with superficial branch of superficial iliac circumflex artery. The size of flaps were 3.6 cm×5.4 cm-5.2 cm×9.5 cm. Anticoagulation, thermal preservation and plaster fixation were applied for 4-6 weeks after surgery. Postoperative follow-ups included regularly outpatient clinic visit, telephone or Wechat reviews. Follow-up items covered: the feeling and appearance of flaps in recipient sites, healing of the donor sites and recovery of hand functions.Results:All the 34 chimeric flaps survived. Regular follow-up lasted for 3 to 15(average, 10) months. All incisions in the donor sites of hip healed in stage I. TPD of the flaps was 5.1-7.3(mean, 6.4) mm. Appearance of flaps in the receiving area were satisfactory without swelling. Movement of wrists and metacarpophalangeal joints met the basic requirement of movement. The healing time of metacarpal defect was 2-3 months with an average of 2.8 months. Hand functions were evaluated at excellent in 6 patients and good in 28, according to the Evaluation Standard of Upper Limb Partial Functional of Hand Surgery of Chinese Medical Association.Conclusion:The chimeric flap pedicled with superficial branch of superficial iliac circumflex artery is an ideal flap to repair the soft tissue defect in dorsal hand combined with metacarpal bone defect. It has advantages of less donor site damage, good blood supply of flap, simple surgical procedure, and one-stage repair of a combined soft tissue and metacarpal bone defects.

Osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) is one of the common and difficult-to-treat orthopedic diseases caused by a variety of factors that lead to abnormal blood flow to the femoral head, which in turn leads to deformation and collapse of the femoral head and eventually results in severe hip joint dysfunction. The key to the treatment is early diagnosis and correct treatment according to the stage classification and active prevention of further aggravation of ONFH aiming to delay or avoid hip replacement surgery in young and middle-aged patients. At present, there are various non-surgical and surgical hip-preserving modalities for early ONFH, designed to slow down the progression of the disease, prevent the femoral head from collapsing and stop the mild collapse. In recent years, with the emergence and development of bone reconstruction biomaterials, artificial bone reconstruction after scraping of ONFH lesions has shown great potential in the treatment of early ONFH. The authors review the research progress in hip-preserving modalities for early ONFH in young and middle-aged patients from non-surgical and surgical perspectives, hoping to provide a reference for clinical treatment of early ONFH.

Objective:There is no standard method for esophageal remnant gastric reconstruction for proximal gastrectomy. Reflux esophagitis caused by esophagogastrostomy remains a difficult surgical problem. To report the preliminary surgical results of novel esophagus-conical remnant gastric side overlap anastomosis (CGEO) , with particular emphasis on postoperative esophageal reflux.Methods:In June 2022, we developed a novel CGEO for laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy on two patients with Siewert type II esophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma. Surgical procedures for CGEO: (1) Laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy and preparation of conically shaped gastric remnant; (2) Determining anastomotic site of residual stomach and esophagus; (3) Side-to-side anastomosis of right esophageal wall to anterior of conical gastric remnant; (4) Valvuloplasty of esophageal stump.Results:Case 1 was a 71-year-old man with an operation time of 305 minutes and was successfully discharged from the hospital on the 9th day after surgery, and the postoperative pathology was T3N0M0. Case 2 was an 82-year-old man with an operation time of 325 minutes. He was discharged on the 10th day after surgery. In both cases, only mild esophageal mucosal changes were seen in gastroscopy, there were no obvious symptoms of esophageal reflux. There was also no significant weight change at half a year after operation.Conclusion:CGEO is moderately safe in radical surgery for proximal gastric cancer, and may have a preventive effect on the occurrence of postoperative esophageal reflux, but long-term results need to be confirmed by further studies with follow-up.