OBJECTIVE To investigate the mechanism of Shenling baizhu san （SLBZS） in ameliorating ulcerative colitis （UC）. METHODS Mice were randomly divided into normal group， model group， and low-， medium-， high-dose SLBZS groups （3， 6， 12 g/kg）， with 10 mice in each group. Except for the normal group， mice in other groups were given free access to 3% dextran sulfate sodium solution for 7 days to establish UC models. Simultaneously， mice in each group were intragastrically administered corresponding medicinal liquid or double-distilled water once a day for consecutive 7 days. After the last administration， the histopathological morphology of colon tissues was observed； the serum levels of inflammatory factors including tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， interleukin-1β （IL-1β） and IL-18 were detected； the total bile acid contents in liver， gallbladder and colon tissues were determined； the expression level of NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing protein 3 （NLRP3） in colon tissues was tested. The expression levels of flora metabolism-related proteins [G protein-coupled receptor 41（GPR41），GPR43，farnesoid X receptor （FXR）， G protein-coupled bile acid receptor 1 （TGR5）， flavin-containing monooxygenase 3 （FMO3）， cytochrome P450 family 27 subfamily A member 1 （CYP27A1）， CYP7A1] in liver or colon tissues， as well as the proteins related to Toll-like receptor 4 （TLR4）/nuclear factor-κB （NF-κB）/NLRP3 inflammatory axis [TLR4， NF-κB， phosphorylated NF-κB （p-NF-κB）， myeloid differentiation factor 88 （MyD88）， NLRP3， apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD （ASC）， caspase-1] in colon tissues were measured. RESULTS Compared with the model group， the colon tissue injury and inflammatory cell infiltration were alleviated in medium- and high-dose SLBZS groups. The serum levels of TNF-α， IL-1β and IL-18， total bile acid contents in liver and colon tissues， as well as the protein expression levels of FMO3 and CYP7A1 in liver tissues， TLR4， p-NF-κB， NF-κB， MyD88， NLRP3， ASC and caspase-1 in colon tissues were significantly decreased （P＜0.05）. Meanwhile， the total bile acid content in gallbladder， the protein expression levels of GPR41 and GPR43 in colon tissues， along with CYP27A1， FXR and TGR5 in liver tissues were significantly increased （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS SLBZS may relieve colonic inflammatory injury and ameliorate UC by regulating the expression of flora metabolism-related proteins and inhibiting the abnormal activation of TLR4/NF-κB/NLRP3 inflammatory axis.

Objective To describe the clinical features of patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis(PSC)in China based on a nationwide multicenter patient cohort,and to investigate the risk factors for prognosis.Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted among the patients with a confirmed diagnosis of PSC based on the electronic medical record system of seven grade A tertiary hospitals across the country,and related data were extracted.The Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of continuous data between groups,and the chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups.The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate liver transplant-free survival,and the log-rank test was used for comparison of survival rate between PSC patients with different features.The Cox regression model was used to identify independent risk factors for the prognosis of PSC patients and the interactions between key factors.Results A total of 107 patients were enrolled,among whom 55.6%(55/99)had large-duct PSC and 29.0%(31/107)had comorbidity with inflammatory bowel disease(IBD).The positivity rate of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody(ANCA)was 32.9%(24/73),and 50.0%(40/80)of the patients had an increase in IgG/IgM.The median symptom-to-diagnosis interval was 1 year(<1-4.0),and 38.3%(41/107)of the patients had progressed to decompensated cirrhosis at the time of diagnosis.The median liver transplant-free survival time was 114 months(95%confidence interval[CI]:62-166),with a 5-year survival rate of 65.7%.The multivariate analysis showed that an increase in total bile acid(TBA)(hazard ratio[HR]=1.006,95%CI:1.002-1.010,P=0.001)and a prolonged symptom-to-diagnosis interval(HR=1.252,95%CI:1.059-1.480,P=0.009)were independent risk factors for prognosis.The interaction analysis showed that compared with the female patients with TBA<50 μmol/L,both male and female patients with TBA≥50 μmol/L had a significant increase in the risk of liver transplantation or death(male:HR=16.563,95%CI:2.103-130.449,P<0.001;female:HR=17.009,95%CI:2.113-136.934,P<0.001),and compared with the patients with an age of<45 years and a TBA level of<50 μmol/L,the patients with an age of≥45 years and a TBA level of≥50 μmol/L had a significant increase in the risk of liver transplantation or death(HR=10.729,95%CI:1.325-86.859,P=0.026).Compared with the female patients with an symptom-to-diagnosis interval of≤2 years,the male patients with a symptom-to-diagnosis interval of>2 years had an increased risk of liver transplantation or death(HR=4.825,95%CI:1.725-13.644,P=0.003),and compared with the patients with an age of<45 years and a symptom-to-diagnosis interval of≤2 years,the patients with an age of<45 years and a symptom-to-diagnosis interval of>2 years had an increased risk of liver transplantation or death(HR=4.983,95%CI:1.366-18.173,P=0.015).Conclusion Compared with the reports from Western countries,large-duct PSC is also the main type of PSC in China,but with a relatively low proportion,and there is also a relatively low proportion of patients with IBD or positive ANCA.An increase in TBA and a prolonged symptom-to-diagnosis interval are independent risk factors for prognosis,with significant interactions with age and sex.This suggests that early screening and intervention should be enhanced to improve prognosis.

The development of artificial intelligence(AI)technology has provided new avenues for the public to access health information.While both domestic and international research and practical applications of health conversational AI have emerged,there remains a lack of consensus on the key issues surrounding their development.Based on a comprehensive review of domestic and international literature and multiple rounds of expert consultations,the study focuses on six issues:the definition,characteristics,application scenarios,evaluation elements,evaluation methods,as well as prospects and challenges of AI-driven health consultation systems,and develops the practice guideline for health conversational artificial intelligence.The findings aim to provide scientific reference for promoting the innovative application of AI technology in the healthcare field.

Objective To explore the correlation between serum circularRNA-HOMER1(circHOMER1),microRNA(miR)-23a-3p levels with clinical stages and oxidative stress in patients with diabetic retinopathy(DR).Methods From January 2023 to July 2024,75 DR patients treated in Handan Central Hospital were included as the DR group.According to the clinical staging of DR,they were divided into non proliferative DR(NPDR group,n=43)and proliferative DR(PDR group,n=32).In addition,75 patients with simple type 2 diabetes who came to Handan Central Hospital were included as non DR group.The levels of serum circHOMER1,miR-23a-3p,malondialdehyde(MDA),superoxide dismutase(SOD),and reduced glutathione(GSH)were detect-ed.Clinical data of the subjects were collected.The TargetScan website was used to predict the targeting relationship between circHOMER1 and miR-23a-3p.Pearson method was used to analyze the correlation between serum circHOMER1,miR-23a-3p and MDA,SOD,GSH.Univariate and multivariate Logistic regression were used to analyze the influencing factors of progression of DR in type 2 diabetes patients.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)carve was used to analyze the predictive value of serum circHOMER1 and miR-23a-3p in the progression of DR in patients with type 2 diabetes.Results There was a targeted relationship between circHOMER1 and miR-23a-3p.The serum MDA(28.66±4.52ng/ml)and circHOMER1(1.24±0.16)levels in the DR group were higher than those in the non DR group(16.95±3.27ng/ml,1.02±0.11),while SOD(45.39±7.84U/L),GSH(135.82±21.23μg/mL)and miR-23a-3p(0.88±0.07)levels were lower than those in the non DR group(81.65±11.47U/L,207.44±25.95μg/mL,1.01±0.09),and differences were statistically significant(t=9.813～22.602,all P<0.001).The serum MDA(33.28±4.96ng/ml)and circHOMER1(1.36±0.20)levels in the PDR group were higher than those in the NPDR group(25.23±3.58ng/ml,1.15±0.17),while SOD(34.39±7.15U/L),GSH(113.50±20.17μg/ml)and miR-23a-3p(0.79±0.07)levels were lower than those in the NPDR group(53.27±8.44U/L,152.43±23.99μg/ml,0.94±0.08),and the differences were statistically significant(t=4.906～10.376,all P<0.001).Spearman analysis showed that serum MDA and circHOMER1 were positively correlated with the severity of DR(r=0.533,0.473,all P<0.001),while SOD,GSH,miR-23a-3p were negatively correlated with the severity of DR(r=-0.552,-0.515,-0.529,all P<0.001).Pearson analysis showed that serum circHOMER1 was negatively correlated with miR-23a-3p,SOD,GSH,and positively correlated with MDA(r=-0.475,-0.460,-0.455,0.462,all P<0.001).Serum miR-23a-3p was positively correlated with SOD and GSH,and negatively correlated with MDA(r=0.428,0.437,-0.439,all P<0.001).Logistic regression analysis showed that high MDA,low SOD,low GSH,high circHOMER1,low miR-23a-3p,high FPG and high HbA1c were the risk factors of progression of DR in type 2 diabetes patients(OR=0.214～3.556,all P<0.05).The area under curve(AUC)of serum circHOMER1 and miR-23a-3p alone and jointhy predicting the progression of DR in type 2 diabetes patients were 0.751,0.797 and 0.903 respectively.The combined prediction was higher than that of serum circHOMER1 and miR-23a-3p alone(Z=3.179,2.335,P=0.002,0.020).Conclusion Serum MDA and circHOMER1 levels are higher in DR patients,while serum SOD,GSH and miR-23a-3p levels are lower.Abnormal expression of circHOMER1 and miR-23a-3p in serum is associated with progression of DR and oxidative stress.Combined detection of circHOMER1 and miR-23a-3p in serum can predict the progression of DR in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Objective:To evaluate the impact of postoperative radiotherapy (RT) and associated risk factors on the prognosis of patients undergoing postmastectomy breast reconstruction (PMBR) for breast cancer.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 1593 breast cancer patients who underwent PMBR at Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute & Hospital between January 2010 and October 2023. Patients were divided into an RT group ( n = 351) and a non-RT group ( n =1242) based on whether postoperative radiotherapy was administered. The primary endpoints were overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS), and the secondary endpoint was the incidence of revision surgery. Propensity score matching (PSM) and inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) were used for pairing. Continuous variables were compared between the two groups using the independent samples t-tests, while categorical variables were compared using chi-square tests, and survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Cox proportional hazards model was used to analyze survival influencing factors, and include propensity factors with P<0.2 in univariate analysis into multivariate analysis. Results:In the RT group, there were 3 deaths (0.9%) and 21 cases of disease progression (6.0%); in the non-RT group, 7 patients died (0.56%) and 40 experienced disease progression (3.22%). The median OS was 20.1 months (range: 0.1-164.9), and the median PFS was 19.5 months (range: 0.1-160.9). Pregnancy-associated breast cancer and higher N stage were identified as significant risk factors for OS, while neoadjuvant therapy, absence of adjuvant chemotherapy or endocrine therapy, and higher T stage were significant risk factors affecting patients' PFS. Radiotherapy significantly reduced the survival risk for PMBR patients with pregnancy-associated breast cancer or those receiving neoadjuvant therapy ( P=0.019, 0.027). Compared with other reconstruction methods, implant-based reconstruction was associated with a lower incidence of postmastectomy revision surgery(10.5% vs. 17.0%, P<0.001). Even after radiotherapy, the revision surgery incidence for implant-based reconstruction remained lower than that of other methods (12.2% vs. 14.2%, P=0.591). Compared with other reconstruction types, expander-based reconstruction was associated with an increased incidence of revision surgery (31.9% vs. 10.9%, P<0.001). Conclusions:Postmastectomy radiotherapy can reduce survival risk in PMBR patients with pregnancy-associated breast cancer or who received neoadjuvant therapy, showing positive effects on OS and PFS in high-risk patients. Pregnancy, higher T/N stage, and specific treatment strategies are critical factors influencing the prognosis of PMBR patients. Implant-based reconstruction is associated with a lower incidence of revision surgery, which remains low even after RT, whereas expander-based reconstruction may increase the long-term risk of revision surgery.

Objective:To analyze the development trend of medical institution bed allocation in OECD countries and provide insights for optimizing bed resources allocation in China.Methods:Data on indicators of bed allocation and related factors from 1991 to 2022 were collected from the OECD online database.Bed allocation impact dimensions were identified based on health needs and demand theories.The random effect model and correlation analysis were used to explore influencing pathways of bed allocation.Results:The number of beds per 1 000 population and average life expectancy showed a significant positive correlation in countries below the average bed level,while an inverse trend was observed in countries above the average level.The number of long-term care beds per 1000 population showed positive correlation with average life expectancy.Multidimensional factors such as the disease spectrum and bed utilization efficiency were significant correlated with the bed allocation levels.The greater the gap in inpatient and outpatient reimbursement rations,the higher the demand for hospitalization among patients with chronic disease.Conclusions:An optimal number of beds is essential for achieving higher health outcomes.The bed classification planning system should be designed to adapt to demographic changes and strengthen the medical security support system.

Objective:This study aims to systematically review the current evaluation paradigms of conversational AI in healthcare and provide insights to facilitate the development of a comprehensive evaluation framework and methodological advancements in this field.Methods:A systematic review was conducted by searching the PubMed and Web of Science databases to analyze the existing evaluation paradigms of healthcare conversational AI,including evaluation subjects,assessment metrics,and evaluation methodologies.Results:A total of 60 studies were included in this review.The findings indicate that most evaluation subjects focus on general-purpose large language models.The assessment metrics cover five key dimensions:technical performance,information quality,clinical effectiveness,user experience,and ethics and safety.However,there were significant differences in the evaluation criteria used in existing studies.There were also issues such as a low degree of alignment between the evaluation questions and the application scenarios,as well as a lack of diversity in the roles of the evaluators.Conclusions:The current evaluation framework for healthcare conversational AI remains underdeveloped.Future improvements should focus on broadening model coverage,enhancing the comprehensiveness of evaluation indicators,standardizing evaluation methods,improving the operationalizability of test content,and expanding the scalability of evaluation languages.

Objective To describe the clinical features of patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis(PSC)in China based on a nationwide multicenter patient cohort,and to investigate the risk factors for prognosis.Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted among the patients with a confirmed diagnosis of PSC based on the electronic medical record system of seven grade A tertiary hospitals across the country,and related data were extracted.The Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of continuous data between groups,and the chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups.The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate liver transplant-free survival,and the log-rank test was used for comparison of survival rate between PSC patients with different features.The Cox regression model was used to identify independent risk factors for the prognosis of PSC patients and the interactions between key factors.Results A total of 107 patients were enrolled,among whom 55.6%(55/99)had large-duct PSC and 29.0%(31/107)had comorbidity with inflammatory bowel disease(IBD).The positivity rate of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody(ANCA)was 32.9%(24/73),and 50.0%(40/80)of the patients had an increase in IgG/IgM.The median symptom-to-diagnosis interval was 1 year(<1-4.0),and 38.3%(41/107)of the patients had progressed to decompensated cirrhosis at the time of diagnosis.The median liver transplant-free survival time was 114 months(95%confidence interval[CI]:62-166),with a 5-year survival rate of 65.7%.The multivariate analysis showed that an increase in total bile acid(TBA)(hazard ratio[HR]=1.006,95%CI:1.002-1.010,P=0.001)and a prolonged symptom-to-diagnosis interval(HR=1.252,95%CI:1.059-1.480,P=0.009)were independent risk factors for prognosis.The interaction analysis showed that compared with the female patients with TBA<50 μmol/L,both male and female patients with TBA≥50 μmol/L had a significant increase in the risk of liver transplantation or death(male:HR=16.563,95%CI:2.103-130.449,P<0.001;female:HR=17.009,95%CI:2.113-136.934,P<0.001),and compared with the patients with an age of<45 years and a TBA level of<50 μmol/L,the patients with an age of≥45 years and a TBA level of≥50 μmol/L had a significant increase in the risk of liver transplantation or death(HR=10.729,95%CI:1.325-86.859,P=0.026).Compared with the female patients with an symptom-to-diagnosis interval of≤2 years,the male patients with a symptom-to-diagnosis interval of>2 years had an increased risk of liver transplantation or death(HR=4.825,95%CI:1.725-13.644,P=0.003),and compared with the patients with an age of<45 years and a symptom-to-diagnosis interval of≤2 years,the patients with an age of<45 years and a symptom-to-diagnosis interval of>2 years had an increased risk of liver transplantation or death(HR=4.983,95%CI:1.366-18.173,P=0.015).Conclusion Compared with the reports from Western countries,large-duct PSC is also the main type of PSC in China,but with a relatively low proportion,and there is also a relatively low proportion of patients with IBD or positive ANCA.An increase in TBA and a prolonged symptom-to-diagnosis interval are independent risk factors for prognosis,with significant interactions with age and sex.This suggests that early screening and intervention should be enhanced to improve prognosis.

The development of artificial intelligence(AI)technology has provided new avenues for the public to access health information.While both domestic and international research and practical applications of health conversational AI have emerged,there remains a lack of consensus on the key issues surrounding their development.Based on a comprehensive review of domestic and international literature and multiple rounds of expert consultations,the study focuses on six issues:the definition,characteristics,application scenarios,evaluation elements,evaluation methods,as well as prospects and challenges of AI-driven health consultation systems,and develops the practice guideline for health conversational artificial intelligence.The findings aim to provide scientific reference for promoting the innovative application of AI technology in the healthcare field.

Objective:This study aims to systematically review the current evaluation paradigms of conversational AI in healthcare and provide insights to facilitate the development of a comprehensive evaluation framework and methodological advancements in this field.Methods:A systematic review was conducted by searching the PubMed and Web of Science databases to analyze the existing evaluation paradigms of healthcare conversational AI,including evaluation subjects,assessment metrics,and evaluation methodologies.Results:A total of 60 studies were included in this review.The findings indicate that most evaluation subjects focus on general-purpose large language models.The assessment metrics cover five key dimensions:technical performance,information quality,clinical effectiveness,user experience,and ethics and safety.However,there were significant differences in the evaluation criteria used in existing studies.There were also issues such as a low degree of alignment between the evaluation questions and the application scenarios,as well as a lack of diversity in the roles of the evaluators.Conclusions:The current evaluation framework for healthcare conversational AI remains underdeveloped.Future improvements should focus on broadening model coverage,enhancing the comprehensiveness of evaluation indicators,standardizing evaluation methods,improving the operationalizability of test content,and expanding the scalability of evaluation languages.