AIM: To observe the changes of corneal densitometry(CD)and higher-order aberrations after small incision lenticule extraction(SMILE), and to explore their correlations and influencing factors.METHODS: Prospective study. A total of 62 high-degree myopia and compound myopic astigmatism patients(62 eyes)who underwent SMILE in Urumqi Aier Eye Hospital from December 2022 to November 2023 were collected. The CD, root mean square of corneal higher-order aberrations(RMS HOA), spherical aberration, vertical coma, horizontal coma, and corneal epithelial thickness(CET)of the patients were measured before surgery, and at 1 d, 1 wk, 1, 3, and 6 mo after surgery, respectively.RESULTS:There were 4 patients lost to follow-up during the period, all due to failure to attend scheduled reexaminations. The number of complete and valid cases was 58 eyes. The CD in the central and paracentral regions of the anterior, middle, and total layer of the cornea increased significantly on the first day after surgery(all P<0.003). At 6 mo after surgery, there was a slight but statistically significant decrease in the CD of the central and paracentral regions of the anterior and the total anterior layer(all P<0.003). Compared with the preoperative baseline values, the RMS HOA, spherical aberration, and vertical coma significantly increased at 6 mo after surgery(all P<0.003), while the change in horizontal coma was not statistically significant. Compared with the preoperative baseline values, the CET in the central, paracentral, and peripheral regions of the cornea, as well as the total average CET in the 0-7 mm range of the cornea increased at 6 mo after surgery(all P<0.003). At 1 d after surgery, CD of the anterior layer and total layer in the central region of the cornea were positively correlated with the CET in the central region(rs=0.327, rs=0.250, all P<0.05). At 6 mo after the surgery, the CD of the middle layer and posterior layer in the central corneal region were negatively correlated with the preoperative spherical equivalent and the change of RMS HOA(all P<0.05).CONCLUSION:The anterior CD decreases at 6 mo after SMILE for high myopia correction, and there is a certain correlation between the changes in CD and some clinical parameters.

OBJECTIVE To prepare Arg-Gly-Asp（RGD）-modified doxorubicin （DOX）-loaded “core-shell” nanoparticles （RGD@DOX-LPNs）， characterize the nanoparticles， and investigate their antitumor effects. METHODS RGD@DOX-LPNs were prepared using the nanoprecipitation method. Their morphology was examined by visual inspection and electron microscopy. Particle size， polydispersity index （PDI）， and Zeta potential were determined， and differential scanning calorimetry （DSC） and X-ray diffraction （XRD） were employed. Encapsulation efficiency （EE）， drug loading （DL）， and stability were evaluated. The in vitro release kinetics， mucus diffusion， and tumor cell uptake [tracked using coumarin 6 （COU）] were investigated. The in vivo tissue distribution and gastrointestinal retention [labeled with 11-chloro-1， 1′-dipropyl-3， 3， 3′， 3′-tetramethyl-10， 12- trimethyleneindotricarbocyanine iodide （IR780）] were investigated. Using 4T1 tumor-bearing mice as the experimental subjects， the effects of the prepared formulation on tumor volume， tumor weight， and cell apoptosis rate were evaluated. RESULTS RGD@DOX-LPNs presented as orange transparent liquid with uniform and near-spherical particles. The particle size was （159.67± 8.02） nm， PDI was 0.15±0.06， and Zeta potential was （－19.70±0.79） mV. After modification with RGD， the thermal absorption peak and crystalline diffraction peak of DOX disappeared. EE and DL of RGD@DOX-LPNs were （72.65±4.37）% and （4.62± 0.38）% ， respectively. No obvious changes in appearance， particle size， or EE were observed after storage at 4 ℃ and 25 ℃ for 7 days. The cumulative drug release at 4 h was approximately 73%， which was lower than that of free DOX（almost completely released within 1 h）. The amount of COU in the first segmental mucus layer of COU-LPNs was significantly lower than that in the corresponding segment of RGD@COU- LPNs， whereas it was significantly higher in the 2nd to 5th segmental mucus layers compared to RGD@COU-LPNs （P＜0.01）. Cellular uptake of RGD@COU-LPNs was significantly higher than that of COU-LPNs（P＜0.05）. The isolated tissue fluorescence intensity of RGD@IR780-LPNs was stronger than that of IR780-LPNs， indicating better small intestinal retention. Compared with free DOX and unmodified nanoparticles （DOX-LPNs）， RGD@DOX-LPNs exhibited a higher tumor inhibition rate of 65.74%， significantly reduced tumor volume and weight， and increased apoptosis rate（P＜0.01）. CONCLUSIONS RGD@DOX-LPNs are successfully prepared with sustained release properties， which can improve gastrointestinal mucus retention， enhance cellular uptake of DOX， and have potent antitumor activity against breast cancer.

Medical institutions, with their clinical practice foundation and abundant human use experience data, have become important carriers for the inheritance and innovation of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) and the "cradles" of the preparation of new TCM. To effectively promote the transformation of new TCM originating from the TCM clinical practice in medical institutions and establish an effective evaluation index system for the transformation of new TCM conforming to the characteristics of TCM, consensus experts adopted the literature research, questionnaire survey, Delphi method, etc. By focusing on the policy and technical evaluation of new TCM originating from the TCM clinical practice in medical institutions, a comprehensive evaluation from the dimensions of drug safety, efficacy, feasibility, and characteristic advantages was conducted, thus forming a comprehensive evaluation system with four primary indicators and 37 secondary indicators. The expert consensus reached aims to encourage medical institutions at all levels to continuously improve the high-quality research and development and transformation of new TCM originating from the TCM clinical practice in medical institutions and targeted at clinical needs, so as to provide a decision-making basis for the preparation, selection, cultivation, and transformation of new TCM for medical institutions, improve the development efficiency of new TCM, and precisely respond to the public medication needs.
Medicine, Chinese Traditional/standards* ; Humans ; Consensus ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Brain age prediction, as a significant approach for assessing brain health and early diagnosing neurodegenerative diseases, has garnered widespread attention in recent years. Electroencephalogram (EEG), an non-invasive, convenient, and cost-effective neurophysiological signal, offers unique advantages for brain age prediction due to its high temporal resolution and strong correlation with brain functional states. Despite substantial progress in enhancing prediction accuracy and generalizability, challenges remain in data quality and model interpretability. This review comprehensively examined the advancements in EEG-based brain age prediction, detailing key aspects of data preprocessing, feature extraction, model construction, and result evaluation. It also summarized the current applications of machine learning and deep learning methods in this field, analyzed existing issues, and explored future directions to promote the widespread application of EEG-based brain age prediction in both clinical and research settings.
Humans ; Electroencephalography/methods* ; Brain/physiology* ; Machine Learning ; Aging/physiology* ; Deep Learning ; Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of Yangxue Qingnao Pills (YXQNP) combined with amlodipine in treating patients with grade 1 hypertension. METHODS: This is a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled study. Adult patients with grade 1 hypertension of blood deficiency and Gan (Liver)-yang hyperactivity syndrome were randomly divided into the treatment or the control groups at a 1:1 ratio. The treatment group received YXQNP and amlodipine besylate, while the control group received YXQNP's placebo and amlodipine besylate. The treatment duration lasted for 180 days. Outcomes assessed included changes in blood pressure, Chinese medicine (CM) syndrome scores, symptoms and target organ functions before and after treatment in both groups. Additionally, adverse events, such as nausea, vomiting, rash, itching, and diarrhea, were recorded in both groups. RESULTS: A total of 662 subjects were enrolled, of whom 608 (91.8%) completed the trial (306 in the treatment and 302 in the control groups). After 180 days of treatment, the standard deviations and coefficients of variation of systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels were lower in the treatment group compared with the control group. The improvement rates of dizziness, headache, insomnia, and waist soreness were significantly higher in the treatment group compared with the control group (P<0.05). After 30 days of treatment, the overall therapeutic effects on CM clinical syndromes were significantly increased in the treatment group as compared with the control group (P<0.05). After 180 days of treatment, brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity, ankle brachial index and albumin-to-creatinine ratio were improved in both groups, with no statistically significant differences (P>0.05). No serious treatment-related adverse events occurred during the study period. CONCLUSIONS Combination therapy of YXQNP with amlodipine significantly improved symptoms such as dizziness and headache, reduced blood pressure variability, and showed a trend toward lowering urinary microalbumin in hypertensive patients. These findings suggest that this regimen has good clinical efficacy and safety. (Registration No. ChiCTR1900022470).
Humans ; Amlodipine/adverse effects* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/adverse effects* ; Male ; Female ; Hypertension/complications* ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Adult ; Blood Pressure/drug effects* ; Double-Blind Method ; Aged ; Antihypertensive Agents/adverse effects*

Global public health faces substantial challenges from malignant tumors and infectious diseases. Vaccination provides an approach for treating and preventing these diseases. Oral vaccinations are particularly advantageous in disease treatment and prevention due to their non-invasive nature, high patient compliance, convenience, cost-effectiveness, and capacity to stimulate comprehensive and adaptive immune responses. However, the overwhelming majority of oral vaccines remain in experimental development, struggling with clinical and commercial translation due to their suboptimal efficacy. Thus, enhancing scientists' understanding of the interaction between vaccines and gastrointestinal immune system, creating antigen delivery systems suitable for the gut mucosal environment, developing more potent antigenic epitopes, and using personalized combination therapies are critical for advancing the next generation of oral vaccines. This article explores the fundamental principles and applications of current oral anti-tumor and anti-infective vaccines and discusses considerations necessary for designing future oral vaccines.

OBJECTIVE: The present study evaluated the effects of deep acupuncture at Weizhong acupoint (BL40) on bladder function and brain activity in a rat model of overactive bladder (OAB), and investigated the possible mechanisms around the acupuncture area that initiate the effects of acupuncture. METHODS: Adult female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into six groups, comprising a control group, model group, group treated with deep acupuncture at BL40, group treated with shallow acupuncture at BL40, group treated with acupuncture at non-acupoint next to BL40, and group treated with acupuncture at Xuanzhong (GB39). Urodynamic evaluation was used to observe the urination, and functional magnetic resonance imaging was used to observe the brain activation. The mechanism of acupuncture at BL40 in regulating bladder function was explored by toluidine blue staining and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and the mechanism was verified by stabilizing mast cells (MCs) or blocking tibial nerve. RESULTS: Deep acupuncture at BL40 significantly increased the intercontraction interval in OAB rats and enhanced the mean amplitude of low frequency fluctuation of primary motor cortex (M1), periaquaductal gray matter (PAG), and pontine micturition center (PMC). It also increased the zero-lag functional connectivity between M1 and PAG and between PAG and PMC. Shallow acupuncture at BL40 and acupuncture at non-acupoint or GB39 had no effect on these indexes. Further studies suggested that deep acupuncture at BL40 increased the number and degranulation rate of MCs as well as the contents of 5-hydroxytryptamine, substance P, and histamine in the tissues around BL40. Blocking the tibial nerve by lidocaine injection or inhibiting MC degranulation by sodium cromoglycate injection obstructed the effects of acupuncture on restoring urinary function and modulating brain activation in OAB rats. CONCLUSION Deep acupuncture at BL40 may be more effective for inhibiting OAB by promoting degranulation of MCs around the acupoint and stimulating tibial nerve, thereby regulating the activation of the brain area that controls the lower urinary tract. Please cite this article as: Liu X, Zhang CY, Du XY, Li SS, Wang YQ, Zheng Y, Deng HZ, Fang XQ, Li JY, Wang ZQ, Xu SF, Mi YQ. Acupuncture at Weizhong (BL40) attenuates acetic acid-induced overactive bladder in rats by regulating brain neural activity through the modulation of mast cells and tibial nerves. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(1): 46-55.
Animals ; Urinary Bladder, Overactive/physiopathology* ; Mast Cells/physiology* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Female ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Acupuncture Points ; Rats ; Brain/physiopathology* ; Tibial Nerve/physiopathology* ; Acetic Acid ; Urinary Bladder/physiopathology*

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the association between body mass index (BMI) and mortality based on the 10-year population-based multicenter prospective study. METHODS: A general population-based multicenter prospective study was conducted at four sites in rural China between 2013 and 2023. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models and restricted cubic spline analyses were used to assess the association between BMI and mortality. Stratified analyses were performed based on the individual characteristics of the participants. RESULTS: Overall, 19,107 participants with a sum of 163,095 person-years were included and 1,910 participants died. The underweight (< 18.5 kg/m ²) presented an increase in all-cause mortality (adjusted hazards ratio [ aHR] = 2.00, 95% confidence interval [ CI]: 1.66-2.41), while overweight (≥ 24.0 to < 28.0 kg/m ²) and obesity (≥ 28.0 kg/m ²) presented a decrease with an aHR of 0.61 (95% CI: 0.52-0.73) and 0.51 (95% CI: 0.37-0.70), respectively. Overweight ( aHR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.67-0.86) and mild obesity ( aHR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.59-0.87) had a positive impact on mortality in people older than 60 years. All-cause mortality decreased rapidly until reaching a BMI of 25.7 kg/m ² ( aHR = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.92-0.98) and increased slightly above that value, indicating a U-shaped association. The beneficial impact of being overweight on mortality was robust in most subgroups and sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSION This study provides additional evidence that overweight and mild obesity may be inversely related to the risk of death in individuals older than 60 years. Therefore, it is essential to consider age differences when formulating health and weight management strategies.
Humans ; Body Mass Index ; China/epidemiology* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Rural Population/statistics & numerical data* ; Aged ; Follow-Up Studies ; Adult ; Mortality ; Cause of Death ; Obesity/mortality* ; Overweight/mortality*

Objective To investigate the effect of vecuronium bromide on the malignant biological behavior of gastric cancer cells and its molecular mechanism.Methods Gastric cancer cells HGC-27 were divided into control group,experimental-L,-M,-H groups,si-NC group,si-FGD5-AS1 group,pcDNA-FGD5-AS1 group,pcDNA group,experimental-H+pcDNA group,experimental-H+pcDNA-FGD5-AS1 group.The control group was cultured conventionally;experimental-L,-M,-H groups were treated with 5,10 and 20μmol·mL-1 vecuronium bromide,respectively;si-FGD5-AS1 group and the si-NC group were transfected with lncRNA FGD5-AS1 interference expression vector and negative control plasmid,respectively;pcDNA-FGD5-AS1 group and pcDNA group were transfected with lncRNA FGD5-AS1 overexpression vector and negative control plasmid,respectively;lncRNA FGD5-AS1 overexpression vector and negative control plasmid were transfected into HGC-27 cells in the experimental-H+pcDNA-FGD5-AS1 group and experimental-H+pcDNA group,and then treated with 20 μmuol·mL-1 vecuronium bromide.Methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium(MTT),flow cytometry and real-time fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction(RT-qPCR)were applied to dectect cell viability,apoptosis and lncRNA FGD5-AS1 expression.Results The cell activity of control group,experimental-L,-M,-H groups,si-NC group,si-FGD5-AS1 group,pcDNA group,PCDNA-FGD5-AS1 group,experimental-H+pcDNA group and experimental-H+PCDNA-FGD5-AS1 group were 1.31±0.07,0.58±0.03,1.31±0.06,0.51±0.03,1.29±0.08,1.68±0.15,0.59±0.03 and 1.16±0.06;the apoptosis rates were(6.49±0.44)％,(23.52±0.98)％,(6.42±0.44)％,(26.75±0.97)％,(6.72±0.38)％,(2.56±0.19)％,(23.56±1.04)％and(11.65±0.47)％;the expression levels of lncRNA FGD5-AS1 were 1.00±0.05,0.37±0.02,0.99±0.05,0.21±0.02,1.00±0.03,2.98±0.12,0.38±0.02 and 0.87±0.05,respectively.The above indexes were compared with the control group and experimental-H group,those in the si-FGD5-AS1 group were compared with the si-NC group,those in the pcDNA-FGD5-AS1 group were compared with the pcDNA group,and those in the experimental-H+pcDNA-FGD5-AS1 group were compared with the experimental-H+pcDNA group,the differences were statistically significant(all P＜0.05).Conclusion Vecuronium bromide may inhibit the proliferation of HGC-27 cells and promote cell apoptosis by down-regulating lncRNA FGD5-AS1.

Objective To study the effect and mechanism of action of Yi Sui Sheng Xue Fang(YSSX)in ameliorating chemotherapy-induced renal injury in mice through The Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1(KEAP1)/Nuclear factor erythroid-derived 2-like 2(NRF2)signalling pathway.Methods A mouse kidney injury model was induced by intraperitoneal injection of carboplatin(40 mg·kg-1).C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into blank group(0.9％NaCl),model group(kidney injury model)and experimental-L,experimental-M,experimental-H groups(0.53,1.05 and 2.10 g·kg-1·d-1 YSSX by gavage for 7 d).Keap1 and Nrf2 were determined by Western blot;superoxide dismutase(SOD)and malondialdehyde(MDA)activities were determined by spectrophotometry.Results The protein expression levels of Keap1 in blank group,model group and experimental-L,experimental-M,experimental-H groups were 0.26±0.02,0.64±0.03,0.59±0.01,0.45±0.05 and 0.34±0.02;the protein expression levels of Nrf2 were 0.69±0.06,0.35±0.01,0.36±0.01,0.48±0.02 and 0.56±0.01;the enzyme activities of catalase(CAT)were(572.49±912.92),(334.60±4.92),(402.76±9.80),(475.35±5.21)and(493.00±12.03)U·mg-1;glutathione(GSH)were(2.79±0.06),(0.51±0.01),(0.59±0.07),(1.29±0.04)and(1.70±0.08)μmol·L1;SOD were(477.00±4.32),(260.67±6.13),(272.67±2.87),(386.33±3.68)and(395.00±12.25)U·mL-1;MDA were(3.89±0.02),(7.32±0.03),(6.94±0.14),(4.60±0.01)and(4.34±0.02)nmol·mg prot-1.The differences of the above indexes in the model group compared with the blank group were statistically significant(P＜0.01,P＜0.001);the differences of the above indexes in experimental-M,experimental-H groups compared withe model group were statistically significant(P＜0.01,P＜0.001).Conclusion YSSX can activate Keap1/Nrf2 signaling pathway and regulate the oxidative stress state of the organism,thus improving the renal injury caused by chemotherapy in mice.