AIM: To review and summarize the current research and achievements in the field of diabetic cataract, with the aim of better identifying research hotspots and trends in this area.METHODS: Based on the relevant literature retrieved from the China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Web of Science databases, and Pubmed, a bibliometric analysis of the diabetic cataract was conducted by means of Microsoft Office Excel 2017 and CiteSpace 6.3R2. Research hotspots were subsequently synthesized after visualizations of author/country collaborations, co-citation networks of highly cited literature, keyword clustering, and emergence.RESULTS: A total of 815 Chinese and 572 English publications were finally included. Overall, this field had maintained substantial scholarly attention globally, though publications had progressively decreased since 2018. While inter-institutional collaboration in this area remained limited, a multinational collaborative network had emerged with the People's Republic of China, the United States of America, the United Kingdom, and the Kingdom of Spain as central hubs. Core research priorities in diabetic cataract consistently encompassed surgical and pharmacological interventions, pathogenesis, associated ocular/systemic complications; while international and domestic research contents aligned fundamentally in these domains, but the domestic research was unique in nursing interventions and herbal medicine-based interventions. Recent analytical trends revealed that Chinese investigations prioritized the pathogenic mechanisms of diabetic cataract, whereas international efforts concentrated on clinical therapeutics.CONCLUSION: This bibliometric analysis of diabetic cataract research literature(2000-2024)synthesizes the current advancements, research priorities, and scholarly contributions in the field, and intuitively demonstrates significant academic merit and clinical relevance, which can provide evidence-based guidance for the future research trajectories.

To promote the development of extracellular vesicles of herbal medicine especially the establishment of standardization, led by the National Expert Committee on Research and Application of Chinese Herbal Vesicles, research experts in the field of herbal medicine and extracellular vesicles were invited nationwide with the support of the Expert Committee on Research and Application of Chinese Herbal Vesicles, Professional Committee on Extracellular Vesicle Research and Application, Chinese Society of Research Hospitals and the Guangdong Engineering Research Center of Chinese Herbal Vesicles. Based on the collation of relevant literature, we have adopted the Delphi method, the consensus meeting method combined with the nominal group method to form a discussion draft of "Consensus statement on research and application of Chinese herbal medicine derived extracellular vesicles-like particles (2023)". The first draft was discussed in online and offline meetings on October 12, 14, November 2, 2022 and April and May 2023 on the current status of research, nomenclature, isolation methods, quality standards and research applications of extracellular vesicles of Chinese herbal medicines, and 13 consensus opinions were finally formed. At the Third Academic Conference on Research and Application of Chinese Herbal Vesicles, held on May 26, 2023, Kewei Zhao, convenor of the consensus, presented and read the consensus to the experts of the Expert Committee on Research and Application of Chinese Herbal Vesicles. The consensus highlights the characteristics and advantages of Chinese medicine, inherits the essence, and keeps the righteousness and innovation, aiming to provide a reference for colleagues engaged in research and application of Chinese herbal vesicles at home and abroad, decode the mystery behind Chinese herbal vesicles together, establish a safe, effective and controllable accurate Chinese herbal vesicle prevention and treatment system, and build a bridge for Chinese medicine to the world.

Huangqitang comes from the Taiping Huimin Hejiju Fang of the Song dynasty. It consists of four medicinal materials: Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus, Citrμs reticμlata， Cannabis sativa， and Apis cerana. It is a classic prescription for treating constipation in the elderly. This study systematically collated the literature records about Huangqitang in ancient Chinese medicine books and combined it with the current status of modern clinical applications to conduct in-depth analysis and research on the origin，composition， dosage, processing, preparation and administration, drug base, main symptoms， and other key information of the formula, so as to provide a strong reference for the development and clinical application of the classic Huangqitang compound preparation. Through systematic combing and textual research on the previous literature of Huangqitang， it can be seen that the formula of Huangqitang was first recorded in the Taiping Huimin Hejiju Fang， and the medical books of the past dynasties mostly adopted this formula. In terms of drug base， the dried roots of the leguminous plant Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus are used， and for tangerine， the dried outer peel of the Rutaceae plant Citrus reticμlata and its cultivated varieties are used. The Moraceae plant Cannabis sativa with the peel removed is selected, and the Apis cerana is selected from the honey brewed by Apis cerana， an insect of the Apidae family. In terms of dosage， although the dosage of some drugs changed during the Ming and Qing dynasties, the dosage records basically followed the original prescriptions from the Song dynasty. In terms of processing, preparation, and usage， although the drug processing， preparation， and usage of Huangqitang in the medical books of the past dynasties have changed slightly， they are basically the same as the original prescription of the Song dynasty. In terms of main symptoms, Huangqitang is designed to treat constipation in the elderly. From the Song dynasty to the Qing dynasty， it was mostly used to treat constipation， secret congestion, asthenia， etc. in the elderly. In modern times， it is clinically used to treat constipation due to Qi deficiency， functional constipation， irritable bowel syndrome， and other diseases in the elderly. No adverse reactions have been found yet. In the subsequent research and development， it is necessary to carry out mass spectrometry analysis of Huangqitang， in-depth exploration of its prescription efficacy and mechanism of action， and other multi-omics scientific research. At the same time， it is important to establish quality control standards to provide a reliable scientific basis for the research and development, clinical treatment， and drug supervision of Huangqitang compound preparations.

Objective To analyze the characteristics of visceral leishmaniasis cases in Henan Province, so as to provide insights into formulation of the visceral leishmaniasis control srtrategy. Methods All epidemiological data of reported visceral leishmaniasis cases in Henan Province from 2021 to 2023 were retrieved from the National Notifiable Disease Report Information Management System of Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and the epidemiological features and diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis cases were descriptively analyzed. Results A total of 93 visceral leishmaniasis cases were reported in Henan Province from 2021 to 2023, with a male to female ratio of 2.58∶1, and including 2 imported cases from other provinces and 91 local cases. The number of visceral leishmaniasis cases peaked during the period between March and May, and between July and October. The reported visceral leishmaniasis cases had ages of 7 months to 74 years, with the largest number of cases found at ages of 0 to 9 years (26 cases, 27.96%), followed by at ages of 60 to 70 years (24 cases, 25.81%). Farmer (47 cases, 50.54%) and diaspora children (19 cases, 20.43%) were predominant occupations, and 91 local visceral leishmaniasis cases were found in 6 cities of Zhengzhou, Luoyang, Anyang, Hebi, Sanmenxia and Xuchang. The median duration from onset of visceral leishmaniasis to diagnosis was 20 days, and there were 25.81% (24/93) cases with 10 days and less duration from onset to diagnosis, 38.71% (36/93) cases receiving diagnosis at 11 to 30 days following onset, and 35.48% (33/93) cases receiving diagnosis for more than 30 days following onset. All cases were predominantly diagnosed in province- (60.00%) and city-level (28.89%) medical institutions. Conclusions The number of visceral leishmaniasis is on the rise in Henan Province, with a gradually expanding coverage. Intensified monitoring of visceral leishmaniasis cases, dogs, and vectors, dog management, sandflies control and improved individual protection are recommended to prevent the spread of visceral leishmaniasis.

Asian ginseng mostly appeared in herbal medical books in the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China.In modern literature,it is believed that this drug is alias of vigorously cultivated ginseng,Talinum paniculatum(Jacq.)Gaertn.,Pananis Japonici Rhizoma,Arctii Fructus and other drugs,and the origin is confused.This article made a textual research on the name,origin,producing areas,processing,property and taste,and efficacy.It is concluded that the Asian ginseng was earlier included in the Ben Cao Gang Mu Shi Yi in the Qing Dynasty,and was named Asian ginseng because it was produced in Japan.The original plant is Panax ginseng C.A.Meyer,which is a kind of Araliaceae plant.It takes Yunzhou,Huijin and Xinzhou of Japan as the true land,and is also cultivated in Northeast China.Asian ginseng medicinal materials are made by processing techniques such as net whiskers,boiling,cooling,and exposure to dryness.They are warm in property,sweet and slightly bitter in taste.They are good at tonifying qi and generating fluid,and can treat all deficiency syndromes of fluid and qi.In the Qing Dynasty,they were often used as Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma.The identification of false was also attached for distinguishing.

Objective To explore the risk factors for retinopathy in patients with metabolic syndrome.Methods A total of 120 patients with metabolic syndrome admitted to Nanyang Central Hospital from July 2021 to July 2023 were selected as the research subjects,and the patients were categorized into the retinopathy group(n=58)and the non-retinopathy group(n=62)according to the results of fundus examination.The clinical data of patients with metabolic syndrome in both groups were collected and compared.10 mL of blood was collected from the elbow vein of patients in both groups,and the hemoglobin level was measured using a fully automatic blood cell analyzer.The levels of total cholesterol(TC),triacylglycerol(TG),high density lipoprotein-cholesterol(HDL-C),and low density lipoprotein-cholesterol(LDL-C)in the two groups were measured using an automatic biochemical analyzer.The glycosylated hemoglobin(HbA1c)level was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography.The estimated glomerular filtration rate(eGFR)was calculated using the chronic kidney disease epidemiology collaboration equation.Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine the risk factors for retinopathy in patients with metabolic syndrome.Results There were no statistically significant differences in smoking history,drinking history,usage rates of hypoglycemic drugs,lipid-lowering drugs and antihypertensive drugs,systolic blood pressure,cataract,TC,TG,HDL-C,LDL-C,and eGFR between the two groups(P＞0.05).The age,disease duration,insulin usage rate,diastolic blood pressure,HbA1c level,and anemia incidence of patients in the retinopathy group were significantly higher than those in the non-retinopathy group(P＜0.05).Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that older age,longer disease duration,insulin injection,higher diastolic blood pressure,higher HbA1c level,and lower hemoglobin level were independent risk factors for retinopathy in patients with metabolic syndrome(P＜0.05).Conclusion Old age,long disease duration,insulin injection,high systolic blood pressure,high HbA1c level,and low hemoglobin level are independent risk factors for retinopathy in patients with metabolic syndrome.

Objective To investigate the risk factors and risk prediction model of retinal detachment in patients with myopia.Methods The clinical data of myopic patients treated in our hospital from January 2021 to December 2023 were retrospectively analyzed.A total of 128 patients(128 eyes)with myopic retinal detachment who met the requirements were selected as the retinal detachment group,and 128 myopic patients(128 eyes)without retinal detachment were selected as the control group.The clinical data of patients in the two groups were collected and compared,including age,gender,di-opter,education level,affected side,whether to bear load or not,whether to vibrate or not,whether to have cataract or not,whether to have asthenopia or not,blood pressure,history of diabetes,history of ocular trauma,history of ophthal-mic surgery,and retinal thickness.Risk factors related to retinal detachment in myopia were determined through the multi-variate logistic regression analysis,and based on these factors,the risk prediction model was established.The receiver op-erating characteristic(ROC)curve was used to evaluate the predictive value of the model.Results The age,diopter,systolic blood pressure,cataract incidence,asthenopia incidence,ocular trauma and ophthalmic surgery rates of myopic patients in the retinal detachment group were significantly higher than those in the control group(all P＜0.05).The retinal thickness and choroidal thickness of myopic patients in the retinal detachment group were significantly smaller than those in the control group(both P＜0.05).The risk factors for retinal detachment in myopic patients were older age,higher diopter(absolute value),accompanied by ocular diseases or discomfort such as cataract,asthenopia and ocular trauma,thinner choroid,and thinner retina(all OR＞1,P＜0.05).The areas under the ROC curve(0.95CI)for predication of retinal de-tachment based on age,ocular disease or discomfort,diopter,choroidal thickness,and retinal thickness alone and their combination were 0.668(0.382-0.936),0.645,0.676(0.407-0.942),0.731(0.503-0.933),0.745(0.499-0.983),and 0.844(0.692-0.983),respectively.The area under the curve(0.844),sensitivity,specificity,and accuracy of the prediction model based on the combination of the five indicators were higher,indicating that this model had a better predic-tion effect.Conclusion The risk factors for retinal detachment in myopic patients are older age,higher diopter(abso-lute value),accompanied by ocular diseases or discomfort such as cataract,asthenopia and ocular trauma,thinner cho-roid,and thinner retina.The risk prediction model constructed based on these factors has a high evaluation effect.

Objective:To preliminarily investigate the applicability of a poliovirus pseudovirus-based neutralization assay in evaluating the immunogenicity of recombinant poliovirus vaccines and their in vivo potency in rats. Methods:Serum samples from rats immunized with recombinant poliovirus vaccines were tested using both the pseudovirus neutralization assay and the live-virus neutralization assay with Sabin strain. The consistency and correlation of the two methods were analyzed using the Kappa test and Spearman′s rank correlation.Results:For the neutralizing antibodies against typeⅠ, Ⅱ, and Ⅲ polioviruses, the Kappa values for consistency analysis of the two methods were 0.914, 1.000, and 0.751, respectively ( P<0.001), and the correlation coefficients ( R values) were 0.833, 0.927, and 0.859, respectively ( P<0.001). Conclusions:The test results of the two methods are consistent and show a good correlation, indicating that the pseudovirus neutralization assay can be applied to evaluating the immunogenicity of poliovirus vaccines and also can be used in rat potency tests.

The correlation between hearing loss (HL) and physical performance in patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) remains poorly investigated. This study explored the association between HL and physical performance in patients on MHD. Methods: This multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted between July 2020 and April 2021 in seven hemodialysis centers in Shanghai and Suzhou, China. The hearing assessment was performed using pure-tone average (PTA). Physical performance was assessed using the Timed Up and Go Test (TUGT), handgrip strength, and gait speed. Results: Finally, 838 adult patients (male, 516 [61.6%]; 61.2 ± 2.6 years) were enrolled. Among them, 423 (50.5%) had mild to profound HL (male, 48.6% and female, 53.4%). Patients with HL had poorer physical performance than patients without HL (p < 0.001). TUGT was positively correlated with PTA (r = 0.265, p < 0.001), while handgrip strength and gait speed were negatively correlated with PTA (r = –0.356, p < 0.001 and r = –0.342, p < 0.001, respectively). Physical performance in patients aged <60 years showed significant dose-response relationships with HL. After adjusting for confounders, the odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) for HL across the TUGT quartiles (lowest to highest) were 1.00 (reference), 1.15 (0.73–1.81), 1.69 (1.07–2.70), and 2.87 (1.69–4.88) (p for trend = 0.005). Conclusion: Lower prevalence of HL was associated with a faster TUGT and a stronger handgrip strength in patients on MHD.

BACKGROUND: Cancer stem-like cells (CSCs) are a small subset of cells in tumors that exhibit self-renewal and differentiation properties. CSCs play a vital role in tumor formation, progression, relapse, and therapeutic resistance. B7-H3, an immunoregulatory protein, has many protumor functions. However, little is known about the mechanism underlying the role of B7-H3 in regulating gastric cancer (GC) stemness. Our study aimed to explore the impacts of B7-H3 on GC stemness and its underlying mechanism. METHODS: GC stemness influenced by B7-H3 was detected both in vitro and in vivo . The expression of stemness-related markers was examined by reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction, Western blotting, and flow cytometry. Sphere formation assay was used to detect the sphere-forming ability. The underlying regulatory mechanism of B7-H3 on the stemness of GC was investigated by mass spectrometry and subsequent validation experiments. The signaling pathway (Protein kinase B [Akt]/Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 [Nrf2] pathway) of B7-H3 on the regulation of glutathione (GSH) metabolism was examined by Western blotting assay. Multi-color immunohistochemistry (mIHC) was used to detect the expression of B7-H3, cluster of differentiation 44 (CD44), and Nrf2 on human GC tissues. Student's t -test was used to compare the difference between two groups. Pearson correlation analysis was used to analyze the relationship between two molecules. The Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival analysis. RESULTS: B7-H3 knockdown suppressed the stemness of GC cells both in vitro and in vivo . Mass spectrometric analysis showed the downregulation of GSH metabolism in short hairpin B7-H3 GC cells, which was further confirmed by the experimental results. Meanwhile, stemness characteristics in B7-H3 overexpressing cells were suppressed after the inhibition of GSH metabolism. Furthermore, Western blotting suggested that B7-H3-induced activation of GSH metabolism occurred through the AKT/Nrf2 pathway, and inhibition of AKT signaling pathway could suppress not only GSH metabolism but also GC stemness. mIHC showed that B7-H3 was highly expressed in GC tissues and was positively correlated with the expression of CD44 and Nrf2. Importantly, GC patients with high expression of B7-H3, CD44, and Nrf2 had worse prognosis ( P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS B7-H3 has a regulatory effect on GC stemness and the regulatory effect is achieved through the AKT/Nrf2/GSH pathway. Inhibiting B7-H3 expression may be a new therapeutic strategy against GC.
Humans ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; NF-E2-Related Factor 2/metabolism* ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/metabolism* ; Signal Transduction ; Stomach Neoplasms