Ethics and governance of trustworthy medical artificial intelligence.

Background: The growing application of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare has brought technological breakthroughs to traditional diagnosis and treatment, but it is accompanied by many risks and challenges. These adverse effects are also seen as ethical issues and affect trustworthiness in medical AI and need to be managed through identification, prognosis and monitoring.

Methods: We adopted a multidisciplinary approach and summarized five subjects that influence the trustworthiness of medical AI: data quality, algorithmic bias, opacity, safety and security, and responsibility attribution, and discussed these factors from the perspectives of technology, law, and healthcare stakeholders and institutions.

How to select the quantitative magnetic resonance technique for subjects with fatty liver: A systematic review.

Background: Early quantitative assessment of liver fat content is essential for patients with fatty liver disease. Mounting evidence has shown that magnetic resonance (MR) technique has high accuracy in the quantitative analysis of fatty liver, and is suitable for monitoring the therapeutic effect on fatty liver. However, many packaging methods and postprocessing functions have puzzled radiologists in clinical applications.

Critical values of monitoring indexes for perioperative major adverse cardiac events in elderly patients with biliary diseases.

Background: Major adverse cardiac events (MACE) in elderly patients with biliary diseases are the main cause of perioperative accidental death, but no widely recognized quantitative monitoring index of perioperative cardiac function so far.

Aim: To investigate the critical values of monitoring indexes for perioperative MACE in elderly patients with biliary diseases.

Methods: The clinical data of 208 elderly patients with biliary diseases in our hospital from May 2016 to April 2021 were retrospectively analysed.

Lysine Interacts with Frizzled7 to Activate β-Catenin in Satellite Cell-Participated Skeletal Muscle Growth.

This work provided an interesting finding of lysine (Lys) control on skeletal muscle growth besides protein synthesis. According to the isobaric tag for relative and absolute quantitation and molecular docking analyses, we found both in skeletal muscle and muscle satellite cells (MuSCs) that the frizzled7 (FZD7) expression level was positively correlated with Lys levels and this was consistent with the activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. On the other hand, FZD7 inhibition suppressed the Lys-rescued Wnt/β-catenin pathway, FZD7 knockdown caused cell proliferation, and Wnt/β-catenin pathway restrictions could not be compensated for by Lys or Wnt3a.

A "4D" systemic view on meridian essence: Substantial, functional, chronological and cultural attributes.

The term Jingluo, translated as meridian or channel, is a core component of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and has played a fundamental role in guiding the clinical practice of acupuncture for thousands of years. However, the essence of the meridian remains elusive and is a source of both confusion and debate for researchers. In this study, a "4D" systemic view on the essence of the meridian, namely substantial, functional, chronological, and cultural dimensions, was proposed based on a review of the ancient medical classics, recent research developments, and results from clinical practice.

The Challenges of Ethical Review in Clinical Research of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

The ethical review of TCM (traditional Chinese medicine) clinical research in China is highly consistent with that of Western medicine, but it lacks the characteristics and culture of TCM. Compared with modern medicine, TCM has its own characteristics, such as the theory of Yin-Yang and the five elements, the treatment of syndrome differentiation, and the compatibility of prescriptions. These characteristics determine the ethical particularity of TCM clinical research.

Combination of preoperative fibrinogen and D-dimer as a prognostic indicator in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma patients undergoing R0 resection.

Background: Patients with malignant tumors frequently exhibit hyperactivation of the coagulation system and secondary increased fibrinolytic activity. Fibrinogen and D-dimer are common indicators that are crucial in the coagulation/fibrinolysis system. Both indicators have been verified to have predictive value in the overall survival (OS) of many patients with solid malignancies.

Lysine-induced swine satellite cell migration is mediated by the FAK pathway.

Lysine (Lys) is an essential amino acid for mammals in promoting protein synthesis and skeletal muscle growth. However, the underlying mechanism by which Lys governs muscle growth remains unknown. Lys is not only a material for protein synthesis but also a signaling molecule.

Effects of pioglitazone hydrochloride and vitamin E on meat quality, antioxidant status and fatty acid profiles in finishing pigs.

To investigate the effects of pioglitazone hydrochloride (PGZ) and vitamin E (VE), 160 Duroc × Landrace × Large White pigs were randomly divided into a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement with 2 levels of PGZ (0 or 15 mg/kg) and 2 levels of VE (0 or 325 mg/kg) for 28 days. Each group had 5 replicates with 8 pigs, half males and half females. Feeding PGZ increased intramuscular fat and VE supplementation decreased cooking loss (P < 0.

Dietary Supplementation with Pioglitazone Hydrochloride and Chromium Methionine Improves Growth Performance, Meat Quality, and Antioxidant Ability in Finishing Pigs.

This work was designed to investigate the synergistic effects of pioglitazone hydrochloride (PGZ) and chromium methionine (CrMet) on meat quality, muscle fatty acid profile, and antioxidant ability of pigs. Pigs in four groups were fed a basic diet or basic diet supplemented with 15 mg/kg of PGZ, 200 μg/kg of CrMet, or 15 mg/kg of PGZ + 200 μg/kg of CrMet. In comparison to the control group, the average daily feed intake, feed/gain ratio, and serum high-density lipoprotein level decreased in the PGZ + CrMet group.

Therapeutic experience of 289 elderly patients with biliary diseases.

Aim: To present clinical characteristics, diagnosis and treatment strategies in elderly patients with biliary diseases.

Methods: A total of 289 elderly patients with biliary diseases were enrolled in this study. The clinical data relating to these patients were collected in our hospital from June 2013 to May 2016.

The strategies for treating primary hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein tumor thrombus.

Purpose: To further improve the effectiveness and prognosis of primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with portal vein tumor thrombus (PVTT), the current status of treatment for HCC with PVTT was reviewed.

Methods: A Medline search was undertaken to identify articles using the keywords "HCC", "PVTT" and "therapy". Additional papers were identified by a manual search of the references from the key articles.

Superparamagnetic iron oxide-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging for focal hepatic lesions: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Aim: To evaluate the performance of superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO)-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the detection and characterization of focal hepatic lesions (FHLs).

Methods: This meta-analysis compared relevant studies that were identified by searching PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library databases for articles published between January 1988 and September 2014 and that met the following criteria: (1) SPIO-enhanced MRI was conducted to identify FHLs and data were sufficient for pooled analysis using Meta-DiSc 1.4; (2) hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) were differentiated from other FHLs; (3) well-differentiated HCCs (WD-HCCs) were contradistinguished from dysplastic nodules; and (4) WD-HCCs were compared with moderately and poorly differentiated HCCs (MD- and PD-HCCs, respectively).

Preparation of magnetic resonance probes using one-pot method for detection of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Aim: To prepare the specific magnetic resonance (MR) probes for detection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) using one-pot method.

Methods: The carboxylated dextran-coated nanoparticles were conjugated with anti-α-fetoprotein (anti-AFP) or anti-glypican 3 (anti-GPC3) antibodies through 1-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-3-ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloride/N-hydroxysuccinimide (EDC/NHS)-mediated reaction to synthesize the probes. The physical and chemical properties of the probes were determined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and dynamic light scattering, and the relaxivity was compared to uncombined ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (USPIONs) using a 1.

Abnormal mitochondrial function impairs calcium influx in diabetic mouse pancreatic beta cells.

Background: Abnormal insulin secretion of pancreatic beta cells is now regarded as the more primary defect than the insulin function in the etiology of type 2 diabetes. Previous studies found impaired mitochondrial function and impaired Ca(2+) influx in beta cells in diabetic patients and animal models, suggesting a role for these processes in proper insulin secretion. The aim of this study was to investigate the detailed relationship of mitochondrial function, Ca(2+) influx, and defective insulin secretion.

Effects and mechanisms of store-operated calcium channel blockade on hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats.

Aim: To further investigate the important role of store-operated calcium channels (SOCs) in rat hepatocytes and to explore the effects of SOC blockers on hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury (HIRI).

Methods: Using freshly isolated hepatocytes from a rat model of HIRI (and controls), we measured cytosolic free Ca(2+) concentration (by calcium imaging), net Ca(2+) fluxes (by a non-invasive micro-test technique), the SOC current (I(SOC); by whole-cell patch-clamp recording), and taurocholate secretion [by high-performance liquid chromatography and 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assays].

Results: Ca(2+) oscillations and net Ca(2+) fluxes mediated by Ca(2+) entry via SOCs were observed in rat hepatocytes.

Therapeutic options for intermediate-advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignancies, ranking the sixth in the world, with 55% of cases occurring in China. Usually, patients with HCC did not present until the late stage of the disease, thus limiting their therapeutic options. Although surgical resection is a potentially curative modality for HCC, most patients with intermediate-advanced HCC are not suitable candidates.

Functional interactions among STIM1, Orai1 and TRPC1 on the activation of SOCs in HL-7702 cells.

STIM1, Orai1 and TRPC1 are all reported to be important for store-operated Ca(2+) entry (SOCE) in diverse cells. However, there is no evidence for the functional interaction of the three proteins in SOCE in human liver cells. The objective of this study is to determine whether they are involved in SOCE in normal human liver cells.

Measuring Ca2+ influxes of TRPC1-dependent Ca2+ channels in HL-7702 cells with non-invasive micro-test technique.

Aim: To explore the possibility of using the Non-invasive Micro-test Technique (NMT) to investigate the role of Transient Receptor Potential Canonical 1 (TRPC1) in regulating Ca(2+) influxes in HL-7702 cells, a normal human liver cell line.

Methods: Net Ca(2+) fluxes were measured with NMT, a technology that can obtain dynamic information of specific/selective ionic/molecular activities on material surfaces, non-invasively. The expression levels of TRPC1 were increased by liposomal transfection, whose effectiveness was evaluated by Western-blotting and single cell reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction.

Comparative identification of Ca2+ channel expression in INS-1 and rat pancreatic beta cells.

Aim: To identify and compare the profile of Ca(2+) channel subunit expression in INS-1 and rat pancreatic beta cells.

Methods: The rat insulin-secreting INS-1 cell line was cultured in RPMI-1640 with Wistar rats employed as islet donors. Ca(2+) channel subunit expression in INS-1 and isolated rat beta cells were examined by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

[Andrographolide drop-pill in treatment of acute upper respiratory tract infection with external wind-heat syndrome: a multicenter and randomized controlled trial].

Objective: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of andrographolide drop-pill in treatment of acute upper respiratory tract infection with external wind-heat syndrome.

Methods: A multicenter, randomized controlled trial was conducted. In phase I, 202 patients with acute upper respiratory tract infection were randomly divided into two groups: trial group (n=101) and control group (n=101).