河南中医药大学

A dual-drug transdermal delivery system was developed by co-encapsulating Panax notoginseng total saponins (PNS) and Aconitum alkaloids into lipidic cubic nanoparticles (LCNPs) and incorporating them into dissolving microneedles (DMNs). High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) methods were established and validated for simultaneous quantification of representative notoginsenosides and Aconitum alkaloids, showing high specificity, excellent linearity ( R^2 > 0.999 ), good precision (RSD < 3 56.9 ± 3.2 nm with a narrow size distribution (PDI = 0.272) and high encapsulation efficiencies (> 90 P < 0.05 ) and alleviated formaldehyde-induced arthritis in rats, with decreased joint swelling and reduced pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1 β , TNF- α , IL-6; P<0.01 ), comparable to a commercial external patch. No visible dermal irritation or systemic toxicity was observed. Overall, the PNS–Aconitum LCNP–DMN system enabled synchronized dual-drug delivery with strong anti-inflammatory and analgesic efficacy and good biocompatibility, representing a promising nanostructured transdermal platform for the management of inflammatory pain conditions such as arthritis.

The optimal management of AO/OTA 33-C3 distal femoral fractures combined with symptomatic medial compartment knee osteoarthritis remains uncertain. This preliminary feasibility series explored whether metaphyseal comminution could be used as a “natural osteotomy” window to permit intentional valgus alignment correction during dual-plate fixation, while maintaining anatomical articular reconstruction and fracture stability. This retrospective preliminary feasibility series included 17 patients with AO/OTA 33-C3 distal femoral fractures complicated by Kellgren-Lawrence grade 3 or 4 medial compartment knee osteoarthritis. All patients underwent anatomical reconstruction of the articular surface, intentional mild valgus alignment correction using the metaphyseal comminuted zone as a “natural osteotomy,” and medial–lateral dual-plate fixation. The primary feasibility outcomes included successful articular reconstruction, achievement and maintenance of planned valgus alignment, fracture union, and absence of early mechanical failure or reoperation. Operative time, intraoperative blood loss, articular step-off and gap, healing time, complications, mLDFA, and HKA angle were assessed. Pain, range of motion, Knee Society Score, and ambulatory status were evaluated as exploratory clinical outcomes. Mean operative time was 148.18 ± 10.01 min and blood loss 351.18 ± 30.18 mL. Anatomical articular reduction (step-off ≤ 2 mm) was achieved in all patients, with mean step-off 0.97 ± 0.20 mm and gap 0.98 ± 0.16 mm. All fractures united (mean healing time 29.76 ± 3.42 weeks), with no nonunion, implant failure, or reoperation within years. mLDFA changed from contralateral baseline 93.09° ± 0.65°to postoperative 85.03° ± 0.50°(P < 0.001); HKA changed from varus –9.12° ± 1.41°to valgus 2.47° ± 0.80°(P < 0.001). At final follow‑up, VAS pain score decreased from 7.47 ± 0.87 to 1.18 ± 0.39 (P < 0.001). KSS knee score increased from 34.12 ± 3.64 to 89.76 ± 3.21 (P < 0.001), and KSS function score from 43.82 ± 4.85 to 81.65 ± 2.80 (P < 0.001). Mean maximum knee flexion was 99.29° ± 4.22°at final follow‑up. Independent ambulation was achieved in 16 patients (94.1

Wearable silent speech systems hold significant potential for restoring communication in patients with speech impairments. However, seamless, coherent speech remains elusive, and clinical efficacy is still unproven. Here, we present an AI-driven intelligent throat (IT) system that integrates throat muscle vibrations and carotid pulse signal sensors with large language model (LLM) processing to enable fluent, emotionally expressive communication. The system utilizes ultrasensitive textile strain sensors to capture high-quality signals from the neck area and supports token-level processing for real-time, continuous speech decoding, enabling seamless, delay-free communication. In tests with five stroke patients with dysarthria, IT's LLM agents intelligently corrected token errors and enriched sentence-level emotional and logical coherence, achieving low error rates (4.2% word error rate, 2.9% sentence error rate) and a 55% increase in user satisfaction. This work establishes a portable, intuitive communication platform for patients with dysarthria with the potential to be applied broadly across different neurological conditions and in multi-language support systems.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a chronic liver disease closely associated with metabolic dysregulation, exhibiting a complex and multifactorial pathogenesis. Recent studies demonstrate that impaired intestinal barrier function, intestinal immune barrier dysfunction, gut microbiota dysbiosis, and their associated metabolites collectively promote energy metabolism dysregulation and systemic inflammatory responses via the gut-liver axis. These interconnected processes represent key drivers in the pathogenesis and progression of NAFLD. Notably, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) offers a promising therapeutic approach for NAFLD by holistically modulating intestinal barrier function, immune responses, and gut microbiota composition via multiple targets and pathways, thereby ameliorating gut dysbiosis and its downstream metabolic and inflammatory sequelae. This review systematically synthesizes the established relationship between NAFLD and intestinal barrier dysfunction. It critically evaluates current research progress on TCM interventions—including single herbs, bioactive constituents, and compound formulas—that target the intestinal barrier for NAFLD management. Key mechanistic insights into TCM efficacy are summarized, focusing on the repair of the intestinal mucosal barrier, modulation of bile acid metabolism and gut microbiota composition, and enhancement of intestinal immune barrier function. Future research should prioritize elucidating the specific molecular mechanisms underpinning TCM-mediated intestinal barrier regulation and strengthening clinical validation, ultimately advancing the scientific foundation for TCM-based NAFLD therapeutics.

Natural polysaccharides from food sources (e.g., ginseng, seaweed, apricot, larch) have diverse bioactivities (antioxidant, immunomodulatory, hypoglycemic) that are closely related to human nutritional health, but their structural heterogeneity (e.g., molecular weight, monosaccharide composition) impedes clear structure-activity relationship (SAR) establishment. Free radical degradation, a mild method preserving labile groups (e.g., sulfate esters), is an effective solution. This review summarizes its role in regulating polysaccharide SAR: focusing on hydroxyl radical (⋅OH)-mediated mechanisms (via Fenton-like reactions: processes that generate hydroxyl radicals through the reaction of H2O2 with metal ions/ascorbic acid), a three-stage kinetic model (rapid depolymerization, main chain scission, slow degradation), and site-specific modifications. Key structural changes (molecular weight reduction, functional group exposure/transformation, monosaccharide composition alteration, conformational shifts) are analyzed, and their synergistic enhancement of bioactivities (antioxidant, immunomodulatory, etc.) is elaborated. Such as, reduced molecular weight improves solubility, while exposed sulfate groups strengthen target binding. The optimal molecular weight range (10–1,000 kDa) and its dependence on polysaccharide sources/activity types are identified. Current challenges (degradation controllability, product characterization) and future directions (advanced techniques like High Performance Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-MS), Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), smart degradation systems) are discussed. This review provides guidance for precise preparation of functional polysaccharides.