Gallstone disease is highly prevalent, and over 20% of patients develop symptoms. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is standard for symptomatic disease, but non-surgical candidates may receive ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) or extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL). UDCA lowers biliary cholesterol saturation and dissolves small, cholesterol-rich stones. It is well tolerated but limited by high recurrence. This review summarizes evidence on UDCA in cholelithiasis and choledocholithiasis.

Artificial intelligence (AI) offers new opportunities for the modernization and global development of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), while raising challenges in data quality, ethical governance, scientific evaluation and international standardization.

The Hangzhou Declaration on the Global Development of Artificial Intelligence in Traditional Chinese Medicine, published in the Journal of Integrative Medicine (Volume 24, Issue 5), outlines nine guiding principles for the responsible integration of AI and TCM. These include preserving the theoretical foundations of TCM while encouraging innovation, prioritizing clinical needs and patient safety, strengthening ethical governance and data standards, advancing scientific evaluation, and promoting interdisciplinary collaboration and international cooperation.

The declaration provides a framework for the safe, inclusive, and sustainable development of AI-enabled TCM, with the broader goal of contributing to global health.

Experiments demonstrate that a cement-based composite incorporating short fibers and basalt textile can recover strength and ductility in damaged concrete-block and brick masonry walls. Additionally, they highlight the importance of matching the repair material to the wall and its specific failure mode.

Admission to a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) can affect not only a child's mental health but also the psychological well-being of their parents. Researchers at University of Tsukuba, in collaboration with colleagues in Japan, the United Kingdom, China, and Australia, conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of eight randomized controlled trials involving 470 parents and caregivers during the year following their children's discharge from the PICU. The findings suggest that psychosocial interventions may modestly reduce symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression, although no statistically significant effect was observed for anxiety symptoms.

In a study and global meta-analysis published in ACS Environmental Au, researchers compiled measurements from 5,474 plant samples across 73 countries, covering 52 elements, 21 climate classes and 26 soil groups. The resulting global database provides a more comprehensive picture of plant elemental composition, including dozens of elements beyond the familiar nutrients typically associated with plant growth.

Findings suggest that understanding specific childhood experiences, not just their number, could help inform more targeted substance use prevention strategies.

Nutrition is central to preventing and managing gastrointestinal (GI) and liver diseases, yet dietary advice remains generic. Conditions such as IBD, IBS, MASLD, celiac disease, and GERD are strongly diet‑influenced. Conventional personalized nutrition fails to account for metabolic, genetic, and microbiome variability. AI integrates genomics, microbiome, metabolic markers, and real‑time dietary tracking to generate individualized recommendations. AI tools are advancing dietary assessment, condition‑specific optimization, and continuous monitoring via wearables and natural language processing. Challenges remain: lack of standardized protocols, bias, privacy concerns, limited clinical validation, and underrepresentation of nutrition in AI applications. Opportunities include federated learning, real‑world validation, and regulatory frameworks. This narrative review synthesizes literature from 2015–2025.Nutrition is central to preventing and managing gastrointestinal (GI) and liver diseases, yet dietary advice remains generic. Conditions such as IBD, IBS, MASLD, celiac disease, and GERD are strongly diet‑influenced. Conventional personalized nutrition fails to account for metabolic, genetic, and microbiome variability. AI integrates genomics, microbiome, metabolic markers, and real‑time dietary tracking to generate individualized recommendations. AI tools are advancing dietary assessment, condition‑specific optimization, and continuous monitoring via wearables and natural language processing. Challenges remain: lack of standardized protocols, bias, privacy concerns, limited clinical validation, and underrepresentation of nutrition in AI applications. Opportunities include federated learning, real‑world validation, and regulatory frameworks. This narrative review synthesizes literature from 2015–2025.