Objective: To retrospectively compare the safety and efficacy of ultrasound-guided radiofrequency ablation (RFA) with parotidectomy for superficial pleomorphic adenoma (PA). Materials and Methods: From March 2022 to October 2023, 88 patients diagnosed with superficial parotid PA underwent either RFA (n = 12; mean age, 47.1 years) or parotidectomy (n = 76; mean age, 47.8 years). Patients in the RFA group were matched to those in the surgery group in a 1:1 ratio using propensity scores based on age, sex, tumor volume, diameter, location, and comorbidities. Ultrasound characteristics, cosmetic scores (0–4), numerical rating scale scores (0–10), and complications were assessed before the procedures and at 1-, 3-, and 6-month follow-ups. Outcomes were compared between baseline and follow-up in the RFA group and between the RFA and surgery groups. Results: In the RFA group, significant reductions in tumor volume were observed between baseline (median, 2.02 cm 3 ) and the 1-month follow-up (median, 1.21 cm 3 ; P = 0.015), between the 1-month and 3-month follow-ups (median, 0.53 cm 3 ; P= 0.002), and between the 3- and 6-month follow-ups (median, 0.23 cm 3 ; P = 0.003). The volume reduction ratios at 1, 3, and 6 months were 39.7%, 79.9%, and 88.0%, respectively. The cosmetic score was significantly lower at 3- and 6-month followup compared to baseline (median 1 and 1 vs. 4, P = 0.04). The numerical rating scale scores did not differ significantly from baseline throughout follow-up. In the propensity score-matched analysis (12 patients per group), RFA was associated with a shorter median procedure time (61.5 vs. 253.3 minutes; P < 0.001), shorter hospital stay (0 vs. 4 days; P < 0.001), and lower cost (1859.9 vs. 3512.4 USD; P < 0.001) than parotidectomy, with no significant difference in overall complication rates (33.3% [4/12] vs. 41.7% [5/12]; P = 1.000). Conclusion RFA may be a safe and effective alternative to surgery for superficial parotid PA, offering a shorter median procedure time, shorter hospital stay, and lower costs.

Objective: To investigate the prevalence and influencing factors of menopausal syndrome among postmenopausal women in Pan'an County, Zhejiang Province, so as to provide the basis for guiding the health management of postmenopausal women. Methods: From May 2023 to April 2024, the postmenopausal women aged 40 to 69 years in Pan'an County were selected using the random cluster sampling method. Demographic information, lifestyle and prevalence of gynecological diseases were collected through questionnaire surveys. The prevalence of menopausal syndrome was assessed by modified Kupperman Score Scale. Factors affecting menopausal syndrome were analyzed by a multivariable logistic regression model. Results: A total of 816 postmenopausal women were surveyed, with an mean age of (57.63±2.92) years and a mean natural menopause age of (49.85±2.13) years. There were 574 cases with menopausal syndrome, with a prevalence of 70.34%. Flashes and sweating, insomnia and irritability were common symptoms, accounting for 62.87%, 47.43% and 41.18%, respectively. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that monthly personal income of ≤5 000 yuan (<3 000 yuan, OR=3.124, 95%CI: 1.829-5.335; 3 000-5 000 yuan, OR=2.399, 95%CI: 1.370-4.201) and having gynecological diseases (OR=1.970, 95%CI: 1.292-3.004) were associated with a higher risk of menopausal syndrome, while average (OR=0.141, 95%CI: 0.072-0.276) or sufficient sleep quality (OR=0.095, 95%CI: 0.049-0.185) were associated with a lower risk of menopausal syndrome. Conclusion The prevalence of menopausal syndrome among postmenopausal women in Pan'an County is relatively high, and is mainly influenced by personal economic status, sleep quality and the presence of gynecological diseases.

Objective: To retrospectively compare the safety and efficacy of ultrasound-guided radiofrequency ablation (RFA) with parotidectomy for superficial pleomorphic adenoma (PA). Materials and Methods: From March 2022 to October 2023, 88 patients diagnosed with superficial parotid PA underwent either RFA (n = 12; mean age, 47.1 years) or parotidectomy (n = 76; mean age, 47.8 years). Patients in the RFA group were matched to those in the surgery group in a 1:1 ratio using propensity scores based on age, sex, tumor volume, diameter, location, and comorbidities. Ultrasound characteristics, cosmetic scores (0–4), numerical rating scale scores (0–10), and complications were assessed before the procedures and at 1-, 3-, and 6-month follow-ups. Outcomes were compared between baseline and follow-up in the RFA group and between the RFA and surgery groups. Results: In the RFA group, significant reductions in tumor volume were observed between baseline (median, 2.02 cm 3 ) and the 1-month follow-up (median, 1.21 cm 3 ; P = 0.015), between the 1-month and 3-month follow-ups (median, 0.53 cm 3 ; P= 0.002), and between the 3- and 6-month follow-ups (median, 0.23 cm 3 ; P = 0.003). The volume reduction ratios at 1, 3, and 6 months were 39.7%, 79.9%, and 88.0%, respectively. The cosmetic score was significantly lower at 3- and 6-month followup compared to baseline (median 1 and 1 vs. 4, P = 0.04). The numerical rating scale scores did not differ significantly from baseline throughout follow-up. In the propensity score-matched analysis (12 patients per group), RFA was associated with a shorter median procedure time (61.5 vs. 253.3 minutes; P < 0.001), shorter hospital stay (0 vs. 4 days; P < 0.001), and lower cost (1859.9 vs. 3512.4 USD; P < 0.001) than parotidectomy, with no significant difference in overall complication rates (33.3% [4/12] vs. 41.7% [5/12]; P = 1.000). Conclusion RFA may be a safe and effective alternative to surgery for superficial parotid PA, offering a shorter median procedure time, shorter hospital stay, and lower costs.

Objective: To retrospectively compare the safety and efficacy of ultrasound-guided radiofrequency ablation (RFA) with parotidectomy for superficial pleomorphic adenoma (PA). Materials and Methods: From March 2022 to October 2023, 88 patients diagnosed with superficial parotid PA underwent either RFA (n = 12; mean age, 47.1 years) or parotidectomy (n = 76; mean age, 47.8 years). Patients in the RFA group were matched to those in the surgery group in a 1:1 ratio using propensity scores based on age, sex, tumor volume, diameter, location, and comorbidities. Ultrasound characteristics, cosmetic scores (0–4), numerical rating scale scores (0–10), and complications were assessed before the procedures and at 1-, 3-, and 6-month follow-ups. Outcomes were compared between baseline and follow-up in the RFA group and between the RFA and surgery groups. Results: In the RFA group, significant reductions in tumor volume were observed between baseline (median, 2.02 cm 3 ) and the 1-month follow-up (median, 1.21 cm 3 ; P = 0.015), between the 1-month and 3-month follow-ups (median, 0.53 cm 3 ; P= 0.002), and between the 3- and 6-month follow-ups (median, 0.23 cm 3 ; P = 0.003). The volume reduction ratios at 1, 3, and 6 months were 39.7%, 79.9%, and 88.0%, respectively. The cosmetic score was significantly lower at 3- and 6-month followup compared to baseline (median 1 and 1 vs. 4, P = 0.04). The numerical rating scale scores did not differ significantly from baseline throughout follow-up. In the propensity score-matched analysis (12 patients per group), RFA was associated with a shorter median procedure time (61.5 vs. 253.3 minutes; P < 0.001), shorter hospital stay (0 vs. 4 days; P < 0.001), and lower cost (1859.9 vs. 3512.4 USD; P < 0.001) than parotidectomy, with no significant difference in overall complication rates (33.3% [4/12] vs. 41.7% [5/12]; P = 1.000). Conclusion RFA may be a safe and effective alternative to surgery for superficial parotid PA, offering a shorter median procedure time, shorter hospital stay, and lower costs.

Objective: To retrospectively compare the safety and efficacy of ultrasound-guided radiofrequency ablation (RFA) with parotidectomy for superficial pleomorphic adenoma (PA). Materials and Methods: From March 2022 to October 2023, 88 patients diagnosed with superficial parotid PA underwent either RFA (n = 12; mean age, 47.1 years) or parotidectomy (n = 76; mean age, 47.8 years). Patients in the RFA group were matched to those in the surgery group in a 1:1 ratio using propensity scores based on age, sex, tumor volume, diameter, location, and comorbidities. Ultrasound characteristics, cosmetic scores (0–4), numerical rating scale scores (0–10), and complications were assessed before the procedures and at 1-, 3-, and 6-month follow-ups. Outcomes were compared between baseline and follow-up in the RFA group and between the RFA and surgery groups. Results: In the RFA group, significant reductions in tumor volume were observed between baseline (median, 2.02 cm 3 ) and the 1-month follow-up (median, 1.21 cm 3 ; P = 0.015), between the 1-month and 3-month follow-ups (median, 0.53 cm 3 ; P= 0.002), and between the 3- and 6-month follow-ups (median, 0.23 cm 3 ; P = 0.003). The volume reduction ratios at 1, 3, and 6 months were 39.7%, 79.9%, and 88.0%, respectively. The cosmetic score was significantly lower at 3- and 6-month followup compared to baseline (median 1 and 1 vs. 4, P = 0.04). The numerical rating scale scores did not differ significantly from baseline throughout follow-up. In the propensity score-matched analysis (12 patients per group), RFA was associated with a shorter median procedure time (61.5 vs. 253.3 minutes; P < 0.001), shorter hospital stay (0 vs. 4 days; P < 0.001), and lower cost (1859.9 vs. 3512.4 USD; P < 0.001) than parotidectomy, with no significant difference in overall complication rates (33.3% [4/12] vs. 41.7% [5/12]; P = 1.000). Conclusion RFA may be a safe and effective alternative to surgery for superficial parotid PA, offering a shorter median procedure time, shorter hospital stay, and lower costs.

Objective: To retrospectively compare the safety and efficacy of ultrasound-guided radiofrequency ablation (RFA) with parotidectomy for superficial pleomorphic adenoma (PA). Materials and Methods: From March 2022 to October 2023, 88 patients diagnosed with superficial parotid PA underwent either RFA (n = 12; mean age, 47.1 years) or parotidectomy (n = 76; mean age, 47.8 years). Patients in the RFA group were matched to those in the surgery group in a 1:1 ratio using propensity scores based on age, sex, tumor volume, diameter, location, and comorbidities. Ultrasound characteristics, cosmetic scores (0–4), numerical rating scale scores (0–10), and complications were assessed before the procedures and at 1-, 3-, and 6-month follow-ups. Outcomes were compared between baseline and follow-up in the RFA group and between the RFA and surgery groups. Results: In the RFA group, significant reductions in tumor volume were observed between baseline (median, 2.02 cm 3 ) and the 1-month follow-up (median, 1.21 cm 3 ; P = 0.015), between the 1-month and 3-month follow-ups (median, 0.53 cm 3 ; P= 0.002), and between the 3- and 6-month follow-ups (median, 0.23 cm 3 ; P = 0.003). The volume reduction ratios at 1, 3, and 6 months were 39.7%, 79.9%, and 88.0%, respectively. The cosmetic score was significantly lower at 3- and 6-month followup compared to baseline (median 1 and 1 vs. 4, P = 0.04). The numerical rating scale scores did not differ significantly from baseline throughout follow-up. In the propensity score-matched analysis (12 patients per group), RFA was associated with a shorter median procedure time (61.5 vs. 253.3 minutes; P < 0.001), shorter hospital stay (0 vs. 4 days; P < 0.001), and lower cost (1859.9 vs. 3512.4 USD; P < 0.001) than parotidectomy, with no significant difference in overall complication rates (33.3% [4/12] vs. 41.7% [5/12]; P = 1.000). Conclusion RFA may be a safe and effective alternative to surgery for superficial parotid PA, offering a shorter median procedure time, shorter hospital stay, and lower costs.

Surgical methods for varicocele remain controversial. This study intends to evaluate the efficacy and safety of different surgical approaches for treating varicocele through a network meta-analysis (NMA). PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, and Web of Science databases were thoroughly searched. In total, 13 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and 24 cohort studies were included, covering 9 different surgical methods. Pairwise meta-analysis and NMA were performed by means of random-effects models, and interventions were ranked based on the surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA). According to the SUCRA, microsurgical subinguinal varicocelectomy (MSV; 91.6%), microsurgical retroperitoneal varicocelectomy (MRV; 78.2%), and microsurgical inguinal varicocelectomy (MIV; 76.7%) demonstrated the highest effectiveness in reducing postoperative recurrence rates. In this study, sclerotherapy embolization (SE; 87.2%), MSV (77.9%), and MIV (67.7%) showed the best results in lowering the risk of hydrocele occurrence. MIV (82.9%), MSV (75.9%), and coil embolization (CE; 58.7%) were notably effective in increasing sperm motility. Moreover, CE (76.7%), subinguinal approach varicocelectomy (SV; 69.2%), and SE (55.7%) were the most effective in increasing sperm count. SE (82.5%), transabdominal laparoscopic varicocelectomy (TLV; 76.5%), and MRV (52.7%) were superior in shortening the length of hospital stay. The incidence rates of adverse events for MRV (0), SE (3.3%), and MIV (4.1%) were notably low. Cluster analyses indicated that MSV was the most effective in the treatment of varicocele. Based on the existing evidence, MSV may represent the optimal choice for varicocele surgery. However, selecting clinical surgical strategies requires consideration of various factors, including patient needs, surgeon experience, and the learning curve.
Humans ; Male ; Embolization, Therapeutic/methods* ; Microsurgery/methods* ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Sclerotherapy/methods* ; Treatment Outcome ; Urologic Surgical Procedures, Male/methods* ; Varicocele/surgery*

AIM:To investigate the effects of cannabinoid receptor agonist WIN55212-2(WIN)on acute lung injury(ALI)in septic mice,and to explore its potential mechanisms through glycolysis.METHODS:A mouse model of septic ALI was established by intraperitoneal injections of lipopolysaccharide(LPS).Male C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into 4 groups(n=6):(1)control group;(2)LPS group,receiving intraperitoneal injections of LPS at 10 mg/kg;(3)LPS+WIN group,receiving 1 mg/kg WIN intraperitoneally 30 min prior to LPS injection;(4)LPS+WIN+MHY1485[mammalian target of rapamycin(mTOR)activator]group,receiving 10 mg/kg MHY1485 intraperitoneally 1 d before LPS injection and 1 mg/kg WIN plus 10 mg/kg MHY1485 30 min before LPS injection.Tissues were collected 24 h after modeling for analysis.Lung indexes were calculated,and histopathological changes of lung tissues were observed via he-matoxylin-eosin(HE)staining.Inflammatory cytokines interleukin-1β(IL-1β)and IL-10 in lung tissues,and lactic acid and lactate dehydrogenase A(LDHA)in serum were quantified using ELISA.The levels of mTOR/hypoxia-inducible fac-tor-1α(HIF-1α)/6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-biphosphatase 3(PFKFB3)signaling pathway-related proteins were assessed by Western blot.RESULTS:Compared with control group,the LPS group exhibited an increased lung in-dex,significant lung tissue damage,an increase in IL-1β levels(P＜0.05),a decrease in IL-10 levels(P＜0.05),and el-evated expressions of lactate and LDHA(P＜0.05),along with increased levels of phosphorylated mTOR(p-mTOR),HIF-1α and PFKFB3 proteins(P＜0.05).The LPS+WIN group showed improvements with a reduced lung index(P＜0.05),lessened lung injury,decreased IL-1β levels(P＜0.05),increased IL-10 levels(P＜0.05),and lower levels of lactic acid,LDHA,p-mTOR,HIF-1α,and PFKFB3(P＜0.05).Conversely,the LPS+WIN+MHY1485 group displayed increased lung indexes and lung tissue damage,elevated IL-1β levels(P＜0.05),reduced IL-10 levels(P＜0.05),and higher expressions of lactic acid,LDHA,p-mTOR,HIF-1α and PFKFB3(P＜0.05)compared to the LPS+WIN group.CONCLUSION:WIN55212-2 mitigates sepsis-induced ALI,potentially by modulating the mTOR/HIF-1α/PFKFB3 sig-naling pathway,thereby inhibiting glycolysis and alleviating inflammatory responses.

Objective To investigate the effects of cannabinoid receptor agonist,WIN55212-2(WIN),on acute kidney injury(AKI)in mice with sepsis and its underlying mechanism.Methods Twenty-four healthy male mice were divided into(n=6):Control group,sepsis group(LPS group),sepsis+WIN55212-2 group(LPS+WIN group)and sepsis+WIN55212-2+mTOR activator MHY1485 group(LPS+WIN+MHY group).The sepsis model was constructed by intraperitoneal injection of LPS.After the tissue and blood samples were harvested in 24 h after modeling,ELISA was used to determine the contents of IL-1β,IL-18 and lactate dehydrogenase A(LDHA)in the renal tissues,as well as Scr,kidney injury molecule-1(KIM-1)and lactic acid(LA)in the serum.HE staining was employed to observe the pathological changes of kidney tissue and Paller score was calculated.The expression of p-AKT,p-Mtor and 6-phosphofructokinase-2/fructose-2,6-biphosphatase 3(PFKFB3)in the renal tissues was detected by Western blotting.Results Compared with the Control group,the LPS group had obvious kidney tissue damage,increased Paller score(P＜0.05),increased serum contents of lactic acid,Scr and KIM-1(P＜0.05),up-regulated contents of LDHA,IL-1β and IL-18 in the renal tissues(P＜0.05),and elevated expression levels of p-AKT,p-Mtor and PFKFB3 in the renal tissues(P＜0.05).Milder pathological injury in kidney tissue,decreased Paller score(P＜0.05),reduced contents of lactic acid,Scr and KIM-1(P＜0.05),decreased contents of LDHA,IL-1β and IL-18(P＜0.05),and lower expression of p-AKT,p-Mtor and PFKFB3 were observed in the LPS+WIN group than the LPS group(P＜0.05).The LPS+WIN+MHY group had notably higher Paller score(P＜0.05),raised contents of lactic acid,Scr and KIM-1(P＜0.05),increased contents of LDHA,IL-1β and IL-18(P＜0.05),and up-regulated expression of p-AKT,p-Mtor and PFKFB3(P＜0.05)when compared with the LPS+WIN group.Conclusion WIN can alleviate AKI in sepsis,and it may reduce the level of glycolysis in renal tissue,and alleviate inflammation through inhibiting AKT/Mtor/PFKFB3 signaling pathway.

Objective:To investigate the detection of bone marrow tumor cells in small cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients and their relationship with clinical features, treatment response and prognosis.Methods:A total of 113patients with newly diagnosed SCLC from January 2018 to October 2022 at Beijing Chest Hospital were prospectively enrolled. Before treatment, bone marrow was aspirated and separately submitted for tumor cells detection by liquid-based cytology and disseminated tumor cells (DTCs) detection by the substrction enrichment and immunostaining fluorescence in situ hybridization (SE-iFISH) platform. The correlation between the detection results of the two methods with patients' clinical features and treatment response was evaluated by Chi-square. Kaplan-Meier method was applied to create survival curves and the Cox regression model was used for multivariate analysis.Results:The positive rate of bone marrow liquid-based cytology in SCLC was 15.93% (18/113). The liver and bone metastases rates were significantly higher (55.56% vs 11.58% for liver metastasis, P＜0.001; 77.78% vs 16.84% for bone metastasis, P＜0.001) and thrombocytopenia was more common (16.67% vs 2.11%, P=0.033) in patients with tumor cells detected in liquid-based cytology than those without detected tumor cells. As for SE-iFISH, DTCs were detected in 92.92% of patients (105/113), the liver and bone metastasis rates were significantly higher (37.93% vs 11.90% for liver metastasis, P=0.002; 44.83% vs 20.23 % for bone metastasis, P=0.010), and the incidence of thrombocytopenia was significantly increased (13.79% vs 1.19%, P=0.020) in patients with DTCs≥111 per 3 ml than those with DTCs＜111 per 3 ml. The positive rates of bone marrow liquid-based cytology in the disease control group and the disease progression group were 12.00% (12/100) and 46.15% (6/13), respectively, and the difference was statistically significant ( P=0.002). However, the result of SE-iFISH revealed the DTCs quantities of the above two groups were 29 (8,110) and 64 (15,257) per 3 ml, and there was no statistical difference between the two groups ( P=0.329). Univariate analysis depicted that the median progression-free survival (PFS) and median overall survival (OS) of liquid-based cytology positive patients were significantly shorter than those of tumor cell negative patients (6.33 months vs 9.27 months for PFS, P=0.019; 8.03 months vs 19.50 months for OS, P=0.019, P=0.033). The median PFS and median OS in patients with DTCs≥111 per 3 ml decreased significantly than those with DTCs＜111 per 3 ml (6.83 months vs 9.50 months for PFS, P=0.004; 11.2 months vs 20.60 months for OS, P=0.019). Multivariate analysis showed that disease stage ( HR=2.806, 95% CI:1.499-5.251, P=0.001) and DTCs quantity detected by SE-iFISH ( HR=1.841, 95% CI:1.095-3.095, P=0.021) were independent factors of PFS, while disease stage was the independent factor of OS ( HR=2.538, 95% CI:1.169-5.512, P=0.019). Conclusions:Both bone marrow liquid-based cytology and SE-iFISH are clinically feasible. The positive detection of liquid-based cytology or DTCs≥111 per 3 ml was correlated with distant metastasis, and DTCs≥111 per 3 ml was an independent prognostic factor of decreased PFS in SCLC.