Objective: To develop a convenient, direct, and highly sensitive method for screening trace chemical additives in complex Chinese patent medicines, thereby addressing core technological bottlenecks in pharmaceutical analysis and quality control. Methods: A brush ionization probe device was independently designed and constructed, and an efficient detection method was established through systematic optimization of key parameters. Twenty-three Chinese patent medicine samples, representing 6 dosage forms (capsules, tablets, pills, granules, powders, and liquid preparations), were analyzed using 10 common chemical additives as target analytes. Results: All samples were successfully analyzed without complex pretreatment, and 5 chemical additives were detected in 7 Chinese patent medicines. The brush ionization probe device exhibited cost-effectiveness (~0.2 USD per probe), operational simplicity, rapid analysis (~10s per sample), high efficiency, and minimal reagent consumption (~10 μL per sample). Conclusion: This advancement is expected to provide an innovative scientific tool for improving the generality and convenience of on-site quality control, while promoting technological progress in disciplines such as pharmacology and traditional Chinese medicine.

ObjectiveTo establish the multi-technique characteristic profiles of Alumen by X-ray diffraction（XRD）， Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy（FTIR） and thermogravimetric-differential thermal analysis（TG-DTA）， and to explore the spectral characteristics for rapid identification of Alumen and its potential adulterant， Ammonium alum. MethodsA total of 27 batches of Alumen samples from 8 production regions were collected for preliminary identification based on visual characteristics. The PDF standard cards of XRD were used to differentiate Alumen from A. alum， and the XRD characteristic profiles of Alumen were established， and then the common peaks were screened. Based on hierarchical clustering analysis（HCA） and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis（OPLS-DA）， the characteristic information that could be used for identification of Alumen was selected with variable importance in the projection（VIP） value>1. FTIR characteristic profiles of Alumen were established， and key wavenumbers for identification were screened by HCA and OPLS-DA with VIP value>1. Meanwhile， the thermogravimetric differences between Alumen and A. alum were analyzed by TG-DTA， and the thermogravimetric traits that could be used for identification were screened. ResultsAlumen and A. alum could not be effectively distinguished by traits alone. However， by comparing the PDF standard cards of XRD， 15 batches of Alumen and 12 batches of A. alum could be distinguished. In the XRD profiles， 10 characteristic peaks were confirmed， corresponding to diffraction angles of 14.560°， 24.316°， 12.620°， 32.122°， 17.898°， 34.642°， 27.496°， 46.048°， 40.697° and 21.973°. In the FTIR profiles， 4 wavenumber ranges（399.193-403.050， 1 186.010-1 471.420， 1 801.190-2 620.790， 3 612.020-3 997.710 cm^-1） and 12 characteristic wavenumbers（1 428.994， 1 430.922， 1 432.851， 1 434.779， 1 436.708， 1 438.636， 1 440.565， 1 442.493， 1 444.422， 1 446.350， 1 448.279， 1 450.207 cm^-1） were identified. In the TG-DTA profiles， there were characteristic decomposition peaks of ammonium ion and mass reduction features near 555.34 ℃ for A. alum. These characteristics could serve as important criteria for distinguishing the authenticity of Alumen. ConclusionXRD， FTIR and TG-DTA can be used to rapidly detect Alumen and A. alum， and combined with the discriminant features selected through chemometrics， the rapid and accurate identification of Alumen and A. alum can be achieved. The research findings provide new approaches for the rapid identification of Alumen.

ObjectiveTo establish the multi-technique characteristic profiles of Alumen by X-ray diffraction（XRD）， Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy（FTIR） and thermogravimetric-differential thermal analysis（TG-DTA）， and to explore the spectral characteristics for rapid identification of Alumen and its potential adulterant， Ammonium alum. MethodsA total of 27 batches of Alumen samples from 8 production regions were collected for preliminary identification based on visual characteristics. The PDF standard cards of XRD were used to differentiate Alumen from A. alum， and the XRD characteristic profiles of Alumen were established， and then the common peaks were screened. Based on hierarchical clustering analysis（HCA） and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis（OPLS-DA）， the characteristic information that could be used for identification of Alumen was selected with variable importance in the projection（VIP） value>1. FTIR characteristic profiles of Alumen were established， and key wavenumbers for identification were screened by HCA and OPLS-DA with VIP value>1. Meanwhile， the thermogravimetric differences between Alumen and A. alum were analyzed by TG-DTA， and the thermogravimetric traits that could be used for identification were screened. ResultsAlumen and A. alum could not be effectively distinguished by traits alone. However， by comparing the PDF standard cards of XRD， 15 batches of Alumen and 12 batches of A. alum could be distinguished. In the XRD profiles， 10 characteristic peaks were confirmed， corresponding to diffraction angles of 14.560°， 24.316°， 12.620°， 32.122°， 17.898°， 34.642°， 27.496°， 46.048°， 40.697° and 21.973°. In the FTIR profiles， 4 wavenumber ranges（399.193-403.050， 1 186.010-1 471.420， 1 801.190-2 620.790， 3 612.020-3 997.710 cm^-1） and 12 characteristic wavenumbers（1 428.994， 1 430.922， 1 432.851， 1 434.779， 1 436.708， 1 438.636， 1 440.565， 1 442.493， 1 444.422， 1 446.350， 1 448.279， 1 450.207 cm^-1） were identified. In the TG-DTA profiles， there were characteristic decomposition peaks of ammonium ion and mass reduction features near 555.34 ℃ for A. alum. These characteristics could serve as important criteria for distinguishing the authenticity of Alumen. ConclusionXRD， FTIR and TG-DTA can be used to rapidly detect Alumen and A. alum， and combined with the discriminant features selected through chemometrics， the rapid and accurate identification of Alumen and A. alum can be achieved. The research findings provide new approaches for the rapid identification of Alumen.

Objective:To observe the effects of shallow needling at Baihui(GV20)on neurological function and cerebral hemodynamics in patients with poststroke depression(PSD).Methods:A total of 90 PSD patients were divided into a Western medication group and a shallow needling group using the random number table,with 45 cases in each group.The Western medication group was treated with oral paroxetine tablets.The shallow needling group was treated with shallow needling at Baihui(GV20).The treatment course for both groups was 4 weeks.After treatment,the clinical efficacy was compared between the two groups.The scores of Hamilton depression scale-24(HAMD-24)and National Institutes of Health stroke scale(NIHSS),the cerebral hemodynamic changes,and the adverse reactions were observed.Results:After treatment,the total effective rate was 88.9%in the Western medication group and 84.4%in the shallow needling group;the difference between the two groups was not statistically significant(P>0.05).After treatment,the scores of HAMD-24 and NIHSS in both groups decreased(P<0.05).The difference in the HAMD-24 score between the two groups was not statistically significant(P>0.05).The NIHSS score in the shallow needling group was lower than that in the Western medication group,and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant(P<0.05).After treatment,there were no significant differences in the blood flow resistance index of the left middle cerebral artery(LMCA),right middle cerebral artery(RMCA),and basilar artery(BA)in the Western medication group compared to those before treatment.The blood flow resistance index of LMCA,RMCA,and BA in the shallow needling group was lower than that before treatment(P<0.05),and was significantly lower compared to the Western medication group(P<0.05).The incidence of adverse reactions in the shallow needling group was significantly lower than that in the Western medication group(P<0.05).Conclusion:The curative effect of shallow needling at Baihui(GV20)in the treatment of PSD is equivalent to that of oral paroxetine tablets.However,shallow needling at Baihui(GV20)is more effective in improving neurological function and cerebral perfusion,and the incidence of adverse reactions is lower.

Objective:To observe the effects of shallow needling at Baihui(GV20)on neurological function and cerebral hemodynamics in patients with poststroke depression(PSD).Methods:A total of 90 PSD patients were divided into a Western medication group and a shallow needling group using the random number table,with 45 cases in each group.The Western medication group was treated with oral paroxetine tablets.The shallow needling group was treated with shallow needling at Baihui(GV20).The treatment course for both groups was 4 weeks.After treatment,the clinical efficacy was compared between the two groups.The scores of Hamilton depression scale-24(HAMD-24)and National Institutes of Health stroke scale(NIHSS),the cerebral hemodynamic changes,and the adverse reactions were observed.Results:After treatment,the total effective rate was 88.9%in the Western medication group and 84.4%in the shallow needling group;the difference between the two groups was not statistically significant(P>0.05).After treatment,the scores of HAMD-24 and NIHSS in both groups decreased(P<0.05).The difference in the HAMD-24 score between the two groups was not statistically significant(P>0.05).The NIHSS score in the shallow needling group was lower than that in the Western medication group,and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant(P<0.05).After treatment,there were no significant differences in the blood flow resistance index of the left middle cerebral artery(LMCA),right middle cerebral artery(RMCA),and basilar artery(BA)in the Western medication group compared to those before treatment.The blood flow resistance index of LMCA,RMCA,and BA in the shallow needling group was lower than that before treatment(P<0.05),and was significantly lower compared to the Western medication group(P<0.05).The incidence of adverse reactions in the shallow needling group was significantly lower than that in the Western medication group(P<0.05).Conclusion:The curative effect of shallow needling at Baihui(GV20)in the treatment of PSD is equivalent to that of oral paroxetine tablets.However,shallow needling at Baihui(GV20)is more effective in improving neurological function and cerebral perfusion,and the incidence of adverse reactions is lower.

Objective:Object To evaluate the therapeutic effectiveness of postoperative adjuvant mitotane therapy in the context of adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) by using a meta-analysis methodology.Methods:A comprehensive literature review was conducted by systematically searching the PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases. The search spanned from the establishment of each database to October 2023. Search terms, "mitotane", "adrenocortical carcinoma" or synonyms. Inclusion criteria, Studies comparing outcomes (overall survival (OS) and/or recurrence-free survival (RFS)) in ACC patients with or without mitotane, reporting adjusted hazard ratios (HR) in multivariate Cox regression. Exclusion criteria, Patients with distant metastases, RI(Microscopic residual tumor) rection of ACC, or adjuvant chemotherapy. Data extracted on mitotane treatment concentration, duration, and tumor stage. A meta-analysis was conducted utilizing R4.2.2 software to assess the impact of ACC on OS or RFS through the calculation of HR and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Subgroup analysis of RFS was conducted based on the use of mitotane to reach effective levels or adequate duration, as well as tumor stage ≤T 3. Results:A meta-analysis was conducted, including a total of 15 studies and involving 2084 patients with ACC. Of these patients, 991 received post-surgical treatment with mitotane, while 753 had ACC classified as stages ≤T 3. The results showed that adjuvant mitotane therapy in the ACC group after surgery led to significantly improved OS ( HR=0.45, 95% CI 0.34-0.58, I2=0, P=0.79) and RFS ( HR=0.65, 95% CI 0.51-0.83, I2=76%, P<0.01) compared to non-adjuvant mitotane therapy. Subgroup analysis further revealed that patients with effective mitotane concentration or sufficient time after surgery[Subgroup a(Median follow-up duration < 45 months): HR=0.59, 95% CI 0.44-0.79, I2=0, P=0.38; Subgroup b(Median follow-up duration ≥ 45 months): HR=0.93, 95% CI 0.90-0.96, I2=0, P=1.00 ]and with ≤T 3 stage ACC ( HR=0.61, 95% CI 0.47-0.79, I2=0, P=0.62)had better RFS compared to those who did not achieve the requisite mitotane concentration or postoperative interval, as well as patients with stage T 4 ACC. Conclusions:The administration of adjuvant mitotane therapy following ACC resection has been shown to significantly extend patients' OS and RFS, particularly when the therapy achieves optimal concentration or is administered for an adequate duration. Furthermore, in patients with ACC classified as stage ≤T 3, the effect of adjuvant mitotane therapy on prolonging RFS appears to be more consistent and reliable.

Objective:To investigate the effects of preoperative mammalian target of rapamycin(mTOR )inhibitor on partial nephrectomy for renal angiomyolipoma associated with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC-RAML).Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on clinical data from 13 patients who were diagnosed with TSC-RAML and treated at Peking Union Medical College Hospital between August 2019 and July 2022. This cohort included 4 males and 9 females, with ages ranging from 22 to 66 years. All patients underwent partial nephrectomy, with 2 patients requiring two-stage surgeries due to bilateral RAMLs, resulting in a total of 15 surgeries being performed. Preoperative mTOR inhibitors, specifically everolimus (10 mg/d) or sirolimus (2 mg/d), were administered orally for at least 3 months prior to 7 of the surgeries. The effects of mTOR inhibitors on tumor size, tumor computed tomography attenuation value (CT value), and tumor CT enhancement were evaluated. The comparison of surgery-related clinical parameters was conducted between patients who received preoperative mTOR inhibitors and those who did not to assess the influences of mTOR inhibitors on surgery.Results:Compared to the baseline tumor, there was a significant reduction in tumor diameter after mTOR treatment [(6.4±3.1) cm vs. (8.7±3.9)cm], as well as in the CT value in both the unenhanced phase[(-18.63±48.73)HU vs. (-2.13±51.58)HU] and corticomedullary phase[(13.25±64.01)HU vs. (47.25±66.99)HU]. Additionally, tumor CT enhancement also decreased as compared with that before treatment [(31.88±18.20)HU vs. (49.38±20.63)HU]. Patients who received preoperative mTOR inhibitor showed a trend towards shorter operative time for removing per milliliter of tumor compared to those without preoperative mTOR inhibitor [1.06(0.18, 2.40) min/ml vs. 1.98(0.39, 5.03) min/ml] and so was the renal artery clamping time [0.17(0.03, 0.79) min/ml vs. 0.34(0.10, 1.71) min/ml]. Additionally, the amount of intraoperative bleeding for removing per milliliter of tumor was lower in patients with preoperative mTOR inhibitors compared to those without [0.72(0.19, 0.88) ml/ml vs. 1.69(0.59, 4.54) ml/ml].Conclusions:The administration of mTOR inhibitors before partial nephrectomy in patients with TSC-RAM have the potential to reduce tumor size and blood supply, as well as operative time, renal artery clamping time and intraoperative bleeding, which might contribute to surgery safety and preservation of renal function.

Objective:To explore the feasibility of deep learning technology for renal artery recognition in retroperitoneal laparoscopic renal surgery videos.Methods:From January 2020 to July 2021, the video data of 87 cases of laparoscopic retroperitoneal nephrectomy, including radical nephrectomy, partial nephrectomy, and hemiurorectomy, were retrospectively analyzed. Two urological surgeons screened video clips containing renal arteries. After frame extraction, annotation, review, and proofreading, the labeled targets were divided into training set and test set by the random number table in a ratio of 4∶1. The training set was used to train the neural network model. The test set was used to test the ability of the neural network to identify the renal artery in scenes with different difficulties, which was uniformly transmitted to the YOLOv3 convolutional neural network model for training. According to the opinion of two senior doctors, the test set was divided into high, medium, and low discrimination of renal artery and surrounding tissue. High identification means a clean renal artery and a large exposed area. For middle recognition degree, the renal artery had a certain degree of blood immersion, and the exposed area was medium. Low identification means that the exposed area of the renal artery was small, often located at the edge of the lens, and the blood immersion was severe, which may lead to lens blurring. In the surgical video, the annotator annotated the renal artery truth box frame by frame. After normalization and preprocessing, all images were input into the neural network model for training. The neural network output the renal artery prediction box, and if the overlap ratio (IOU) with the true value box was higher than the set threshold, it was judged that the prediction was correct. The neural network test results of the test set were recorded, and the sensitivity and accuracy were calculated according to IOU.Results:In the training set, 1 149 targets of 13 videos had high recognition degree, 1 891 targets of 17 videos had medium recognition degree, and 349 targets of 18 videos had low recognition degree. In the test set, 267 targets in 9 videos had high recognition degree, 519 targets in 11 videos had medium recognition degree, and 349 targets in 18 videos had low recognition degree. When the IOU threshold was 0.1, the sensitivity and accuracy were 52.78% and 82.50%, respectively. When the IOU threshold was 0.5, the sensitivity and accuracy were 37.80% and 59.10%, respectively. When the IOU threshold was 0.1, the sensitivity and accuracy of high, medium and low recognition groups were 89.14% and 87.82%, 45.86% and 78.03%, 32.95%, and 76.67%, respectively. The frame rate of the YOLOv3 algorithm in real-time surgery video was ≥15 frames/second. The false detection rate and missed detection rate of neural network for renal artery identification in laparoscopic renal surgery video were 47.22% and 17.49%, respectively (IOU=0.1). The leading causes of false detection were similar tissue and reflective light. The main reasons for missed detection were image blurring, blood dipping, dark light, fascia interference, or instrument occlusion, etc.Conclusions:Deep learning-based renal artery recognition technology is feasible. It may assist the surgeon in quickly identifying and protecting the renal artery during the operation and improving the safety of surgery.

Objective:To investigate the etiological spectrum, clinical features, and surgical treatment of patients with Cushing's syndrome (CS) who underwent adrenal surgery.Methods:From August 2002 to August 2022, the clinical data of 985 patients with Cushing's syndrome who underwent surgical treatment in the department of urology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. There were 210 males and 775 females. The average age was 43.33±13.49 years old. The age of males was older than that of females (45.53±14.39 vs. 42.68±13.16 years, P=0.016). The principle of preoperative surgical method selection for patients in this group was described as follow. For adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) independent CS, adrenal tumor resection was considered for unilateral solitary lesions and unilateral adrenalectomy was considered for unilateral multiple lesions. For bilateral lesions, the larger tumor was removed first, and the contralateral operation was decided according to the follow-up results. Patients with suspicion of cortical cancer are subjected to R0 resection, and open surgery was performed if the tumor diameter is≥6 cm. The clinical characteristics of CS patients were summarized. The clinical symptom characters, etiology spectrum and the corresponding selection principles of surgical methods were analyzed. Results:Among the 985 cases, ACTH-independent CS accounted for 92.8% (914/985), and ACTH-dependent CS accounted for 7.2% (71/985). According to the postoperative pathological results, ACTH-independent CS was the most common, among which adrenal adenoma was the most common 75.94% (748/985), PBMAH 11.37% (112/985), Cushing's disease 4.26% (42/985), PPNAD 3.25% (32/985), EAS 2.94 (29/985), cortical carcinoma 2.23% (22/985). In terms of clinical manifestations, full moon face, bloody face, buffalo back, central obesity and weight gain were more common. The incidence of the above single symptoms was >30%. In terms of hormone secretion, the cortisol level of ACTH-dependent CS patients was significantly higher than that of ACTH-independent CS ( P<0.001). Cortisol [(16.61±6.78) μg/dl] and 24h-UFC [103.65 (59.83, 175.70) μg/24h] in patients with subclinical cortical adenoma were lower than those in other types of patients ( P<0.001). Among the patients with bilateral adenomas, 4 patients underwent simultaneous resection of bilateral adrenal tumors due to severe CS symptoms, and the remaining 74 patients underwent two-stage simple tumor resection, total adrenalectomy or subtotal adrenalectomy according to the size and number of tumors. Of the 22 patients with cortical carcinoma, 2 patients underwent R0 resection after neoadjuvant therapy with mitotane after being diagnosed by needle biopsy due to local infiltration of the tumor. In patients with EAS and Cushing's disease, 62.07% (18/29) and 23.81% (10/42) were treated with simultaneous bilateral target gland resection due to severe CS symptoms, respectively. In 112 cases of PBMAH and 32 cases of PPNAD, the initial treatment was unilateral adrenalectomy or subtotal adrenalectomy, and the follow-up was continued to decide whether to perform contralateral adrenalectomy or subtotal adrenalectomy. Conclusions:The etiological spectrum of CS patients admitted to the urology department is different from that of the overall CS, and is dominated by adrenal disease, and Cushing's disease is rare. Due to the different etiological spectrum, the patient's symptom spectrum is different, and difficulty in squatting and fracture are rare. The main treatment for unilateral adrenal disease is tumor resection or unilateral adrenalectomy. For ACTH-dependent CS in bilateral lesions, bilateral adrenalectomy is recommended, and hormone supplementation is recommended after surgery. For ACTH-independent CS, unilateral adrenalectomy is recommended first, and individualized treatment plans are formulated based on the results of follow-up.

Paraganglioma and pheochromocytoma (PPGL) is an uncommon neuroendocrine tumor with variable metastatic potential which is related to multiple factors, and has a clear genetic background. Metastatic PPGL requires systemic intervention after failure of surgical treatment, but the overall efficacy is poor. In this review, the related literatures were reviewed to describe PPGL from the histological origin and name evolution, genetic background and metastasis risk, metastasis risk prediction and prognosis assessment, challenges in the clinical staging and progress in the systemic treatment.