Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy of Shengqing Jiangzhuo(lifting lucid yang and lowering turbid yin)Acupuncture Method,based on the"turbidity-clearness interaction"theory,combined with western medicine in treating gouty nephropathy(GN)patients with damp-heat accumulation syndrome.Methods A total of 117 patients diagnosed with GN from September 2023 to September 2024 at the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine Chongqing Hospital were enrolled and randomly divided into three groups,with 39 cases in each group.The western medicine group received Febuxostat Tablets,the control group was given western medicine+conventional acupuncture,and observation group was given western medicine+Shengqing Jiangzhuo Acupuncture Method.All groups received 4 weeks of treatment.Clinical efficacy,traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)syndrome scores,visual analogue scale(VAS)of pain scores,and laboratory parameters—including serum uric acid(UA),blood urea nitrogen(BUN),creatinine(Scr),estimated glomerular filtration rate(eGFR),β2-microglobulin(β2-MG),24-hour urinary protein(24h-UTP),cystatin C(CysC)were assessed.The erythrocyte sedimentation rate(ESR),and C-reactive protein(CRP)were compared before and after treatment.Results(1)The total effective rate was 71.79%(28/39)in the western medicine group,84.62%(33/39)in the control group,and 92.31%(36/39)in the observation group.The observation group demonstrated statistically significant superiority over the western medicine group(P＜0.05),while showing marginally better efficacy than the control group without statistical significance(P＞0.05).(2)After treatment,all three groups exhibited significant improvements in ESR,CRP,and UA levels(P＜0.05).The observation group significantly outperformed the other two groups in reducing ESR and CRP levels(P＜0.05),and was statistically superior to the western medicine group in lowering UA levels(P＜0.05),though no significant difference was observed versus the control group for UA improvement(P＞0.05).The control group showed significantly greater reductions in ESR,CRP,and UA levels than the western medicine group(P＜0.05).(3)After treatment,Scr,BUN,and eGFR levels were significantly improved in all groups(P＜0.05).The observation group achieved significantly better improvements in Scr and eGFR than the other two groups(P＜0.05).However,no statistical difference existed between the control and western medicine groups for Scr or eGFR enhancement(P＞0.05).No intergroup differences were detected in BUN improvement(P＞0.05).(4)Significant differences emerged in β2-MG and CysC levels among all groups after treatment(P＜0.05).Both observation and control groups demonstrated statistically significant improvements in 24-hour 24h-UTP(P＜0.05),whereas the western medicine group showed no significant change(P＞0.05).The observation group significantly outperformed the other groups in reducing 24h-UTP and β2-MG levels(P＜0.05),and was superior to the western medicine group in lowering CysC(P＜0.05),though no difference versus the control group was observed for CysC reduction(P＞0.05).The control group showed no statistical advantage over the western medicine group in improving 24h-UTP,β 2-MG,or CysC(P＞0.05).(5)After treatment,TCM syndrome scores and VAS scores were significantly improved in all groups(P＜0.05).The observation group achieved significantly greater reductions in TCM syndrome scores and VAS scores than the western medicine group(P＜0.05).The control group showed statistically superior VAS score improvement versus the western medicine group(P＜0.05),but no significant differences emerged in TCM syndrome score improvement compared to either group(P＞0.05).No statistical difference existed between observation and control groups for VAS score reduction(P＞0.05).Conclusion Shengqing Jiangzhuo Acupuncture Method,grounded in the"turbidity-clearness interaction"theory,effectively reduces serum UA,controls inflammation,and preserves renal function in damp-heat accumulation type of GN,demonstrating significant therapeutic benefits.

Objective:To investigate the surgical treatment and prognosis of thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).Methods:The retrospective cohort study was conducted. The clinicopathological data of 2 766 patients with thoracic ESCC who were admitted to Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute from January 2010 to December 2017 were collected. There were 2 256 males and 510 females, aged (62±8)years. All patients underwent surgical treatment. Observation indicators: (1) treatment; (2) postoperative complications; (3) postoperative survival. Measurement data with normal distribution were represented as Mean± SD. Measurement data with skewed distribution were represented as M( Q1, Q3). Count data were described as absolute numbers or percentages. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to draw survival curve and calculate survival rate, and the Log-Rank test was used for survival analysis. Result:(1) Treatment. Fifty-two of the 2 766 patients underwent neoadjuvant therapy. There were 1 444 patients undergoing open surgery, including 44 cases conversion to thoracotomy, and there were 1 322 patients undergoing minimally invasive esophagectomy. There were 1 991, 729 and 46 cases with McKeown, Ivor-Lewis and Sweet esophagectomy, respectively. One thousand two hundred and seventy-one of the 2 766 patients underwent postoperative adjuvant therapy. The number of lymph node metastases, the number of lymph node dissected, rate of R 0 resection, operation time of 2 766 patients were 2.1(0,3.0), 22±12, 94.722%(2 620/2 766), (237±66)minutes. (2) Postoperative complications. The overall incidence of postoperative complications was 25.850%(715/2 766). The top two postoperative complications were pneumonia and anastomotic fistula, with incidence rates of 8.604%(238/2766) and 7.484%(207/2766), respectively. One patient may have more than two kinds of postoperative complications. (3) Postoperative survival. The 1-, 3-and 5-year overall survival rates of 2 766 patients were 86.2%, 57.5% and 46.8%, respectively. Further analysis indicated that the 5-year overall survival rates of 510 female patients and 2 256 male patients were 62.0% and 43.3%, respectively, showing a significant difference between them ( χ2=48.94, P<0.05). The 5-year overall survival rates of 693 cases with upper thoracic ESCC, 1 479 cases with middle thoracic ESCC and 594 cases with lower thoracic ESCC were 49.5%, 46.7% and 44.1%, respectively, showing no significant difference among them ( χ2=3.21, P>0.05). The 5-year overall survival rates of 68 cases with stage 0 thoracic ESCC, 259 cases with stage Ⅰ esophageal ESCC, 885 cases with stage Ⅱ thoracic ESCC, 1 222 cases with stage Ⅲ thoracic ESCC, and 332 cases with stage Ⅳ thoracic ESCC were 95.6%, 76.4%, 61.4%, 35.6%, and 14.5%, respectively, showing a significant difference among them ( χ2=500.40, P<0.05). The 5-year overall survival rates of 1 444 patients undergoing open esophagectomy and 1 322 patients undergoing minimally invasive esophagectomy were 42.5% and 51.8%, respectively, showing a significant difference between them ( χ2=31.29, P<0.05). The 5-year overall survival rates of 1 991 cases undergoing McKeown esophagectomy, 729 cases undergoing Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy, and 46 cases undergoing Sweet esophagectomy were 49.5%, 41.2%, and 32.3%, respectively, showing a significant difference among them ( χ2=19.19, P<0.05). Conclusions:Compared with open esophagectomy, minimally invasive esophagectomy brings survival benefits to patients with thoracic esophageal ESCC. Among different esophagectomy methods, the McKeown esophagectomy has also brought survival benefits to patients with esophageal ESCC compared to the Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy and the Sweet esophagectomy.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of jin’s three-needle scalp electroacupuncture on Cyt-c and Caspase-3 expressions in the cerebral cortex in Intrauterine distress-induced HIBD rats and reveal the mechanism of its protective action on the brain. MethodThe abdomen was incised in a female SD rat at 21 days of pregnancy. Bilateral uterine horn blood vessels were tightly clamped with a hemostat for five minutes. An infant rat was then taken out by a cesarean section. A rat model of hypoxic-ischemic brain damage was confirmed by the use of a behavior test and braintissue sections. The rats were randomized into model and acupuncture groups. The model group was not needled. Acupuncture groups 1, 2, 3 and 4 began to be needled at 3, 5, 7 and 14 days after birth, respectively. Acupuncture treatment was given for seven consecutive days. The normal control group was naturally delivered, not used to make a model and not needled. All groups of rats were decapitated to take the brain tissue at 21 daysafter birth. Cyt-c and Caspase-3 expressions in the cerebral cortex were detected.ResultCyt-c optical density value decreased somewhat in the four acupuncture groups; there was a statistically significant difference between acupuncture group 1 or 2 and the modelgroup (P<0.05). Caspase-3 expression was significantly down-regulated in acupuncture group 1; there was a statistically significant difference compared with the model group (P<0.05).ConclusionThe protective effect of acupuncture beginning at 3 days after birthon the brain is related to the down-regulation of Cyt-c and Caspase-3 expressions in intrauterine distress-induced HIBD rats.

Objective To evaluate the clinical value of magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) in diagnosis of extrahepatic bile duct obstruction. Methods MRCP images of 42 patients presented clinically with obstructive jaundice were retrospectively reviewed to assess the lumen morphological abnormalities of benign versus malignant bile duct obstructions, with clinical pathological correlation. Results The bile duct of the 30 cases of benign biliary obstruction presented regular and symmetric dilation, gradual tapering,regular thickening and had a “beak like” tip. The accuracy of MRCP for evaluating the site and the etiology of the benign biliary obstruction were 100%(30/30) and 97%(29/30) respectively. The bile duct of the 12 cases of malignant biliary obstruction presented irregular and asymmetric dilation,abrupt narrowing or iterruption,irregular thickening and had “dual duct sign”. The accuracy of MRCP for evaluating the site and the etiology of the malignant biliary obstruction were 100%(12/12) and 92%(11/12) respectively. Conclusion MRCP is the noninvasive technique of choice with excellent accuracy for the evaluation of obstructive biliary pathology.

Objective To analyze MR imaging findings of avascular necrosis of the femoral head(ANFH)with low-field MR unit.Methods MRI appearances of 35 cases of ANFH confirmed by clinical or pathology were analysed.Results There were 56 hips with "line sign" in 35 cases(58 hips)including "single line sign" in 18 femoral heads and "double line sign" in 38,and there were 2 hips without "line sign".Twenty-six femoral heads had marrow edema.According to Mitchell's grade:there were 15 hips in A grade,21 hips in B grade,13 hips in C grade and 9 hips in D Grade.Conclusion Low-feild MR imaging is of significant value in diagnosing ANFH early.