OBJECTIVE To explore the effects of Lishukang capsules on hypoxic pulmonary artery hypertension （HPAH） rats by regulating the HIF-1α/NF-κB signaling pathway. METHODS Sixty rats were randomly divided into control group， model group， positive control group （sildenafil， 30 mg/kg）， Lishukang low-， medium- and high-dose groups （Lishukang capsules 6， 12， 18 g/kg）， with 10 rats in each group. Except for control group， the HPAH model was induced by intermittent hypoxia method （simulating an altitude of 5 000 m） in other groups； at the same time， they were given relevant medicine or normal saline intragastrically， for consecutive 28 days. Within 24 hours of the last administration， the mean pulmonary artery pressure （MPAP） and right ventricule hypertrophy index （RVHI） of rats were detected； pathological morphology of lung tissue was observed， and the expression of α-smooth muscle actin （α-SMA）， mRNA expressions of HIF-1α and NF-κB as well as protein expressions of HIF-1α and NF-κB p65 in lung tissue were determined. RESULTS Compared with model group， MPAP and RVHI in Lishukang medium- and high-dose groups and positive control group were all decreased significantly （P＜0.05）； the expression of α-SMA， mRNA expressions of HIF-1α and NF-κB， and protein expressions of HIF-1α and NF-κB p65 in lung tissue were all decreased significantly （P＜0.05）； additionally， pulmonary vascular remodeling was improved to varying degrees. CONCLUSIONS Lishukang capsules may protect HPAH rats， the mechanism of which may be associated with inhibiting the HIF-1α/NF- κB signaling pathway.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of ultrasound-guided needle knife release with different pathways for carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). METHODS: Sixty CTS patients were randomly divided into a transverse group and a longitudinal group, with 30 patients in each group. The transverse group received the needle knife release under ultrasound above and below the median nerve along the short axis, while the longitudinal group received the needle knife release under ultrasound above the median nerve along the long axis. The patients' visual analogue scale (VAS) scores, Levine scores, and median nerve cross-section area (CSA) were assessed before treatment, on the 7th, 14th, and 30th days after treatment. The median nerve conduction indexes (motor conduction: latency [Lat], amplitude[Amp], motor conduction velocity [MCV]; sensory conduction: Lat, Amp, sensory conduction velocity [SCV]) were evaluated before treatment and on the 30th day after treatment. RESULTS: Compared before treatment, the VAS scores, Levine scores, and median nerve CSA were reduced in both groups on the 7th, 14th, and 30th days after treatment (P<0.05); the transverse group showed lower VAS and Levine scores and smaller CSA than those in the longitudinal group (P<0.05). On the 30th day after treatment, motor and sensory Lat was reduced (P<0.05), motor and sensory Amp was increased (P<0.05), and MCV and SCV were faster (P<0.05) in both groups. The transverse group had shorter Lat, higher Amp, and faster MCV and SCV than those in the longitudinal group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION The ultrasound-guided needle knife release with transverse and longitudinal pathways could both effectively alleviate pain and improve median nerve conduction in CTS patients, with the transverse pathway showing superior efficacy to longitudinal pathway.
Humans ; Carpal Tunnel Syndrome/therapy* ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Male ; Adult ; Median Nerve/physiopathology* ; Acupuncture Therapy/instrumentation* ; Treatment Outcome ; Neural Conduction ; Aged ; Ultrasonography

OBJECTIVES: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is associated with poor prognosis, with 30% of patients diagnosed at an advanced stage. Mutations in the EGFR and KRAS genes are important prognostic factors for NSCLC, and targeted therapies can significantly improve survival in these patients. Although tissue biopsy remains the gold standard for detecting gene mutations, it has limitations, including invasiveness, sampling errors due to tumor heterogeneity, and poor reproducibility. This study aims to develop machine learning models based on radiomic features to predict EGFR and KRAS gene mutation status in NSCLC patients, thereby providing a reference for precision oncology. METHODS: Imaging and mutation data from eligible NSCLC patients were obtained from the publicly available Lung-PET-CT-Dx dataset in The Cancer Imaging Archive (TCIA). A three-dimensional-convolutional neural network (3D-CNN) was used to extract imaging features from the regions of interest (ROI). The LightGBM algorithm was employed to build classification models for predicting EGFR and KRAS gene mutation status. Model performance was evaluated using 5-fold cross-validation, with receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves, area under the curve (AUC), accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity used for validation. RESULTS: The models effectively predicted EGFR and KRAS mutations in NSCLC patients, achieving an AUC of 0.95 for EGFR mutations and 0.90 for KRAS. The models also demonstrated high accuracy (EGFR 89.66%; KRAS 87.10%), sensitivity (EGFR 93.33%; KRAS 87.50%), and specificity (EGFR 85.71%; KRAS 86.67%). CONCLUSIONS A radiogenomics-machine learning predictive model can serve as a non-invasive tool for anticipating EGFR and KRAS gene mutation status in NSCLC patients.
Humans ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/diagnostic imaging* ; Lung Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging* ; Mutation ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras)/genetics* ; ErbB Receptors/genetics* ; Machine Learning ; Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography ; Female ; Male ; Neural Networks, Computer ; Middle Aged ; Aged

Objective:To evaluate the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of HEMO-FISS-QoL(HF-QoL) questionnaire (HF-QoL-C) in the Chinese population with hemorrhoids.Methods:From November 2021 to November 2022, a self-constructed general information questionnaire, HF-QoL-C, and the 36-item short form health survey (SF-36), Goligher classification, and Giordano severity of hemorrhoid symptom questionnaire (GSQ) were used to conduct a questionnaire survey on 760 hemorrhoid patients in the anorectal department of six hospitals. The data was analyzed for reliability and validity using SPSS 21.0 and AMOS 26.0 software.Results:The Cronbach's α coefficient of HF-QoL-C and its dimension ranged from 0.831 to 0.960, and the split coefficient was 0.832-0.915. Four common factors were extracted through principal component exploratory factor analysis. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated acceptable structural validity( χ2/ df=8.152, RSMEA=0.097, CFI=0.881, IFI=0.881, NFI=0.867). HF-QoL-C was correlated with SF36 and GSQ( r=-0.694, 0.501, both P<0.01). There were differences in the total score and dimensional scores of HF-QoL-C between surgical and drug treated patients, different grades of Goligher classification for hemorrhoidal disease, and different ranges of hemorrhoid prolapse (all P<0.001). No ceiling effect was found in the total score and the scores of each dimension(0.3%-2.0%). There was a floor effect in both psychological function and sexual activity dimensions (16.7%, 35.1%). Conclusion:HF-QoL-C has good reliability and validity, which can be used to measure the quality of life of Chinese hemorrhoid patients.

Tumor microenvironment(TME)is a complex cellular environment where tumor cells reside,along with various types of cells and extracellular components surrounding the tumor cells.Immune cells are key components of TME,including tumor-associated macrophages(TAMs),myeloid-derived suppressor cells(MDSCs),lymphocytes,regulatory T cells(Tregs),natural killer cells(NK cells),dendritic cells(DCs),and many others.It is worth noting that drug resistance is currently a major factor limiting the efficacy of cancer treatment methods such as chemotherapy,radiotherapy,targeted therapy,and immunotherapy,and a leading cause of treatment failure.Research has found that the development of drug resistance in tumor cells is the result of interactions between tumor cells and TME.Consequently,overcoming drug resistance in tumors caused by TME is considered a significant challenge in cancer treatment.In recent years,with in-depth research into immune cells within TME,significant progress has been made in understanding the specific mechanisms by which immune cells regulate drug resistance in tumor cells.Furthermore,therapeutic strategies that target these immune cells,signaling pathways,or cytokines have been shown to effectively combat tumor drug resistance and enhance the therapeutic outcomes of cancer treatment.This article reviews the research advancements regarding the roles of TAMs,MDSCs,Tregs,and NK cells in tumor drug resistance within TME and discusses the development of targeting strategies to overcome this resistance.Additionally,we explore the relationship of tumor-associated neutrophils(TANs)and B regulatory cells(Bregs)with tumor drug resistance.It is hoped that this review will offer insights and serve as reference for reducing tumor drug resistance and improving the efficacy of anti-tumor therapies.

Objective To observe the value of chocolate balloon(controlled dilatation technique)for vascular preparation of endovascular treatments for lower extremity arteriosclerosis obliterans(ASO).Methods Data of 110 patients with lower extremity ASO who underwent vascular preparation with chocolate balloon were retrospectively analyzed.The type of ASO,with calcification or not and so on were recorded,and the success rate of vascular preparation with chocolate balloon and the therapeutic effect of endovascular treatments for ASO were evaluated.Results Among 110 patients,unilateral lower extremity ASO were found in 100 cases,while bilateral lower extremities ASO were noticed in 10 cases,including 100(100/120,83.33%)chronic occlusive lesions,8(8/120,6.67%)stenotic lesions and 12(12/120,10.00%)thrombotic lesions.Calcification with grade 3-4 were observed in 50 lesions(50/120,41.67%).The technical success rate of vascular preparation with chocolate balloon was 92.50%(111/120),while 7(7/120,5.83%)lesions developed flow-limiting dissection after chocolate balloon dilatation and 2(2/120,1.67%)lesions had significant residual stenosis that did not meet the technical success criteria,which underwent stent implantation without drug-coated balloon(DCB).Besides,flow-limiting dissection were noticed in 15 lesions after DCB,hence salvage stents were implanted.The success rate of endovascular treatments of ASO was 100%.Conclusion Chocolate balloon(controlled dilation technique)was valuable for vascular preparation of endovascular treatments for lower extremity ASO.

Objective To compare the short-term efficacy and occurrence of complication of endoscopic laminar fenestration (Endo-LOVE) and percutaneous endoscopic transforaminal decompression (PETD) in patients with degenerative lumbar lateral recess stenosis (LSLRS). Methods A total of 160 patients with LSLRS were enrolled as study objects, and were randomly assigned to control group (treated with PETD) and observation group (treated with Endo-LOVE), with 80 patients in each group. Surgical indicators, occurrence of complications, and therapeutic effects were observed and compared between the two groups. Bone lateral recess angle, soft lateral recess angle, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) score, pain score, and Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score were compared before and after surgery. Results The observation group had less intraoperative blood loss, and shorter operative and hospital stays than the control group (P < 0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in the incidence of complications such as lower limb numbness, fever, and postoperative low back pain between the two groups (P>0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in preoperative bone lateral recess angle or soft lateral recess angle between the two groups (P>0.05). At 72 hours postoperatively, both angles increased in both groups compared with preoperative values, and the observation group had larger angles than the control group (P < 0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in preoperative pain score, ODI score, or JOA score between the two groups (P>0.05). At 3 months postoperatively, JOA scores increased and pain scores as well as ODI scores decreased in both groups compared with preoperative values, with the observation group having higher JOA scores and lower pain scores as well as ODI scores than the control group (P < 0.05). The excellent and good rate was 96.25%(77/80) in the observation group, which was higher than 87.50%(70/80) in the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusion Compared with the PETD approach, the Endo-LOVE approach for the treatment of LSLRS offers shorter operative time, less intraoperative blood loss, and better short-term efficacy.

Objective    To investigate the clinical effect of three-port Da Vinci robot-assisted radical resection of lung cancer. Methods    The clinical data of patients who underwent Da Vinci robot-assisted radical resection of lung cancer in the Second Department of Thoracic Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University from April 2021 to March 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. According to the number of surgical ports, they were divided into two groups: a three-port group (three-port Da Vinci robot-assisted radical resection of lung cancer), and a four-port group (traditional Da Vinci robot-assisted radical resection of lung cancer). The operation time, intraoperative bleeding, lymphadenectomy, total thoracic drainage, extubation time, postoperative complications and postoperative pain of the two groups were compared and analyzed. Results    A total of 58 patients were included, including 19 males and 39 females, aged 31-79 years. There were 21 patients in the three-port group, and 37 patients in the four-port group. The visual analogue scores on the first and third day after the operation were 4.33±1.20 points and 2.24±0.77 points in the three-port group, and 5.11±1.22 points and 2.78±1.06 points in the four-port group, and there were statistical differences between the two groups (P<0.05). There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of operation time, intraoperative bleeding, lymph node dissection, postoperative thoracic drainage, time of thoracic tube insertion or postoperative complications (P>0.05). Conclusion    Three-port Da Vinci robot-assisted radical resection of lung cancer can reduce the postoperative pain without increasing the operation difficulty and complications, and can be widely used in  the clinical practice.

Objective:To analyze the clinical features of an outbreak of extensive drug resistant typhoid fever, and to provide experience for the diagnosis and treatment of drug resistant typhoid fever.Methods:Seven patients with confirmed diagnosis of extensive drug resistant typhoid fever who visited Beijing You′an Hospital, Capital Medical University, from January 27 to February 15, 2022 were included. The clinical characteristics, drug sensitivity tests, consultation and treatment history and prognosis of the patients were analyzed through descriptive study.Results:Of the seven extensive drug resistant typhoid fever patients, three were male and four were female, one of whom was pregnant (at 32-week gestation), aged (29.8±6.8) years, with a range of 22 to 42 years. There were seven cases with fever, and the course of fever ranged from six to 20 days. There were five cases with diarrhea and lack of typhoid-specific manifestations such as rose spot, apathetic facial expression and relatively slow pulse. Four cases were complicated with intestinal bleeding and six cases developed liver function injury. Six cases had loss or decrease in eosinophil ratio and two cases had decreased white blood cell count. The results of drug susceptibility tests showed that seven strains of Salmonella typhi were resistant to chloramphenicol, ampicillin, sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim, quinolones, ceftriaxone, cefepime, ceftazidime, cefuroxime, and sensitive to carbapenem antibiotics, tigecycline and piperacillin/tazobactam. All seven cases had a history of antimicrobial use before admission. One case was administered with intravenous ceftizoxime for seven days after admission. After discharge, cefixime was administered orally for seven days. Six patients were given intravenous piperacillin sodium/tazobactam sodium for 14 days. All blood/fecal cultures were negative and the patients were cured and discharged. During the follow-up, one patient developed splenic abscess. All the seven patients were residents of the same apartment in Beijing City, and there were water cuts and turbid odors in the incubation period, which were considered as typhoid fever outbreak caused by waterborne transmission. Conclusions:With the use of antimicrobial agents, the typical clinical manifestations of typhoid fever are absent, and the drug resistance rates to quinolone and third-generation cephalosporins increase. Appropriate antimicrobial agents should be selected and the anti-infection course should be prolonged.

Objective:To analyze the prognosis and influencing factors of different radiotherapy modes in patients with brain metastases from non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and to explore the best benefit population with radiotherapy boost under different prognostic scores.Methods:634 patients with brain metastasis from NSCLC admitted to the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University from 2013 to 2015 were analyzed retrospectively. According to different radiotherapy modes, they were divided into three groups: no radiotherapy group ( n=330), whole-brain radiotherapy group (WBRT)( n=127) and whole-brain radiotherapy combined with boost group (WBRT+ boost)( n=177). The intracranial progression-free survival (iPFS) and overall survival (OS) were calculated by Kaplan-Meier method. The multivariate prognostic factors were analyzed by the Cox models. Results:The median iPFS and OS of all patients were 6.9 months and 9.0 months, respectively. In the no radiotherapy, WBRT and WBRT+ boost groups, the 1-year iPFS was 15.1%, 16.3% and 40.2%( P=0.002), and the 1-year OS was 33.7%, 38.2% and 48.1%( P<0.001), respectively. Multivariate survival analysis demonstrated that different radiotherapy modes were the independent factors affecting iPFS and OS. Subgroup analysis revealed that for patients with 1-3 brain metastases, the 1-year OS and iPFS in the WBRT+ boost group were better than those of WBRT alone ( P=0.026, P=0.044) when GPA score was 2.5-4.0; the 1-year OS and iPFSin the WBRT+ boost group were better than those of WBRT alone ( P=0.036, P=0.049) when there was no targeted therapy; for patients with ≥4 brain metastases, the 1-year iPFS in the WBRT+ boost group was better than that of WBRT alone ( P=0.019, P=0.012) when GPA score was 2.5-4.0 and there was no targeted therapy. When the GPA score was 0-2 or there was targeted therapy, the 1-year OS and iPFS in the WBRT+ boost group were better than those of WBRT alone, but the difference was not statistically significant (all P>0.05). Conclusions:Radiotherapy can significantly improve the iPFS and OS of NSCLC patients with brain metastases. When the number of brain metastases is 1-3, GPA score is 2.5-4.0 or no targeted therapy, boost may improve the iPFS and OS; when the number of brain metastases is more than 4, GPA score is 2.5-4.0 or no targeted therapy, boost may only bring iPFS benefit; when GPA score is 0-2 or targeted therapy, boost may not benefit significantly.