Objective To longitudinally investigate the characteristics of postoperative weight changes in patients with esophageal cancer and analyze its influencing factors, which can provide certain guidance for nutritional intervention in patients with esophageal cancer. Methods Patients with esophageal cancer who underwent surgical treatment at the Sichuan Cancer Hospital from December 2020 to February 2022 were prospectively included. The general information questionnaire and body composition analyzer were used to longitudinally investigate the patients’ weight and body composition before surgery (T0), 1 month after surgery (T1), 3 months after surgery (T2) and 6 months after surgery (T3), and the change characteristics were analyzed. The generalized estimating equation was used to analyze the influencing factors for postoperative weight changes in patients with esophageal cancer. Results A total of 130 patients were enrolled, including 110 males and 20 females, aged 42-79 (63.33±8.16) years. The weight and body composition of patients with esophageal cancer showed a continuous slow downward trend within 6 months after surgery. The weight loss rate of patients at 1, 3, and 6 months after surgery was 5.10%, 7.76%, and 9.86%, respectively. The analysis results of the influencing factors for postoperative weight showed that patients with the following characteristics had more weight loss: female (β=−7.703, P=0.001), ≥60 years (β=−3.657, P=0.010), smoking (β=4.622, P=0.010), low tumor differentiation degree (β=4.314, P=0.039), and high frequency of eating (β=−3.400, P=0.008). Conclusion Weight loss is an important health problem for patients with esophageal cancer after surgery, and patients have a continuous downward trend in weight within 6 months after surgery. Medical staff should pay special attention to the patients who are female, ≥60 years, having smoking history and low tumor differentiation degree.

Objective:To investigate clinical efficacy and safety of dupilumab in the treatment of moderate to severe atopic dermatitis (AD) complicated with asthma.Methods:A self-controlled study before and after treatment was conducted to retrospectively analyze 45 patients with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis combined with asthma who received dupilumab in the respiratory allergy clinic of North Theater Command General Hospital from January 2021 to May 2024, which age ≥12 years, including 27 males, 18 females. The treatment period was 4 to 12 months. All patients were treated with dupilumab combined with inhaled glucocorticoids and long-acting beta2-receptor agonists, as well as symptomatic drugs for atopic dermatitis. Analyze the clinical data of the patients before and after treatment, including lung function, asthma and AD-related assessment scales. Generalized estimation equation was used to analyze the simple effect of time on the repeated measurement data following non-normal distribution, and Wilcoxon signed rank test was used to compare the differences of each observation index before and after treatment.Results:Among 45 patients with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis complicated with asthma, after treatment with dupilumab, the FEV 1 increased from 2.39 (1.87, 2.83) L at baseline to 2.50 (1.84, 2.97) L 3 months after treatment ( Z=2.417, P=0.016), 2.60 (1.95, 3.14) L 6 months after treatment ( Z=2.896, P=0.004); the FEV 1pred% increased from 74.10% (67.70%, 78.75%) at baseline to 77.09% (68.40%, 80.24%) at 3 months after treatment ( Z=2.574, P=0.010), and 77.20% (71.10%, 80.72%) at 6 months after treatment ( Z=2.861, P=0.004). Meanwhile, there were statistically significant differences in the ACT and Mini-AQLQ scales at 3, 6, and 12 months after treatment compared with those before treatment (ACT score Z=3.170, 4.216, 5.723; Mini-AQLQ score Z=3.231, 4.133, 5.826; all P<0.05). The EASI scale decreased from baseline 25.90 (18.95, 33.45) to 6.20 (1.15, 8.35) at 4 months after treatment ( Z=5.842, P<0.05) and 4.90 (2.75, 8.35) at 6 months after treatment ( Z=5.841, P<0.05), 4.00 (3.15, 5.05) at 12 months after treatment ( Z=5.841, P<0.05); The scores of each scale of IGA, NRS and DLQI decreased significantly compared with the baseline after 4 months, 6 months and 12 months of treatment, and this trend became more obvious with the extension of treatment time. The differences were statistically significant (IGA score Z=6.247, 6.070, 5.946; NRS score Z=5.960, 5.893, 5.879; DLQI score Z=5.880, 5.850, 5.848; all P<0.05). During treatment, 1 patient had local adverse reactions at the injection site and 1 patient had conjunctivitis. Conclusion:Dupilumab may have a positive effect on improving the clinical efficacy of patients with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis complicated with asthma. During the 12-month observation period, this biological agent generally demonstrated good safety characteristics.

Objective:To investigate, for multi-sensitized allergic rhinitis (AR) patients allergic to dust mites combined with other allergens (pollen, mold, animal dander, etc.), whether the single dust mite subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) can improve the specific symptoms caused by other allergens in the patients, and to analyze the relationship between the effectiveness of symptom improvement in these patients and the type, quantity and severity of the allergens.Methods:A multicenter retrospective study was conducted to collect mul-sensitized AR patients from allergy or respiratory departments of 5 hospitals who received house dust mite allergen preparation SCIT for 12 to 36 months and met other inclusion and exclusion criteria from February to July 2024. General clinical data were collected and the perennial or seasonal symptoms before and after treatment were evaluated with visual analogue scale (VAS) to assess whether there was an perennial or allergen-specific symptom improvement (VAS score decrease ≥30%), by which the patients were divided into effective group and ineffective. R software was used to analyze the differences between groups by using Fisher′s exact test and Mann-Whitney U test. Results:A total of 62 patients were enrolled, and the treatment were effective in 39 of them, with an effective rate of 62.9%. For allergen-specific symptoms, the median age of the effective group was higher than that of the ineffective group (12 years old vs. 8 years old, P=0.039), and the effective rate in dust mite specific immunoglobin E (sIgE) grade ≤5 group was higher than that in sIgE grade >5 group (81.6% vs. 45.5%, P=0.008), and the effective rate of mold sIgE grade ≤2 group was higher than that of sIgE grade >2 group (83.3% vs. 28.6%, P=0.045), and there was no statistically significant correlation between the other allergen grades and the effective rate ( P>0.05). For perennial symptoms, the effective rate in the mold grade ≤2 group was higher than that in the sIgE grade >2 group (91.3% vs. 28.6%, P=0.010), and there was no statistically significant correlation between the other allergen grades and the effective rate ( P>0.05). There was no significant correlation between the treatment effectiveness of perennial or allergen-specific symptoms and the number of combined allergens, the grade of skin test, and the difference between the grade of combined allergens and that of dust mites ( P>0.05). Conclusion:Among the patients with multi-sensitized AR allergic to dust mites included in this study, single dust mite SCIT is effective in some of them, and for allergen-specific symptoms, the effective group was elder, and dust mite sIgE grade 6 and mold sIgE grade ≥2 was related to the low effective rate of SCIT. The present results are insufficient for selecting single or multiple AIT in any type of multi-sensitized patients.

BACKGROUND: The effects of human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cell (UC-MSC) treatment on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients have been preliminarily characterized. However, real-world data on the safety and efficacy of intravenous transfusions of MSCs in hospitalized COVID-19 patients at the convalescent stage remain to be reported. METHODS: This was a single-arm, multicenter, real-word study in which a contemporaneous external control was included as the control group. Besides, severe and critical COVID-19 patients were considered together as the severe group, given the small number of critical patients. For a total of 110 patients, 21 moderate patients and 31 severe patients were enrolled in the MSC treatment group, while 26 moderate patients and 32 severe patients were enrolled in the control group. All patients received standard treatment. The MSC treatment patients additionally received intravenous infusions of MSCs at a dose of 4 × 10 7 cells on days 0, 3, and 6, respectively. The clinical outcomes, including adverse events (AEs), lung lesion proportion on chest computed tomography, pulmonary function, 6-min walking distance (6-MWD), clinical symptoms, and laboratory parameters, were measured on days 28, 90, 180, 270, and 360 during the follow-up visits. RESULTS: In patients with moderate COVID-19, MSC treatment improved pulmonary function parameters, including forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1) and maximum forced vital capacity (VCmax) on days 28 (FEV1, 2.75 [2.35, 3.23] vs . 2.11 [1.96, 2.35], P  = 0.008; VCmax, 2.92 [2.55, 3.60] vs . 2.47 [2.18, 2.68], P  = 0.041), 90 (FEV1, 2.93 [2.63, 3.27] vs . 2.38 [2.24, 2.63], P  = 0.017; VCmax, 3.52 [3.02, 3.80] vs . 2.59 [2.45, 3.15], P  = 0.017), and 360 (FEV1, 2.91 [2.75, 3.18] vs . 2.30 [2.16, 2.70], P  = 0.019; VCmax,3.61 [3.35, 3.97] vs . 2.69 [2.56, 3.23], P  = 0.036) compared with the controls. In addition, in severe patients, MSC treatment notably reduced the proportion of ground-glass lesions in the whole lung volume on day 90 ( P  = 0.045) compared with the controls. No difference in the incidence of AEs was observed between the two groups. Similarly, no significant differences were found in the 6-MWD, D-dimer levels, or interleukin-6 concentrations between the MSC and control groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrate the safety and potential of MSC treatment for improved lung lesions and pulmonary function in convalescent COVID-19 patients. However, comprehensive and long-term studies are required to confirm the efficacy of MSC treatment. TRIAL REGISTRATION Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR2000031430.
Humans ; COVID-19/therapy* ; Female ; Male ; Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation/adverse effects* ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Umbilical Cord/cytology* ; Mesenchymal Stem Cells/cytology* ; SARS-CoV-2 ; Aged ; Treatment Outcome

SPECT myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) can obtain many parameters such as myocardial perfusion, morphology, function and mechanical synchronization in one stop, which has become an essential non-invasive examination technique in the diagnosis and treatment of various cardiovascular diseases (CVD). With the continuous development of cardiac SPECT instrument, imaging scheme and image reconstruction algorithm, its application in the diagnosis and treatment of CVD is expanding. This paper reviews the research progress of qualitative, semi-quantitative and quantitative parameters of SPECT MPI in recent years, and expounds the threshold, influencing factors and application value of various parameters.

Acute urinary retention(AUR)occurs frequently among astronauts on orbit.The current treatment is complex and easy to damage the urethra,which seriously affects the life and work of astronauts.In contrast,acupuncture,a traditional Chinese remedy,has shown promising results in managing urinary retention.However,the specific acupoints that could potentially prevent AUR remain uncertain due to the unique physiological conditions experienced by individuals in space compared to those on Earth.To address this gap,our research delved into the mechanisms of AUR and acupuncture within both traditional Chinese medicine and modern medical practices.We conducted a thorough literature review from Pubmed,Web of Science,CNKI,Wanfang database,VIP database and Chinese Medical Code database.A hierarchical evidence-scoring approach was utilized to analyze the included literatures,thus devised acupuncture protocols for the treatment of AUR.The outcomes of our study aim to establish a foundation for the application of acupuncture in managing AUR.

Under the influence of long-term space flights and the confined space environment,it is very easy to induce space depression syndrome,mainly manifested as decreased emotional stability,sleep disorders,mental fatigue,etc.,which seriously affect the living conditions and working abilities of astronauts.The current treatment methods mainly focus on psychological support and drug intervention.Acupuncture has a good effect in treating depression.Therefore,starting from the TCM pathogenesis and modern medical pathogenesis of aerospace depression syndrome,we conducted literature retrieval from databases such as the Chinese Medical Classic,China National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI),Wanfang,VIP,PubMed,and Web of science.For the included literature,we adopted the stratified evidence scoring method and combined the TCM mechanism and modern medical mechanism of the effect of acupuncture.A prescription for acupuncture points was constructed to provide a basis for selecting acupuncture points for the prevention of aerospace depression syndrome through acupuncture.

This study explored the effect of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis(Mtb)PE/PPE family protein PE_PGRS37 on the growth of Mycobacterium smegmatis(Ms)and macrophage autophagy during Mtb infection.The pe_pgrs37 gene was amplified from Mtb genome through PCR,and the recombinant vector pAIN-PE_PGRS37 was successfully constructed through homologous recombi-nation.pAIN-PE_PGRS37 and pAIN were integrated into Ms through electroshock to construct pAIN-PGRS37/Ms and pAIN/Ms re-combinant bacteria.Western blotting indicated that the PE_PGRS37 protein was correctly expressed in pAIN-PE_PGRS37/Ms.The re-combinant bacteria were inoculated in 7H9/7H10 medium,and their colony morphology and growth curves were observed.No signifi-cant difference in colony morphology was observed between pAIN-PE_PGRS37/Ms and pAIN/Ms.The growth rate significantly in-creased between 10 and 16 h,and a plateau was reached at 26 h.After infection of U937 cells with pAIN-PE_PGRS37/Ms and pAIN/Ms,macrophage autophagy flow was detected with western blotting and immunofluorescence.In the pAIN-PE_PGRS37/Ms-infected group,compared with the pAIN/Ms-infected group,macrophage LC3-II and p62 protein expression was significantly up-regulated(P<0.001)and inhibited autophagosome and lysosome fusion.The intracellular survival of the recombinant bacteria was detected through colony counting,and pAIN-PE_PGRS37/Ms showed significantly greater survival in macrophages at 12 h,24 h,and 48 h than pAIN/Ms(P<0.05).Our results suggested that PE_PGRS37 protein promotes Mycobacterium survival in macrophages by blocking macro-phage autophagy flow,thus inhibiting macrophage autophagy.

Objective:To evaluate the effects of different combinations of digital single-lens reflex cameras and macro lenses, aperture settings, and focusing points on depth-of-field sharpness and image distortion in dental clinical photography, and to provide evidence-based guidance for standardizing dental clinical photography.Methods:Full-frame and advanced photo system type-C (APS-C) digital single-lens reflex cameras were paired with 105 mm and 60 mm macro lenses. Photography was performed under eight preset aperture values (F16, F18, F20, F22, F25, F29, F32, and F36) on a standard oral model, focusing separately on three points simulating the central incisor, canine, and first molar. Five attending physicians, who had completed standardized training in dental esthetic clinical photography and calibration training (with over 5 years of dental clinical photography experience), evaluated the depth-of-field sharpness of the photographs using a double-blind method. Image distortion was assessed by measuring the width-to-length ratio of the central incisor.Results:Photographs taken with the APS-C digital single-lens reflex camera combined with the 105 mm macro lens showed significantly higher depth-of-field sharpness scores (2.756±0.357) compared to other camera-lens combinations ( P<0.05). Photographs taken at aperture settings of F25, F29, F32, and F36 demonstrated significantly higher depth-of-field sharpness scores than those taken at F16, F18, F20, and F22 ( P<0.05). Images focused on the simulated canine achieved the highest depth-of-field sharpness scores, followed by the central incisor, with the first molar showing the lowest scores ( P<0.05). Main effect and interaction effect tests revealed that camera-lens combinations significantly affected image distortion ( F=2.79, P=0.042), while focusing points and aperture settings showed no significant effect on image distortion ( F=0.40, P=0.671; F=1.27, P=0.270). Conclusion:Based on experimental data analysis, using an APS-C digital single-lens reflex camera with a 105 mm macro lens, setting the aperture value between F25 and F36, and focusing on the canine can ensure sufficient depth-of-field sharpness while avoiding image distortion, thereby achieving optimal results in dental clinical photography.

Objective:To evaluate the effects of different combinations of digital single-lens reflex cameras and macro lenses, aperture settings, and focusing points on depth-of-field sharpness and image distortion in dental clinical photography, and to provide evidence-based guidance for standardizing dental clinical photography.Methods:Full-frame and advanced photo system type-C (APS-C) digital single-lens reflex cameras were paired with 105 mm and 60 mm macro lenses. Photography was performed under eight preset aperture values (F16, F18, F20, F22, F25, F29, F32, and F36) on a standard oral model, focusing separately on three points simulating the central incisor, canine, and first molar. Five attending physicians, who had completed standardized training in dental esthetic clinical photography and calibration training (with over 5 years of dental clinical photography experience), evaluated the depth-of-field sharpness of the photographs using a double-blind method. Image distortion was assessed by measuring the width-to-length ratio of the central incisor.Results:Photographs taken with the APS-C digital single-lens reflex camera combined with the 105 mm macro lens showed significantly higher depth-of-field sharpness scores (2.756±0.357) compared to other camera-lens combinations ( P<0.05). Photographs taken at aperture settings of F25, F29, F32, and F36 demonstrated significantly higher depth-of-field sharpness scores than those taken at F16, F18, F20, and F22 ( P<0.05). Images focused on the simulated canine achieved the highest depth-of-field sharpness scores, followed by the central incisor, with the first molar showing the lowest scores ( P<0.05). Main effect and interaction effect tests revealed that camera-lens combinations significantly affected image distortion ( F=2.79, P=0.042), while focusing points and aperture settings showed no significant effect on image distortion ( F=0.40, P=0.671; F=1.27, P=0.270). Conclusion:Based on experimental data analysis, using an APS-C digital single-lens reflex camera with a 105 mm macro lens, setting the aperture value between F25 and F36, and focusing on the canine can ensure sufficient depth-of-field sharpness while avoiding image distortion, thereby achieving optimal results in dental clinical photography.