AIM: To observe the characteristics of best corrected visual acuity(BCVA), microperimetry(MP), multifocal electroretinogram(mfERG), and optical coherence tomography angiography(OCTA)parameters in patients with idiopathic epiretinal membrane(IERM), and conduct a comparative study and correlation analysis on these parameters.METHODS:This was a cross-sectional study. A total of 56 patients(56 eyes)diagnosed with IERM who visited our hospital between February 2021 and November 2024 were collected as IERM group, and 33 healthy individuals(33 eyes)undergoing physical examinations were included as control group. Parameters were compared between the IERM group and the control group, as well as among IERM subgroups at different stages. Additionally, correlations among visual function parameters and between these visual function parameters and vascular structural OCTA parameters were analyzed.RESULTS: The general data of patients in the control group and IERM group were comparable. In the IERM group, BCVA, retinal sensitivity(RS), P1 wave amplitude in ring 1, superficial capillary plexus parafoveal vessel density(SCPpfvd), deep capillary plexus parafoveal vessel density(DCPpfvd), and the foveal avascular zone(FAZ)area were significantly lower than the control group(all P<0.01). In contrast, central retinal thickness(CRT), superficial capillary plexus foveal vessel density(SCPfvd), and deep capillary plexus foveal vessel density(DCPfvd)were significantly increased(all P<0.001). When comparing different stages of IERM, significant differences were observed in BCVA, CRT, RS, SCPfvd, and FAZ(all P<0.01). In eyes affected by IERM, BCVA(LogMAR)was negatively correlated with RS; P1 wave amplitude in ring 1 positively correlated with P1 wave implicit time in ring 1; SCPfvd positively correlated with BCVA(LogMAR)and negatively correlated with RS; DCPfvd negatively correlated with P1 wave implicit time in ring 1; and DCPpfvd positively correlated with RS(all P<0.05).CONCLUSION: Eyes with IERM exhibit abnormalities in visual function parameters and vascular structure, with varying degrees of alteration in BCVA, CRT, RS, SCPfvd, and FAZ across different stages. Comprehensive evaluation of BCVA, MP, mfERG, and OCTA contributes to a deeper understanding of the nature of IERM and aids in formulating appropriate diagnosis and treatment plans.

Objective Clinical medical record data associated with hepatitis B-related acute-on-chronic liver failure(HBV-ACLF)generally have small sample sizes and a class imbalance.However,most machine learning models are designed based on balanced data and lack interpretability.This study aimed to propose a traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)diagnostic model for HBV-ACLF based on the TCM syndrome differentiation and treatment theory,which is clini-cally interpretable and highly accurate. Methods We collected medical records from 261 patients diagnosed with HBV-ACLF,includ-ing three syndromes:Yang jaundice(214 cases),Yang-Yin jaundice(41 cases),and Yin jaun-dice(6 cases).To avoid overfitting of the machine learning model,we excluded the cases of Yin jaundice.After data standardization and cleaning,we obtained 255 relevant medical records of Yang jaundice and Yang-Yin jaundice.To address the class imbalance issue,we employed the oversampling method and five machine learning methods,including logistic regression(LR),support vector machine(SVM),decision tree(DT),random forest(RF),and extreme gradient boosting(XGBoost)to construct the syndrome diagnosis models.This study used precision,F1 score,the area under the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve(AUC),and accuracy as model evaluation metrics.The model with the best classification per-formance was selected to extract the diagnostic rule,and its clinical significance was thor-oughly analyzed.Furthermore,we proposed a novel multiple-round stable rule extraction(MRSRE)method to obtain a stable rule set of features that can exhibit the model's clinical in-terpretability. Results The precision of the five machine learning models built using oversampled balanced data exceeded 0.90.Among these models,the accuracy of RF classification of syndrome types was 0.92,and the mean F1 scores of the two categories of Yang jaundice and Yang-Yin jaun-dice were 0.93 and 0.94,respectively.Additionally,the AUC was 0.98.The extraction rules of the RF syndrome differentiation model based on the MRSRE method revealed that the com-mon features of Yang jaundice and Yang-Yin jaundice were wiry pulse,yellowing of the urine,skin,and eyes,normal tongue body,healthy sublingual vessel,nausea,oil loathing,and poor appetite.The main features of Yang jaundice were a red tongue body and thickened sublin-gual vessels,whereas those of Yang-Yin jaundice were a dark tongue body,pale white tongue body,white tongue coating,lack of strength,slippery pulse,light red tongue body,slimy tongue coating,and abdominal distension.This is aligned with the classifications made by TCM experts based on TCM syndrome differentiation and treatment theory. Conclusion Our model can be utilized for differentiating HBV-ACLF syndromes,which has the potential to be applied to generate other clinically interpretable models with high accura-cy on clinical data characterized by small sample sizes and a class imbalance.

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy of visualized precise lung expansion for determining the intersegmental plane in thoracoscopic segmentectomy.Methods:Sixty-four American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status classification Ⅰ or Ⅱ patients, regardless of gender, aged 33-77 yr, with body mass index of 16-34 kg/m 2, undergoing elective thoracoscopic segmentectomy under general anesthesia, were included. They were preoperatively reconstructed with 3D CT bronchovascularization to reconstruct the pulmonary vasculature, bronchus, and the virtual intersegmental planes of the lungs. The patients were divided into 2 groups ( n=32 each) using a random number table method: visualized precise lung expansion group (group V) and modified expansion and atrophy group (group E). Group V used visualized precision lung expansion to determine the intersegmental planes, and group E used the modified expansion and atrophy method to determine the intersegmental planes. The intraoperative intersegmental plane determination time, target segmental bronchus identification and treatment time, anesthesia time, operation time, postoperative air leakage, pulmonary atelectasis, fever, occurrence of lung infection, postoperative 24 h drainage volume, drain removal time and hospitalization time were recorded in the two groups. Results:Compared with group E, the intersegmental plane determination time, target segment bronchial identification and treatment time, anesthesia time and operation time were significantly shortened in group V( P<0.05).There were no significant differences between groups in the 24 h postoperative drainage volume, drain removal time, hospitalization time or incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications ( P>0.05). Conclusions:Compared with the modified expansion and atrophy method, visualized precise lung expansion can effectively shorten the intersegmental plane determination time in thoracoscopic segmentectomy.

Gout is a metabolic disease resulting from the accumulation of monosodium urate (MSU) in joints, leading to crystal-induced arthritis. In China, gout is common, but there is insufficient knowledge regarding standardized criteria for the diagnosis and treatment of this condition. Based on evidence and guidelines from China and other countries, the Chinese Rheumatology Association developed standardized criteria for the diagnosis and treatment of gout in China. The purpose was to standardize gout diagnosis methods as well as treatment opportunities and strategies in order to reduce misdiagnosis, missed diagnosis, and irreversible damage.

Antibodies, Antinuclear ; Autoantibodies ; China ; Cohort Studies ; Humans ; Scleroderma, Systemic

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune rheumatic disease that is characterized by skin fibrosis with multi-organ involvement. In China, the standardized diagnosis and treatment for SSc is still lacking. Based on the diagnosis criteria and guidelines from China and abroad, Chinese Rheumatology Association developed the current standardization of diagnosis and treatment for SSc. The purposes of this guideline are to standardize clinical management for SSc in China, to interpret the key evaluation tools for SSc, and to recommend therapeutic principle and strategies.

Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a frequent complication of patients with connective tissue disease (CTD) and significantly affects morbidity and mortality. Disease course may vary from stable or mildly progressive to more severe, with rapid loss of lung function. At present, there are great challenges and poor prognosis in the diagnosis and treatment of CTD-ILD. Based on the evidence and guidelines from China and other countries, experts from the Chinese Rheumatology Association developed standardization of diagnosis and treatment of CTD-ILD. The aim is to strengthen the early identification of, standardize the diagnosis and treatment of CTD-ILD, and delay the progress of the disease.

In this study, 15 second-year resident doctors who had standardized training of OBGYN were taken as research subjects to discuss the effect of training resident doctors with obstetrics forceps by using simulation teaching method. The simulation teaching process includes theoretical study, theoretical examination, simulation teaching of forceps skills and Assessment of forceps skills. In theoretical study section: before learning to use forceps, the students acquired the theoretical knowledge by flipped teaching micro-video mode. In theoretical examination section: the mastery of basic clinical knowledge of using forceps was evaluated through online assessment. In simulation teaching of forceps skills: students who scored 8/10 points were admitted to enter the simulation teaching process, and they had practical training of scenario simulation skills in Clinical Skills Center. In assessment of forceps skills: the mastery of forceps skills was evaluated by standardized forceps delivery procedure items. The results showed that the students in the simulation teaching group had excellent teaching assessment results, and the resident doctors had more confidence in operating forceps independently, and the teaching effect was ideal, which could further promote the simulation teaching of obstetric clinical skills.

Objective:To explore the effect of Chin-down-plus-larynx-tightening maneuver on improving choking cough and swallowing function in patients after esophageal cancer surgery.Methods:A total of 121 patients with esophageal cancer surgery had been randomly divided into control group and observation group from November 2018 to September 2019. Starting from feeding after surgery, the head and neck were in normal habits when swallowing in the control group, and the observation group used Chin-down-plus-larynx-tightening maneuver to perform swallowing training. The feeding process of two groups was observed and recorded for one week. One week after eating, the water swallowing test and M. D. Anderson Symptom Inventory for Gastrointestinal cancer (MDASI-GI) were used to evaluate the difference of swallowing function and gastrointestinal symptoms between the two groups.Results:During one week period of feeding, the incidence of choking cough in observation group was 3.39%, (2/59), which was significantly lower than that in the control group (14.52%, 9/62)( χ2 value was 4.53, P=0.033). After one week of feeding, the swallowing function showed significant difference ( Z value was 6.07, P=0.014), the gastrointestinal symptoms and the degree of life interference caused by gastrointestinal symptoms of observation group scored 2.57 ± 0.81, 1.76 ± 0.84, lower than those of the control group (4.25 ± 1.54, 2.18 ± 1.24), and the difference was statistically significant( t values were -7.56, -2.17, P<0.05). Conclusions:The Chin-down-plus-larynx-tightening maneuver can promote recovery of postoperative swallowing function in patients with esophageal cancer, reduce the incidence of choking cough, and help reduce the symptoms of digestive tract, and then raise the level of patient′s clinical prognosis.

Gout is a crystal associated arthritis caused by monosodium urate (MSU) accumulating in joint, and it belongs to metabolic rheumatic disease. In China, gout is common but it is insufficient for education of standardized diagnosis and treatment for gout. Based on the evidence and guidelines from China and other countries, Chinese gout Collaborative Research Group developed standardization of diagnosis and treatment of gout in China. The purpose is to standardize the methods for diagnosis of gout, treatment opportunity and strategies in order to reduce misdiagnosis, missed diagnosis and irreversible damage.