OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of the direct stimulation of acupuncture at extraocular muscle attachment point on acquired extraocular muscle palsy. METHODS: Thirteen patients with acquired extraocular muscle palsy were treated with acupuncture directly at extraocular muscle (paralytic muscle) attachment point. Firstly, the intraocular conjunctival sac drops of topical anesthetic (procaine hydrochloride eye drops) were administered, 0.2 mL each time, once every 10 minutes, for a total of 3 times. Acupuncture was delivered immediately after the third drop. The sterile acupuncture needle for single use, 0.25 mm×25 mm, was inserted at the anatomical location of the corneal limbal attachment of paralytic extraocular muscle, with an angle of 10° to 15° formed between the needle tip and extraocular muscle, and a depth of 0.3 mm to 0.5 mm. Pivoted by the needle tip, the eyeball was moved passively towards the direction of normal action of orbital muscle, 30 to 50 times until the patient felt soreness of the eyeball; afterwards, the needle was removed. After acupuncture, levofloxacin eye drops were administered once (0.2 mL) at the affected eye. The treatment was given twice a week, and completed when diplopia disappeared. Before and after treatment, the diplopia and the synoptophore circumference were observed respectively. RESULTS: After 7 to 24 (15.46±5.56) times of direct stimulation with acupuncture at extraocular muscle attachment point, the symptoms of diplopia disappeared in 13 patients, the eye position restored to orthophoria, and the circumference of synoptophore was reduced to be (4.04±0.82)° from (19.38±3.98)° detected before treatment (P<0.05). CONCLUSION Acupuncture directly at extraocular muscle attachment can attenuate diplopia and improve ocular muscle function in patients with acquired extraocular muscle palsy.
Humans ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Oculomotor Muscles/physiopathology* ; Aged ; Acupuncture Points ; Ophthalmoplegia/physiopathology*

Objective To explore the diagnostic value of mediastinal lymph nodes CT image features in pulmonary sarcoidosis.Methods The imageologic data of the patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis(pulmonary sarcoidosis group)and lung cancer complicating mediastinal lymph node metastasis(lung cancer group)con-firmed by EBUS-TBNA in this hospital from June 2015 to November 2023 were analyzed retrospectively.The chest plain scan CT and enhanced scan CT were performed in all cases,and the imaging characteristics were compared between the two groups.The receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was drawn and the area under the curve(AUC)was calculated.The diagnostic value of CT imaging characteristics in pulmonary sar-coidosis was analyzed.Results The proportion of female patients in the lung sarcoidosis group was signifi-cantly higher than that in the lung cancer group,while the age was smaller than that in the lung cancer group,and the differences were statistically significant(P＜0.05).The number of mediastinal lymph nodes,location,short diameter and CT enhancement value in the pulmonary sarcoidosis group had statistical difference(P＜0.05).The ROC curve analysis showed that AUC of lymph node short diameter reciprocal,CT enhancement value and position in detection alone were 0.586,0.785 and 0.505 respectively,and AUC of the three combined reciprocal was the highest(0.789).Conclusion The lymph node short diameter,CT enhancement value and po-sition have certain value in clinical diagnosis of pulmonary sarcoidosis and the 3-indicator combination could increase the diagnostic efficiency of pulmonary sarcoidosis.

Objective To develop nanobodies with broad-spectrum reactivity,specificity,and high sensitivity that can be used for detecting multiple subtypes of influenza A virus,and to establish a nanobody-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)method.Methods Gene sequences of twelve nanobodies against influenza A virus were retrieved from the National Center for Biotechnology Information(NCBI)and nanobody databases.The nanoantibodies were prepared using molecular biological techniques including gene synthesis and recombinant expression.The binding activity,specificity,sensitivity,and affinity of these nanobodies were determined by ELISA screening and Gator affinity analysis.A double-antibody sandwich ELISA assay was established by combining the selected nanobody with a traditional mouse monoclonal antibody.Results Twelve nanobodies were expressed and purified.Two nanobodies capable of binding to multiple subtypes of influenza virus including H1,H3,H5,H7,and H9 were obtained and designated as VHH54 and KV108.Both nanobodies showed no cross-reactivity with other respiratory virus antigens.Furthermore,the KV108 nanobody exhibited the highest binding affinity,with a dissociation constant of 5.94×10-9mol/L for the influenza virus nucleoprotein(NP),and the lowest detection concentration for the NP antigen reached 0.00064 μg/mL.The double-antibody sandwich ELISA,using a combination of KV108 and a mouse monoclonal antibody,could sensitively detect the five common subtypes of influenza A virus(H1N1,H3N2,H5N1,H7N9,and H9N2).The lowest detection limit reached 110-403 PFU/mL,which was higher than that of the commercial colloidal gold kitfor influenza virus detection.Conclusion This study has identified a nanobody KV108,which is capable of binding to multiple subtypes of influenza virus,and established a nanobody-based ELISA method that can detect multiple subtypes of influenza A virus.This study can facilitate the development of nanobody-based influenza detection technologies.

Objective:To investigate the effect of immune checkpoint inhibitors on reducing residual lymph node metastasis in patients with gastric cancer.Methods:The cohort of this retrospective study comprised patients from Nanfang Hospital of Southern Medical University and the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University who had undergone systemic treatment prior to gastrectomy with D2 lymphadenectomy and had achieved Grade 1 primary tumor regression (TRG1) from January 2014 to December 2023. After exclusion of patients who had undergone preoperative radiotherapy, data of 58 patients (Nanfang Hospital: 46; First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University: 12) were analyzed. These patients were allocated to preoperative chemotherapy (Chemotherapy group, N=36 cases) and preoperative immunotherapy plus chemotherapy groups (Immunotherapy group, N=22 cases). There were no significant differences between these groups in sex, age, body mass index, diabetes, tumor location, pathological type, Lauren classification, tumor differentiation, pretreatment depth of invasion by primary tumor, pretreatment lymph node stage, pretreatment clinical stage, mismatch repair protein status, number of preoperative treatment cycles, or duration of preoperative treatment (all P>0.05). The primary outcome measure was postoperative lymph node downstaging. Secondary outcomes included postoperative depth of invasion by tumor, number of lymph nodes examined, and factors affecting residual lymph node metastasis status. Results:Lymph node downstaging was achieved significantly more often in the Immunotherapy group than the Chemotherapy group (pN0: 90.9% [20/22] vs. 61.1% [22/36]; pN1: 4.5% [1/22] vs. 36.1% [13/36]; pN2: 4.5% [1/22) vs. 0; pN3: 0 vs. 2.8% [1/36], Z=-2.315, P=0.021). There were no significant difference between the two groups in number of lymph nodes examined (40.5±16.3 vs. 40.8±17.5, t=0.076, P=0.940) or postoperative depth of invasion by primary tumor (pT1a: 50.0% [11/22] vs. 30.6% [11/36]; pT1b: 13.6% [3/22] vs. 19.4% [7/36]; pT2: 13.6% [3/22] vs. 13.9% [5/36]; pT3: 13.6% [3/22] vs. 25.0% [9/36]; pT4a: 9.1% [2/22] vs. 11.1% [4/36], Z=-1.331, P=0.183). Univariate analysis revealed that both preoperative treatment regimens were associated with residual lymph node metastasis status in patients whose primary tumor regression was TRG1 (χ 2=6.070, P=0.014). Multivariate analysis incorporated the following factors: pretreatment depth of invasion by primary tumor, pretreatment lymph node stage, pretreatment clinical stage, number of preoperative treatment cycles, and preoperative treatment duration. We found that a combination of immunotherapy and chemotherapy administered preoperatively was an independent protective factor for reducing residual lymph node metastases in study patients whose primary tumor regression was TRG1 (OR=0.147, 95%CI: 0.026–0.828, P=0.030). Conclusion:Compared with preoperative chemotherapy alone, a combination of preoperative immunotherapy and chemotherapy achieved greater reduction of residual lymph node metastases in the study patients who achieved TRG1 tumor regression in their primary lesions.

Objective:To investigate the effect of immune checkpoint inhibitors on reducing residual lymph node metastasis in patients with gastric cancer.Methods:The cohort of this retrospective study comprised patients from Nanfang Hospital of Southern Medical University and the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University who had undergone systemic treatment prior to gastrectomy with D2 lymphadenectomy and had achieved Grade 1 primary tumor regression (TRG1) from January 2014 to December 2023. After exclusion of patients who had undergone preoperative radiotherapy, data of 58 patients (Nanfang Hospital: 46; First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University: 12) were analyzed. These patients were allocated to preoperative chemotherapy (Chemotherapy group, N=36 cases) and preoperative immunotherapy plus chemotherapy groups (Immunotherapy group, N=22 cases). There were no significant differences between these groups in sex, age, body mass index, diabetes, tumor location, pathological type, Lauren classification, tumor differentiation, pretreatment depth of invasion by primary tumor, pretreatment lymph node stage, pretreatment clinical stage, mismatch repair protein status, number of preoperative treatment cycles, or duration of preoperative treatment (all P>0.05). The primary outcome measure was postoperative lymph node downstaging. Secondary outcomes included postoperative depth of invasion by tumor, number of lymph nodes examined, and factors affecting residual lymph node metastasis status. Results:Lymph node downstaging was achieved significantly more often in the Immunotherapy group than the Chemotherapy group (pN0: 90.9% [20/22] vs. 61.1% [22/36]; pN1: 4.5% [1/22] vs. 36.1% [13/36]; pN2: 4.5% [1/22) vs. 0; pN3: 0 vs. 2.8% [1/36], Z=-2.315, P=0.021). There were no significant difference between the two groups in number of lymph nodes examined (40.5±16.3 vs. 40.8±17.5, t=0.076, P=0.940) or postoperative depth of invasion by primary tumor (pT1a: 50.0% [11/22] vs. 30.6% [11/36]; pT1b: 13.6% [3/22] vs. 19.4% [7/36]; pT2: 13.6% [3/22] vs. 13.9% [5/36]; pT3: 13.6% [3/22] vs. 25.0% [9/36]; pT4a: 9.1% [2/22] vs. 11.1% [4/36], Z=-1.331, P=0.183). Univariate analysis revealed that both preoperative treatment regimens were associated with residual lymph node metastasis status in patients whose primary tumor regression was TRG1 (χ 2=6.070, P=0.014). Multivariate analysis incorporated the following factors: pretreatment depth of invasion by primary tumor, pretreatment lymph node stage, pretreatment clinical stage, number of preoperative treatment cycles, and preoperative treatment duration. We found that a combination of immunotherapy and chemotherapy administered preoperatively was an independent protective factor for reducing residual lymph node metastases in study patients whose primary tumor regression was TRG1 (OR=0.147, 95%CI: 0.026–0.828, P=0.030). Conclusion:Compared with preoperative chemotherapy alone, a combination of preoperative immunotherapy and chemotherapy achieved greater reduction of residual lymph node metastases in the study patients who achieved TRG1 tumor regression in their primary lesions.

Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) is an acquired clonal hematopoietic stem cell disease caused by abnormal expression of glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) on the cell membrane due to mutations in the phosphatidylinositol glycan class A(PIGA) gene. It is commonly characterized by intravascular hemolysis, repeated thrombosis, and bone marrow failure, as well as multiple systemic involvement symptoms such as renal dysfunction, pulmonary hypertension, swallowing difficulties, chest pain, abdominal pain, and erectile dysfunction. Due to the rarity of PNH and its strong heterogeneity in clinical manifestations, multidisciplinary collaboration is often required for diagnosis and treatment. Peking Union Medical College Hospital, relying on the rare disease diagnosis and treatment platform, has invited multidisciplinary clinical experts to form a unified opinion on the diagnosis and treatment of PNH, and formulated the Expert Consensus of Multidisciplinary Diagnosis and Treatment for Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria (2024), with the hope of promoting the standardization of PNH diagnosis and treatment.

The Ehlers-Danlos syndrome(EDS)is a rare inherent connective tissue disorder.The prev-alence of EDS in the population is estimated at one out of ten thousand to one out of a hundred thousand.The vascular EDS(vEDS)are rare among the subtypes but are the worst in prognosis.The article reports a case of vEDS admitted to the hospital.The patient was a young man complaining of a sudden onset of aphasia in right hemiparalysis and severe left abdominal pain for unknown reasons.The diagnosis was made after the genetic testing.The patient suffered from vEDS.Then,the multi-disciplinary team(MDT)made a treatment plan tailored to this young patient.The complexity in classification and delusive presentations of the EDS make the correct diagnosis very challenging.This article hopes to report this case and to share the experiences to the bet-ter understanding of this disease.

Objective To identify stable reference genes for a comparison of the transcription levels of target host genes under viral infection in order to provide data for studies on interactions between the host and the influenza virus.Methods Reverse transcription quantitative real-time PCR(RT-qPCR)was performed to detect the relative expression levels of six candidate reference genes,including glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase(GAPDH),β-actin,18S RNA,β2-microglobulin(B2M),ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme E2D2(UBE2D2),and ribosomal protein L37A(RPL37A)in classical cell models(A549 cells and THP-1 cells)under different conditions.The stability of the reference genes was evaluated using such methods as BestKeeper,GeNorm,NormFinder,and comparative A Ct method.Results The stability of reference genes varied depending on conditions.When such experimental factors as influenza virus infection and immune activation were taken into consideration,β-actin and GAPDH were identified as the most stable reference genes in A549 cells and THP-1 cells,followed by UBE2D2 and B2M.Conclusion The optimal reference genes in A549 cells and THP-1 cells under influenza virus infection or after being treated with interferons or LPS have been identified,which is of referential value for studying the mechanisms of viral infections.

Objective To explore the application value of popaverine combined with stage rehabilitation for patients after free flap grafting for hand trauma.Methods Data of postoperative patients who underwent hand trauma from January 2021 to January 2022 in The 903rd Hospital of the Joint Logistics Support Force of the People's Liberation Army of Chinawere retrospectively collected,and they were divided into the combined rehabilitation group(poppadine combined with stage rehabilitation care)and the stage rehabilitation group(only stage rehabilitation care was applied)according to the treatment methods.Visual analog scale(VAS)scores,rehabilitation exercise adherence scores,postoperative rates of excellent cutaneous sensory function of the hand,total active mobility(TAM)of the fingers,Jamar grip strength,upper extremity functional assessment(DASH)scale scores,and the incidence of vascular crises were compared between the two groups.Results A total of 120 cases were included in the study,with 57 cases in the combined rehabilitation group and 63 cases in the stage rehabilitation group.There was no statistically significant difference in VAS scores,Jamar grip strength and DASH scores between the two groups before surgery(P＞0.05);at 14 days and 3 months of intervention,VAS scores of the two groups decreased compared with the pre-intervention period(P＜0.05),and VAS scores of the patients in the combined rehabilitation group were significantly lower than those in the stage rehabilitation group(P＜0.05).After 3 months of intervention,the rehabilitation exercise adherence score,the rate of excellent hand skin sensory function,and finger TAM of the patients in the combined rehabilitation group were higher than those in the stage rehabilitation group(P＜0.05);Jamar grip strength were elevated in both groups compared with the pre-intervention period,but the combined rehabilitation group were higher than those in the stage rehabilitation group(P＜0.05);DSAH scores were lower in both groups compared to pre-intervention,and were lower in the combined rehabilitation group than in the stage rehabilitation group;and during the 3 months of intervention,the incidence of vascular crisis was significantly lower in patients in the combined rehabilitation group than in the stage rehabilitation group(P＜0.05).Conclusion Opium poppy alkaloids combined with stage rehabilitation can effectively reduce patients'postoperative pain,enhance patients'adherence to rehabilitation exercises,effectively improve postoperative hand function and upper limb motor function,and reduce the incidence of vascular crisis.

To summarize the nursing experience of a patient with multiple enterostomies after segmental small bowel resection for acute mesenteric vein embolism.Nursing points:early identification of necrosis of retained intestinal tubes and improvement of early warning care;active improvement of tissue perfusion for retained indeterminate necrotic intestinal tubes;relay enteral nutritional support for 4 stomas based on the collaborative care model;implementation of combined dressing changes for surgical incisions and stomas,control of incisional infections and peristoma dermatitis;attention to the psychological aspects of the patients and their families and provision of psychological support.The patient successfully underwent stoma retraction on the 42nd day after surgery,and no obvious short bowel syndrome occurred in the postoperative period.