Background: Active surveillance (AS) has emerged as a viable management strategy for low-risk papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC), following pioneering trials at Kuma Hospital and the Cancer Institute Hospital in Japan. Numerous prospective cohort studies have since validated AS as a management option for low-risk PTMC, leading to its inclusion in thyroid cancer guidelines across various countries. From 2016 to 2020, the Multicenter Prospective Cohort Study of Active Surveillance on Papillary Thyroid Microcarcinoma (MAeSTro) enrolled 1,177 patients, providing comprehensive data on PTMC progression, sonographic predictors of progression, quality of life, surgical outcomes, and cost-effectiveness when comparing AS to immediate surgery. The second phase of MAeSTro (MAeSTro-EXP) expands AS to low-risk papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) tumors larger than 1 cm, driven by the hypothesis that overall risk assessment outweighs absolute tumor size in surgical decision-making. Methods: This protocol aims to address whether limiting AS to tumors smaller than 1 cm may result in unnecessary surgeries for low-risk PTCs detected during their rapid initial growth phase. By expanding the AS criteria to include tumors up to 1.5 cm, while simultaneously refining and standardizing the criteria for risk assessment and disease progression, we aim to minimize overtreatment and maintain rigorous monitoring to improve patient outcomes. Conclusion This study will contribute to optimizing AS guidelines and enhance our understanding of the natural course and appropriate management of low-risk PTCs. Additionally, MAeSTro-EXP involves a multinational collaboration between South Korea and Australia. This cross-country study aims to identify cultural and racial differences in the management of low-risk PTC, thereby enriching the global understanding of AS practices and their applicability across diverse populations.

Background: Active surveillance (AS) has emerged as a viable management strategy for low-risk papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC), following pioneering trials at Kuma Hospital and the Cancer Institute Hospital in Japan. Numerous prospective cohort studies have since validated AS as a management option for low-risk PTMC, leading to its inclusion in thyroid cancer guidelines across various countries. From 2016 to 2020, the Multicenter Prospective Cohort Study of Active Surveillance on Papillary Thyroid Microcarcinoma (MAeSTro) enrolled 1,177 patients, providing comprehensive data on PTMC progression, sonographic predictors of progression, quality of life, surgical outcomes, and cost-effectiveness when comparing AS to immediate surgery. The second phase of MAeSTro (MAeSTro-EXP) expands AS to low-risk papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) tumors larger than 1 cm, driven by the hypothesis that overall risk assessment outweighs absolute tumor size in surgical decision-making. Methods: This protocol aims to address whether limiting AS to tumors smaller than 1 cm may result in unnecessary surgeries for low-risk PTCs detected during their rapid initial growth phase. By expanding the AS criteria to include tumors up to 1.5 cm, while simultaneously refining and standardizing the criteria for risk assessment and disease progression, we aim to minimize overtreatment and maintain rigorous monitoring to improve patient outcomes. Conclusion This study will contribute to optimizing AS guidelines and enhance our understanding of the natural course and appropriate management of low-risk PTCs. Additionally, MAeSTro-EXP involves a multinational collaboration between South Korea and Australia. This cross-country study aims to identify cultural and racial differences in the management of low-risk PTC, thereby enriching the global understanding of AS practices and their applicability across diverse populations.

Background: Active surveillance (AS) has emerged as a viable management strategy for low-risk papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC), following pioneering trials at Kuma Hospital and the Cancer Institute Hospital in Japan. Numerous prospective cohort studies have since validated AS as a management option for low-risk PTMC, leading to its inclusion in thyroid cancer guidelines across various countries. From 2016 to 2020, the Multicenter Prospective Cohort Study of Active Surveillance on Papillary Thyroid Microcarcinoma (MAeSTro) enrolled 1,177 patients, providing comprehensive data on PTMC progression, sonographic predictors of progression, quality of life, surgical outcomes, and cost-effectiveness when comparing AS to immediate surgery. The second phase of MAeSTro (MAeSTro-EXP) expands AS to low-risk papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) tumors larger than 1 cm, driven by the hypothesis that overall risk assessment outweighs absolute tumor size in surgical decision-making. Methods: This protocol aims to address whether limiting AS to tumors smaller than 1 cm may result in unnecessary surgeries for low-risk PTCs detected during their rapid initial growth phase. By expanding the AS criteria to include tumors up to 1.5 cm, while simultaneously refining and standardizing the criteria for risk assessment and disease progression, we aim to minimize overtreatment and maintain rigorous monitoring to improve patient outcomes. Conclusion This study will contribute to optimizing AS guidelines and enhance our understanding of the natural course and appropriate management of low-risk PTCs. Additionally, MAeSTro-EXP involves a multinational collaboration between South Korea and Australia. This cross-country study aims to identify cultural and racial differences in the management of low-risk PTC, thereby enriching the global understanding of AS practices and their applicability across diverse populations.

Background: Active surveillance (AS) has emerged as a viable management strategy for low-risk papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC), following pioneering trials at Kuma Hospital and the Cancer Institute Hospital in Japan. Numerous prospective cohort studies have since validated AS as a management option for low-risk PTMC, leading to its inclusion in thyroid cancer guidelines across various countries. From 2016 to 2020, the Multicenter Prospective Cohort Study of Active Surveillance on Papillary Thyroid Microcarcinoma (MAeSTro) enrolled 1,177 patients, providing comprehensive data on PTMC progression, sonographic predictors of progression, quality of life, surgical outcomes, and cost-effectiveness when comparing AS to immediate surgery. The second phase of MAeSTro (MAeSTro-EXP) expands AS to low-risk papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) tumors larger than 1 cm, driven by the hypothesis that overall risk assessment outweighs absolute tumor size in surgical decision-making. Methods: This protocol aims to address whether limiting AS to tumors smaller than 1 cm may result in unnecessary surgeries for low-risk PTCs detected during their rapid initial growth phase. By expanding the AS criteria to include tumors up to 1.5 cm, while simultaneously refining and standardizing the criteria for risk assessment and disease progression, we aim to minimize overtreatment and maintain rigorous monitoring to improve patient outcomes. Conclusion This study will contribute to optimizing AS guidelines and enhance our understanding of the natural course and appropriate management of low-risk PTCs. Additionally, MAeSTro-EXP involves a multinational collaboration between South Korea and Australia. This cross-country study aims to identify cultural and racial differences in the management of low-risk PTC, thereby enriching the global understanding of AS practices and their applicability across diverse populations.

Syringa pinnatifolia, belonging to the family Oleaceae, is a species endemic to China. It is predominantly distributed in the Helan Mountains region of Inner Mongolia and Ningxia of China. The peeled roots, stems, and thick branches have been used as a distinctive Mongolian medicinal material known as "Shan-chen-xiang", which has effects such as suppressing "khii", clearing heat, and relieving pain and is employed for the treatment of cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases and joint pain. Over the past five years, significant increase was achieved in research on chemical constituents and pharmacological effects. There were a total of 130 new constituents reported, covering sesquiterpenoids, lignans, and alkaloids. Its effects of anti-myocardial ischemia, anti-cerebral ischemia/reperfusion, sedation, and analgesia were revealed, and the mechanisms of agarwood formation were also investigated. To better understand its medical value and potential of clinical application, this review updates the research progress in recent five years focusing on the chemical constituents and pharmacological effects of S. pinnatifolia, providing reference for subsequent research on active ingredient and support for its innovative application in modern medicine system.
Medicine, Mongolian Traditional ; Humans ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Animals ; Syringa/chemistry*

Background: The ongoing medical crisis in Korea has severely impacted the operational environment of intensive care units (ICU), posing significant challenges to quality care for critically ill patients. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of the ongoing crisis on ICUs. Methods: A survey was conducted in July 2024 among intensivists in charge of ICUs at institutions accredited by the Korean Society of Critical Care Medicine for critical care. The survey compared data from January 2024 (pre-crisis) and June 2024 (post-crisis) on the number ICU beds, staffing composition, work hours, and the number and roles of nurse practitioners. Results: Among the total of 71 participating ICUs, 22 experienced a reduction in the number of operational beds, with a median decrease of six beds per unit, totaling 127 beds across these ICUs. The numbers of residents and interns decreased from an average of 2.3 to 0.1 per ICU, and the average weekly working hours of intensivists increased from 62.3 to 78.8 hours. Nurse practitioners helped fill staffing gaps, with their numbers rising from 150 to 242 across ICUs, and their scope of practice expanded accordingly. Conclusions The medical crisis has led to major changes in the critical care system, including staffing shortages, increased workloads, and an expanded role for nurse practitioners. This is a critical moment to foster interest and engage in active discussions aimed at creating a sustainable and resilient ICU system.

Objective To investigate the clinical effect of air moxibustion combined with pushpin-like needle acupuncture,which is formulated based on the"suppressing wood-supporting earth"theory in the doctrine of the five elements of Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM),in the treatment of pain,nausea and vomiting after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization(TACE).Methods A total of 160 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma,who were admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University of Traditional Chinese Medicine of China to receive initial TACE between July 2020 and June 2023,were enrolled in this study.The patients were randomly divided into 4 groups with 40 patients in each group.The patients of the control group received TACE with conventional nursing care,the patients of the pushpin-like needle group received pushpin-like needle acupuncture on the basis of the control group,the patients of the air moxibustion group received air moxibustion treatment on the basis of the control group,and the patients of the combination group received air moxibustion combined with pushpin-like needle acupuncture on the basis of the control group.The post-TACE pain degree(VAS scoring)and nausea/vomiting extent(INVR scoring)were compared between each other among the four groups.Results The differences in the VAS score and INVR score(including main effect and interaction effect)between each other among the four groups were statistically significant(all P＜0.05).Statistically significant differences in the VAS score and INVR score existed between the control group and the other three groups(all P＜0.05).The differences in the VAS score and INVR score between combination group and pushpin-like needle group,as well as between combination group and air moxibustion group were statistically significant(both P＜0.05).Conclusion Air moxibustion combined with pushpin-like needle acupuncture can effectively and remarkably relieve post-TACE pain,nausea and vomiting,which is superior to simple use of air moxibustion or pushpin-like needle acupuncture.Therefor,the combination use of air moxibustion and pushpin-like needle acupuncture should be popularized in clinical practice.

Objective:To investigate the differences and similarities of parameters associated with ane-mia of inflammation between patients with stage Ⅲ periodontitis and periodontally healthy volunteers,and to explore the influence of periodontal initial therapy on those indicators.Methods:Patients with stageⅢ periodontitis and periodontally healthy volunteers seeking periodontal treatment or prophylaxis at De-partment of Periodontology,Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology from February 2020 to February 2023 were enrolled.Their demographic characteristics,periodontal parameters(including pro-bing depth,clinical attachment loss,bleeding index),and fasting blood were gathered before periodontal initial therapy.Three months after periodontal initial therapy,the periodontal parameters of the patients with stage Ⅲ periodontitis were re-evaluated and their fasting blood was collected again.Blood routine examinations(including white blood cells,red blood cells,hemoglobin,packed cell volume,mean cor-puscular volume of erythrocytes,and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration)were performed.And ferritin,hepcidin,erythropoietin(EPO)were detected with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).All data analysis was done with SPSS 21.0,independent sample t test,paired t test,and analysis of co-variance were used for comparison between the groups.Results:A total of 25 patients with stage Ⅲperiodontitis and 25 periodontally healthy volunteers were included in this study.The patients with stageⅢ periodontitis were significantly older than those in periodontally healthy status[(36.72±7.64)years vs.(31.44±7.52)years,P=0.017].The patients with stage Ⅲ periodontitis showed lower serum he-moglobin[(134.92±12.71)g/L vs.(146.52±12.51)g/L,P=0.002]and higher serum ferritin[(225.08±103.36)μg/L vs.(155.19±115.38)μg/L,P=0.029],EPO[(41.28±12.58)IU/L vs.(28.38±10.52)IU/L,P＜0.001],and hepcidin[(48.03±34.44)μg/L vs.(27.42±15.00)μg/L,P=0.009]compared with periodontally healthy volunteers.After adjusting the age with the co-variance analysis,these parameters(hemoglobin,ferritin,EPO,and hepcidin)showed the same trends as independent-sample t test with statistical significance.Three months after periodontal initial therapy,all the periodontal parameters showed statistically significant improvement.The serum hemoglobin raised[(146.05±15.48)g/L vs.(133.77±13.15)g/L,P＜0.001],while the serum ferritin[(128.52± 90.95)μg/Lvs.(221.22±102.15)μg/L,P＜0.001],EPO[(27.66±19.67)IU/L vs.(39.63± 12.48)IU/L,P=0.004],and hepcidin[(32.54±18.67)μg/L vs.(48.18±36.74)μg/L,P=0.033]decreased compared with baseline.Conclusion:Tendency of iron metabolism disorder and ane-mia of inflammation was observed in patients with stage Ⅲ periodontitis,which can be attenuated by periodontal initial therapy.

【Objective】 To investigate the differences in efficacy and long-term prognosis between locally progressive low and intermediate rectal cancer patients receiving fluorouracil-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy alone (mFOLFOX6/CapeOX) and neoadjuvant radiotherapy, and to compare the therapeutic efficacy in the two groups. 【Methods】 We retrospectively analyzed the clinicopathological data of 118 patients with locally progressive low and intermediate rectal cancer who received neoadjuvant therapy from January 2019 to December 2021 at The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, including gender, age, body mass index (BMI), and other clinicopathological parameters. The t-test, Mann Whitney test, chi-square test or Fisher’s exact test were used to compare the differences between the two groups of patients who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy alone or neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy in terms of short-term efficacy, lymph node manifestations and long-term prognosis, respectively. Survival rates were calculated and survival curves were plotted using the Kaplan-Meier method. 【Results】 In terms of efficacy, patients in the neoadjuvant radiotherapy group achieved better tumor regression (Z=-2.05, P=0.04) and solid tumor efficacy (Z=-2.42, P=0.015), but the difference between the two groups in terms of downstaging effect of clinical stage was not statistically significant. The number of lymph nodes detected was significantly lower in the neoadjuvant radiotherapy group (neoadjuvant chemotherapy vs. neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy, 13.19±3.83 vs. 9.55±4.00, t=5.02, P<0.001), but the two groups did not differ significantly in the number of lymph node positives and lymph node positive ratio. In terms of long-term prognosis, there was no statistically significant difference in the overall survival rate or disease-free survival rate of the two groups. 【Conclusion】 Compared with neoadjuvant chemotherapy alone, neoadjuvant radiotherapy showed better short-term efficacy in patients with locally progressive low and intermediate rectal cancer, but there was no statistically significant difference between the two treatment regimens in terms of long-term prognosis.

Objective:To analyze and compare the difference of gene expression profiles in normal colon tissues,colon adenoma and carcinoma tissues by RNA sequencing technology,and re-veal the key genes and potential mechanisms in the development from colon adenoma to carcinoma.Methods:RNA sequencing analysis was carried out on normal colon tissues,colon adenomas and carcinoma tissues of the same patient,and differential genes that were significantly expressed in colon cancer and not significantly expressed in adenoma tissues were obtained,and the GO and KEGG function enrichment analysis was performed.Results:There are 4307 differential genes that are significantly expressed in colon cancer and not significantly expressed in adenoma.The GO and KEGG function enrichment analysis of these genes found that they were mainly enriched in bi-ological processes such as biological process regulation,cell process regulation,protein binding and cancer pathway,PI3K Akt signal pathway MAPK signal pathway.Conclusion:There are many genes involved in the development process from colon adenoma to carcinoma.These genes have the potential to become therapeutic targets for colorectal cancer,providing a new direction for fol-low-up research on colorectal cancer.