Chronic post-surgical pain (CPSP) is a common long-term complication following lung surgery. Its high incidence significantly impacts patients’ quality of life and functional recovery, and imposes a substantial socioeconomic burden. This consensus aims to systematically establish a standardized integrated Chinese and Western medicine diagnostic and treatment framework for chronic post-lung surgery pain (CPLSP). Based on the latest domestic and international evidence-based medical research and multidisciplinary clinical experience, the working group comprehensively elaborates on core issues regarding CPLSP, including its definition, epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical assessment, Western medical treatment, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) treatment, and integrated strategies. The consensus emphasizes a patient-centered approach, adhering to the principles of multimodality, individualization, and stepwise management, highlighting the synergistic advantages of integrating Chinese and Western medicine throughout the entire perioperative management cycle encompassing "perioperative anti-inflammation, acute analgesia, and chronic rehabilitation." Through systematic literature retrieval and evidence integration, a total of 9 core recommendations were established to provide scientifically sound and clinically practical guidance.

Objective To explore the association between serum uric acid levels and the cumulative incidence risk of atrial fibrillation, and to evaluate the predictive value of different uric acid levels for the onset of atrial fibrillation. Methods A retrospective selection of 451 879 participants from the large-scale prospective epidemiological cohort UK Biobank, aged 40-69 years, all completed a median follow-up of 13.6 years. Participants were divided into groups based on the interquartile range of serum uric acid levels (Q1–Q4) related to gender and whether they were diagnosed with hyperuricemia. Cox proportional hazards model, sensitivity analysis, and other methods were used to compare baseline data and atrial fibrillation incidence during follow-up among each group of participants. Results Individuals with higher baseline uric acid levels tended to be older, more obese, and had lower education levels and a history of cancer, along with significantly higher levels of triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and C-reactive protein, but lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels (P<0.001); the highest uric acid group showed the highest diabetes prevalence (6.49%). Participants with higher serum uric acid levels (log-rank P<0.05) or diagnosed with hyperuricemia had significantly higher incidence of atrial fibrillation (P<0.001). After adjusting for potential confounders, compared to Q1 uric acid level group, the Q4 level was associated with a 20% increased risk of atrial fibrillation (HR=1.20, 95%CI 1.16–1.25). Each 74.7 μmol/L increase in uric acid level was associated with a 9% increased incidence risk of atrial fibrillation (HR=1.09, 95%CI 1.08–1.11). Individuals with hyperuricemia had a 20% increased incidence risk of atrial fibrillation (HR=1.20, 95%CI 1.17–1.24). A nonlinear association was observed between uric acid levels and the incidence risk of atrial fibrillation (P for nonlinearity <0.01). Subgroup analysis indicated significant heterogeneity of the risk effect across subgroups, with a higher risk associated with hyperuricemia in females. Conclusions Elevated blood uric acid levels may increase the cumulative risk of atrial fibrillation, and this pathogenic effect is significantly correlated with age, race, cancer history, body mass index, and sex.

With the continuous deepening of the concept of precision diagnosis and treatment for lung cancer, how to achieve higher efficiency and accuracy in the screening, diagnosis, and treatment pathways in clinical practice has become an important issue that urgently needs to be overcome. The current clinical difficulty lies in the fact that despite continuous advancements in imaging and molecular diagnostic technologies, there are still limitations in manual efficiency and subjective experience when it comes to massive data analysis and multi-scale feature extraction. Artificial intelligence (AI), especially algorithm systems based on deep learning, is an innovative technology capable of deeply empowering medical big data. This method utilizes algorithms such as convolutional neural networks, combined with radiomics, pathomics, and multi-modal data fusion analysis, demonstrating immense potential in early precise detection and benign-malignant differentiation of pulmonary nodules, digital pathological subtype recognition and non-invasive prediction of driver genes, precise 3D surgical planning and automatic delineation of radiotherapy target volumes, as well as dynamic risk warning during follow-up. This innovative technology provides a brand-new solution for realizing intelligent and individualized lung cancer diagnosis and treatment models. This consensus, based on the latest evidence from evidence-based medicine and combined with the development trends in the AI field and real-world clinical needs, was ultimately formed by gathering the consensus opinions of multidisciplinary experts in radiology, pathology, thoracic surgery, and other fields. The main content covers the application specifications of AI in the three core scenarios of lung cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment, the technical standards for data collection and algorithm validation, as well as the ethical and regulatory challenges faced at the current stage. It aims to clarify the applicable boundaries of AI as a clinical auxiliary decision support tool, providing scientific guidance and standardized exploration directions for peers currently engaged in or planning to carry out AI-assisted clinical diagnosis, treatment, and translation of lung cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the regulatory effect of electroacupuncture (EA) at "Neiguan" (PC6) on mitochondrial autophagy in rats with myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MIRI) at different phases (ischemia and reperfusion phases), and to explore the bidirectional regulatory effects of EA at "Neiguan" (PC6) and its potential mechanism. METHODS: Forty-five male SD rats were randomly divided into 6 groups according to the random number table method, namely, sham-operation group (n=9), model-A group (n=6), model-B group (n=9), EA-A1 group (n=6), EA-B1 group (n=6), and EA-B2 group (n=9). Except the rats in the sham-operation group, the MIRI model was established in the other groups with the physical ligation and tube pushing method. In the model-A group, the samples were collected directly after ligation, and in the model-B group, the samples were collected after ligation and reperfusion. In the EA-A1 group, EA was delivered while the ligation was performed, and afterwards, the samples were collected. In the EA-B1 group, while the ligation was performed, EA was operated at the same time, and after reperfusion, the samples were collected. In the EA-B2 group, during ligation and the opening of the left anterior descending branch of the coronary artery, EA was delivered, and after reperfusion, the samples were collected. EA was performed at bilateral "Neiguan" (PC6), with a disperse-dense wave, a frequency of 2 Hz/100 Hz, a current of 1 mA, and a duration of 30 min. HE staining was employed to observe the morphology of cardiomyocytes, TUNEL was adopted to detect the apoptosis of cardiomyocytes, transcriptome sequencing was to detect the differentially expressed genes in the left ventricle, JC-1 flow cytometry was to detect the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) of cardiomyocytes, Western blot was to detect the protein expression of phosphatase and tensin homolog-induced kinase 1 (Pink1), Parkin and p62 in the left ventricle of rats, and ELISA was to detect the levels of serum creatine kinase isoenzyme (CK-MB) and cardiac troponin I (cTn-I) in the rats. RESULTS: Compared with the sham-operation group, the cardiomyocytes of rats in the model-B group were severely damaged, with disordered arrangement, unclear boundaries, broken muscle fibers, edema and loose distribution; and the cardiomyocytes in the EA-B2 group were slightly damaged, the cell structure was partially unclear, the cells were arranged more regularly, and the intact cardiomyocytes were visible. Compared with the sham-operation group, the apoptosis of cardiomyocytes increased in the model-B group (P<0.001); and when compared with the model-B group, the apoptosis alleviated in the EA-B2 group (P<0.001). The differentially expressed genes among the EA-B2 group, the sham-operation group and the model-B group were closely related to cell autophagy and mitochondrial autophagy. Compared with the sham-operation group, MMP of cardiomyocytes was reduced (P<0.001), the protein expression of Pink1, Parkin, and p62 of the left ventricle and the levels of serum CK-MB and cTn-I were elevated in the model B group (P<0.001). In comparison with model-A group, the MMP of cardiomyocytes and the levels of serum CK-MB and cTn-I were reduced (P<0.001, P<0.05), and the protein expression of Pink1 in the left ventricle rose in the EA-A1 group (P<0.01). Compared with the model-B group, MMP of cardiomyocytes increased (P<0.001), the protein expression of Pink1, Parkin, and p62 of the left ventricle, and the levels of serum CK-MB and cTn-I decreased (P<0.001) in the EA-B1 group and the EA-B2 group. When compared with the EA-A1 group, MMP of cardiomyocytes increased (P<0.001), and the protein expression of Pink1, Parkin, and p62 of the left ventricle, and the levels of serum CK-MB and cTn-I decreased in the EA-B1 group (P<0.01). CONCLUSION EA at "Neiguan" (PC6) can ameliorate MIRI in rats, which may be achieved through the Pink1/Parkin-mediated mitochondrial autophagy pathway. EA can alleviate myocardial injury by enhancing mitochondrial autophagy at the ischemia phase, and it can reduce reperfusion injury by weakening mitochondrial autophagy at the reperfusion phase.
Animals ; Electroacupuncture ; Male ; Myocardial Reperfusion Injury/metabolism* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rats ; Acupuncture Points ; Autophagy ; Humans ; Mitochondria/genetics*

BACKGROUND: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic autoimmune disease characterized by chronic inflammation and joint destruction. Iguratimod (IGU) is a novel conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (csDMARD) with good efficacy and safety for the treatment of active RA in China and Japan. However, the long-term effects of IGU on the progression of bone destruction or radiographic progression in patients with active RA remain unknown. We aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of iguratimod (IGU), a combination of methotrexate (MTX) and IGU, and IGU in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who were naïve to MTX. METHODS: This multicenter, double-blind, randomized, non-inferiority clinical trial was conducted at 28 centers for over 52 weeks in China. In total, 911 patients were randomized (1:1:1) to receive MTX monotherapy (10-15 mg weekly, n = 293), IGU monotherapy (25 mg twice daily, n = 297), or IGU + MTX (10-15 mg weekly for MTX and 25 mg twice daily for IGU, n = 305) for 52 weeks. The patients' clinical characteristics, Simplified Disease Activity Index (SDAI), Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI), disease activity score in 28 joints-C-reactive protein (DAS28-CRP) level, and disease activity score in 28 joints-erythrocyte sedimentation rate (DAS28-ESR) were assessed at baseline. The primary endpoints were the proportion of patients with ≥20% improvement according to the American College of Rheumatology (ACR20) response and changes in the van der Heijde-modified total Sharp score (vdH-mTSS) at week 52. RESULTS: The proportions of patients achieving an ACR20 response at week 52 were 77.44%, 77.05 %, and 65.87% for IGU monotherapy, IGU + MTX, and MTX monotherapy, respectively. The non-inferiority of IGU monotherapy to MTX monotherapy was established with the ACR20 (11.57%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 4.35-18.79%; P <0.001) and vdH-mTSS (-0.37; 95% CI, -1.22-0.47; P = 0.022). IGU monotherapy was also superior to MTX monotherapy in terms of ACR20 ( P = 0.002) but not the vdH-mTSS. The superiority of IGU + MTX over MTX monotherapy was confirmed in terms of the ACR20 (11.18%; 95% CI, 3.99-18.37%; P = 0.003), but not in the vdH-mTSS (-0.68; 95% CI, -1.46-0.11; P = 0.091). However, the difference in the incidence rates of adverse events was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: IGU monotherapy/IGU + MTX showed a more favorable clinical response than did MTX monotherapy. IGU may have some clinical benefits over MTX in terms of radiographic progression, implying that IGU may be considered as an initial therapeutic option for patients with active RA. TRIAL REGISTRATION https://classic.clinicaltrials.gov/ , NCT01548001.
Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Antirheumatic Agents/therapeutic use* ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid/drug therapy* ; Chromones/adverse effects* ; Double-Blind Method ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Methotrexate/adverse effects* ; Treatment Outcome ; Sulfonamides

Recently, male reproductive health has attracted extensive attention, with the adverse effects of circadian disruption on male fertility gradually gaining recognition. However, the mechanism by which circadian disruption leads to damage to male reproductive system remains unclear. In this review, we first summarized the dual regulatory roles of circadian clock genes on the male reproductive system: (1) circadian regulation of testosterone synthesis via the hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular (HPT) and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axes; (2) non-circadian regulation of spermatogenesis. Next, we further listed the possible mechanisms by which circadian disruption impairs male fertility, including interference with the oscillatory function of the reproductive system, i.e., synchronization of the HPT axis, crosstalk between the HPT axis and the HPA axis, as well as direct damage to germ cells by disturbing the non-oscillatory function of the reproductive system. Future research using spatiotemporal omics, epigenomic assays, and neural circuit mapping in studying the male reproductive system may provide new clues to systematically unravel the mechanisms by which circadian disruption affects male reproductive system through circadian clock genes.
Male ; Humans ; Animals ; Circadian Clocks/physiology* ; Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System/physiology* ; Circadian Rhythm/genetics* ; Spermatogenesis/physiology* ; Pituitary-Adrenal System/physiology* ; Testis/physiology* ; Testosterone/biosynthesis* ; CLOCK Proteins ; Infertility, Male/physiopathology*

OBJECTIVE: Acupuncture therapies are known for their effectiveness in treating a variety of gastric diseases, although the mechanisms underlying these effects are not fully understood. This study tested the effectiveness of electroacupuncture (EA) at acupoints Zhongwan (RN12) and Weishu (BL21) for managing gastric motility disorder (GMD) and investigated the underlying mechanisms involved. METHODS: A GMD model was used to evaluate the impact of EA on various aspects of gastric function including the amplitude of gastric motility, electrogastrogram, food intake, and the rate of gastric emptying. Immunofluorescence techniques were used to explore the activation of spinal neurons by EA, specifically examining the presence of cholera toxin B subunit (CTB)-positive neurons and fibers emanating from acupoints RN12 and BL21. The stimulation of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-ergic neurons in the spinal dorsal horn, the inhibition of sympathetic preganglionic neurons in the spinal lateral horn, and their collective effects on the activity of sympathetic nerves were examined. RESULTS: EA at RN12 and BL21 significantly improved gastric motility compromised by GMD. Notably, EA activated spinal neurons, with CTB-positive neurons and fibers from RN12 and BL21 being detectable in both the dorsal root ganglia and the spinal dorsal horn. Further analysis revealed that EA at these acupoints not only stimulated GABAergic neurons in the spinal dorsal horn but also suppressed sympathetic preganglionic neurons in the spinal lateral horn, effectively reducing excessive activity of sympathetic nerves triggered by GMD. CONCLUSION EA treatment at RN12 and BL21 effectively enhances gastric motility in a GMD model. The therapeutic efficacy of this approach is attributed to the activation of spinal neurons and the modulation of the spinal GABAergic-sympathetic pathway, providing a neurobiological foundation for the role of acupuncture in treating gastric disorders. Please cite this article as: Zhang MT, Liang YF, Dai Q, Gao HR, Wang H, Chen L, Huang S, Wang XY, Shen GM. A spinal neural circuit for electroacupuncture that regulates gastric functional disorders. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(1): 56-65.
Electroacupuncture ; Animals ; Male ; Acupuncture Points ; Stomach Diseases/physiopathology* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Gastrointestinal Motility ; Rats ; Gastric Emptying ; Neurons ; Spinal Cord ; Stomach/physiopathology*

Objective:To explore the dosimetric characteristics of intensity modulated proton therapy (IMPT), intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and tomotherapy (TOMO) techniques applied in the irradiation of pediatric whole central nervous system tumors.Methods:Taking the target area of a 14-year-old pediatric patient clinically diagnosed with atypical teratoid/rhabdomyoid tumor, meningeal metastasis by Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, and undergoing craniospinal irradiation (CSI) as an example, IMPT, IMRT and TOMO plans were designed respectively based on the clinical prescription of the target area and the limit requirements of organs at risk (OARs). The conformal index (CI), homogeneity index (HI) and gradient index (GI) of each planning target volume, as well as the dose volume index of normal tissues, were evaluated to compare the dosimetric characteristics of the three types of plans.Results:The CI (0.71), HI (0.05) and GI (3.13) of the IMPT plan were comparable to those of IMRT plan (0.80, 0.08, 3.14). The HI (0.03) and GI (2.54) of the TOMO plan were excellent, which were all within the clinically acceptable range. The irradiation dose to parallel organs in the IMPT plan was lower than that in the IMRT and TOMO plan. In the IMPT plan, V 5 of lungs was 2.9%, IMRT plan was 37.6%, and TOMO plan was 43.5%. The D mean of liver in the IMPT plan was 0.01 Gy (RBE), IMRT plan was 6.12 Gy, and TOMO plan was 6.39 Gy. In the IMPT plan, none of the bladder, rectum, and femoral head received the dose, while there was low-dose radiation in both IMRT and TOMO plan. For serial organs adjacent to and within the target area, the D max of spinal cord and brainstem in IMPT plan was 39.89 and 39.88 Gy (RBE), respectively; in IMRT plan, they were 39.43 and 38.59 Gy, respectively; and in TOMO plan, they were 38.41 and 37.69 Gy, respectively. The low-dose area in the IMPT plan was significantly better than the photon radiotherapy plans. Among them, the absolute volume IMPT plan occupied by 10% of the prescribed dose area in the patient's body was reduced by 70.10% compared with IMRT plan and 76.96% compared with TOMO plan; the 30% prescribed dose volume IMPT plan was reduced by 53.49% compared with IMRT plan and 62.51% compared with TOMO plan; the 50% prescribed dose volume IMPT plan was reduced by 39.06% compared with IMRT plan and 42.23% compared with TOMO plan. Conclusions:The IMPT plan demonstrated significantly reduced low-dose exposure and lower doses to parallel OARs compared to both IMRT and TOMO plans in pediatric CSI. The CI, HI and GI of the three plans can all meet the clinical requirements. However, for serial organs adjacent to and within the target area, the D max of the IMPT plan may be higher than that of IMRT and TOMO plans.

Objective:To explore the dosimetric characteristics of proton and photon radiotherapy in the treatment of breast cancer.Methods:Four female breast cancer patients who needed radiotherapy at Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute from January 2024 to May 2024 were selected as the research subjects. The target area ranges of 4 patients were left-sided breast cancer with lymph node involvement, left-sided breast cancer with lymph node involvement and internal mammary node, right-sided breast cancer with lymph node involvement and internal mammary node and synchronous bilateral breast cancer. Intensity modulated proton therapy (IMPT) and intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) plans were designed respectively based on the prescribed dose in the target area and the limits of organs at risk (tomotherapy plan for bilateral breasts). The conformity index (CI), homogeneity index (HI), gradient index (GI) and organs at risk doses were evaluated. The dosimetric characteristics of IMPT and photon radiotherapy were compared.Results:Both IMPT and photon radiotherapy plans of the 4 breast cancer cases met the clinical dose requirements. The HI value of IMPT plans (0.10-0.14) was comparable to that of photon radiotherapy plans (0.10-0.12), and the average CI of the photon radiotherapy plans was 0.10 higher than that of the IMPT plans, and the average GI was 0.55 lower than that of the IMPT plans. The D mean of ipsilateral lung and heart of IMPT was lower, especially in the low-dose area (V 0-3), which was significantly lower than the photon radiotherapy plans, D mean of ipsilateral lung was reduced by 12.2%, 6.1%, 16.1% and 34.8%, respectively, D mean of heart was reduced by 47.2%, 57.0%, 72.4% and 83.0%, respectively. The ipsilateral lung V 20 of IMPT was not lower than photon radiotherapy plans (unilateral breast: IMPT was 30.0%-34.0%, IMRT was 29.0%-35.9%) . Conclusions:IMPT significantly reduces the D mean to the ipsilateral lung and heart while ensuring dose coverage of the target in breast cancer, preventing more volume of surrounding normal tissues from being irradiated. However, IMPT does not show much more advantage than photon radiotherapy plans in the ipsilateral lung V 20.

Objective:To explore the dosimetric characteristics of intensity modulated proton therapy (IMPT) and intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) for typical abdominal and pelvic tumors.Methods:Three patients with abdominal and pelvic tumors (one case each of liver cancer, cervical cancer, and prostate cancer) admitted to Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute from January to June 2024 were selected as the research subjects. IMPT and IMRT plans were designed for each case based on clinical target volume (CTV) and organs at risk (OARs) constraints. Dosimetric parameters, including conformity index (CI), homogeneity index (HI), and gradient index (GI) for target coverage, as well as OARs dose metrics, were evaluated. The volume of additional dose deposition in the body was compared by assessing regions receiving 10%, 30%, and 50% of the prescription dose.Results:For all three cases, IMRT plan demonstrated higher CI values (0.82, 0.81, and 0.86) compared to IMPT plan (0.61, 0.62, and 0.43). IMPT plan yielded lower HI values (0.053, 0.075, and 0.020) than IMRT plan (0.060, 0.120, and 0.080) and lower GI values (3.45, 2.63, and 3.80 vs. 7.28, 4.76, and 4.66 for IMRT plan). In liver cancer, IMPT plan reduced the D mean of normal liver tissues and right kidney by 37.8% and 78.5%, respectively, and decreased the D max of spinal cord by 13.2%. For cervical cancer, IMPT plan reduced the V 30 of the small bowel by 22.0%, D mean of the bladder, rectum and bone marrow by 15.7%, 14.3% and 12.6%, and spinal cord D max by 4.8%. In prostate cancer, IMPT plan lowered bladder and rectal D mean by 14.9% and 36.5%, respectively, but resulted in an increase of 35.3% and 6.1% in the D mean and V 40 of the left femoral head, respectively, and an increase of 23.6% and 10.8% in the D mean and V 40 of the right femoral head, respectively. IMPT plan reduced the volumes receiving 10%, 30%, and 50% of the prescription dose by 48.9%-64.8%, 22.0%-47.0%, and 22.0%-57.7%, respectively, compared to IMRT plan. Conclusions:Comparison between IMPT and IMRT plans for abdominopelvic tumors: IMPT plan offers advantages in reducing doses to normal organs such as the liver, kidneys, spinal cord, small intestine, rectum, and bladder. However, its advantage is less pronounced regarding the dose to the femoral heads. IMPT plan notably minimizes additional dose deposition within the body.