Objective:To evaluate the effectiveness of virtual case teaching integrating standardized patients (SP) and objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) in enhancing students' clinical thinking and practical skills in experimental exercise therapy course.Methods:In April 2023, 52 students from the 2021 cohort and 54 students from the 2022 cohort of the Rehabilitation Therapy undergraduate program at Xinjiang Medical University were selected and divided into the experimental group and control group according to their classes. In the shoulder joint mobilization experimental class of the exercise therapy course, virtual SP teaching was performed in the experimental group of both cohorts. For the control group, student-led SP teaching was performed in the 2021 cohort, while the traditional "lecture + demonstration" method was used in the 2022 cohort. Upon completion of teaching, theoretical exams, case analysis, practical exams, and a teaching satisfaction survey were conducted on the students. Data were analyzed using the t-test and chi-square test in SPSS 25.0. Results:In both cohorts, the experimental group had similar theoretical exam scores ( P=0.207 and P=0.097, respectively) to the control group, but had higher practical exam scores ( P=0.013 and P=0.002, respectively) than the control group. In the case analysis exam, the experimental group scored higher than the control group in the 2022 cohort ( t=2.84, P=0.006) but similarly to the control group in the 2021 cohort ( t=1.53, P=0.132). All students believed that virtual SP teaching was most engaging. In terms of understanding complex concepts, increasing active participation, and fostering clinical thinking, the 2022 cohort was more satisfied with virtual SP teaching, whereas the 2021 cohort experienced no significant difference between virtual SP teaching and student-led SP teaching. In addition, the 2021 cohort found that student-led SP teaching was more helpful for improving doctor-patient communication skills. Conclusions:The application of virtual SP teaching in the experimental exercise therapy course effectively enhances students' practical skills and case analysis capabilities, contributing greatly to their overall clinical management thinking.

ObjectiveTo explore a rapid and accurate method for evaluating the quality of Prunus mandshurica (Maxim.) Koehne (P. mandshurica, Ku Xing Ren) during rancidity using machine vision and learning.MethodsSensory evaluation and chemometrics were used to classify P. mandshurica quality grades after rancidity. Chemical indicators of the P. mandshurica quality change were determined to verify the obtained grades and support the subsequent modeling. The International Commission on Illumination color space was used to extract the color features of the P. mandshurica. Discrimination and prediction models based on color features combined with multiple machine learning algorithms were established using 10-fold cross-validation and external test set validation.ResultsThe P. mandshurica rancidity samples were allocated to three quality grades. The Bayes net model based on powder color successfully identified the P. mandshurica at different grades with an accuracy of 88.89% and 100% using two validations, and the naive Bayes model based on section color achieved the same accuracy with an receiver operating characteristic area of 0.979. The instance-based k-nearest neighbors model based on powder color performed best in predicting the amygdalin content [R2 = 0.9801, mean absolute error (MAE) = 0.2071, root mean squared error (RMSE) = 0.4170], followed by the random committee model in predicting the acid value (R2 = 0.9580, MAE = 1.5121, RMSE = 1.9099) and the random forest model in predicting the peroxide value (R2 = 0.8857, MAE = 0.0027, RMSE = 0.0035).ConclusionThis study demonstrates that color digitization analysis is a potential method for rapidly evaluating the quality of P. mandshurica across the rancidity process, providing a new reference for the quality assessment of traditional Chinese medicines.

Objective:To evaluate the effectiveness of virtual case teaching integrating standardized patients (SP) and objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) in enhancing students' clinical thinking and practical skills in experimental exercise therapy course.Methods:In April 2023, 52 students from the 2021 cohort and 54 students from the 2022 cohort of the Rehabilitation Therapy undergraduate program at Xinjiang Medical University were selected and divided into the experimental group and control group according to their classes. In the shoulder joint mobilization experimental class of the exercise therapy course, virtual SP teaching was performed in the experimental group of both cohorts. For the control group, student-led SP teaching was performed in the 2021 cohort, while the traditional "lecture + demonstration" method was used in the 2022 cohort. Upon completion of teaching, theoretical exams, case analysis, practical exams, and a teaching satisfaction survey were conducted on the students. Data were analyzed using the t-test and chi-square test in SPSS 25.0. Results:In both cohorts, the experimental group had similar theoretical exam scores ( P=0.207 and P=0.097, respectively) to the control group, but had higher practical exam scores ( P=0.013 and P=0.002, respectively) than the control group. In the case analysis exam, the experimental group scored higher than the control group in the 2022 cohort ( t=2.84, P=0.006) but similarly to the control group in the 2021 cohort ( t=1.53, P=0.132). All students believed that virtual SP teaching was most engaging. In terms of understanding complex concepts, increasing active participation, and fostering clinical thinking, the 2022 cohort was more satisfied with virtual SP teaching, whereas the 2021 cohort experienced no significant difference between virtual SP teaching and student-led SP teaching. In addition, the 2021 cohort found that student-led SP teaching was more helpful for improving doctor-patient communication skills. Conclusions:The application of virtual SP teaching in the experimental exercise therapy course effectively enhances students' practical skills and case analysis capabilities, contributing greatly to their overall clinical management thinking.

Objective To investigate the clinical effectiveness of a vestibular-ocular motor rehabilitation device for vestibular vertigo.Methods A total of 102 patients with vestibular vertigo visiting our hospital from September 2021 to February 2023 were assigned to receive either treatment with betahistine mesylate tablets and vestibular-ocular motor reha-bilitation(group A,n=51)or treatment with betahistine mesylate tablets alone(group B,n=51).The Dizziness Handi-cap Inventory(DHI)score,Berg balance scale score,time consumed in the rising-walking test,clinical response,ocular motor abnormalities,and vestibular abnormalities were compared between the two groups using the t test and chi-square test.Results The overall response rate was significantly higher in group A than in group B(95.83%vs.81.23%,P<0.05).After treatment,both groups showed significant reductions in the DHI score,time consumed in the rising-walking test,the rate of ocular motor abnormalities,and the rate of vestibular abnormalities;and these indicators were signifi-cantly lower in group A than group B(all P<0.05).The Berg balance scale score was significantly increased after treat-ment in both groups,with a significantly higher score in group A than in group B(both P<0.05).Conclusion The vestibular-ocular motor rehabilitation device can relieve vertigo symptoms,improve vestibular function,and strengthen balance and walking abilities in patients with vestibular vertigo.

Objective:Discipline construction is the key and effective method for the high-quality development of hospitals. This study summarized the practical and valuable experience of discipline construction with the support of the ″Sanming Project of Medicine″ in Shenzhen, to provide a worthy reference for similar projects and hospital specialty development.Methods:Taking the introduction of the hematology-oncology team of the Canadian Children′s Hospital as an example, we analyzed the background, the process, and the effectiveness of discipline construction of hematology and oncology of Shenzhen Children′s Hospital under the support of the ″Sanming Project of Medicine″, and explored the common rules for rapid specialty development.Results:Through the implementation of two levels supporting policies from cities and hospitals and quantifiable and verifiable annual progressive program, the adoption of the international advanced medical management mode and concepts, and the transformation and application of cutting-edge clinical technologies, we successfully built the largest pediatric hematologic oncology diagnosis and treatment center in South China and the largest pediatric hematopoietic stem cell transplant center in China. By executing a multi-level talent developing program, the number of specialists with MD and PhD degrees increased by 6.5 times, and 23 doctors and nurses were trained abroad, leading to the development of provincial key clinical specialties and municipal key scientific research platforms.Conclusions:This project concluded the beneficial experience of introducing high-level overseas medical teams to boost discipline construction, including internationally advanced medical concepts and management modes, tiered talent cultivation schemes, the construction of clinical and basic research platforms, etc., providing references for the rapid improvement of discipline construction in terms of health care for other hospitals in Shenzhen and similar cities.

Objective:To observe the effect of pecking moxibustion on the pattern characteristics of redness,swelling,heat,and pain in the affected joints,also the synovial cell ultrastructure in rats with rheumatoid arthritis(RA)due to damp heat affecting bones/joints,and to explore the anti-inflammatory mechanism of pecking moxibustion in treating the early stage of RA. Methods:Eighteen rats were randomly selected from 78 female ones as the blank group,and all the other rats were subjected to preparing the"differentiation of disease and pattern"RA model due to damp heat affecting bones/joints by using the method of"collagen-induced arthritis plus windy,damp,and hot environment stimulation".Fifty-four rats with successful modeling were randomly divided into a model group,a drug group,and a pecking moxibustion group,with 18 rats in each group.Rats in the drug group were given methotrexate at a dose of 1 mg/(kg·bw)on the 1st,8th,and 15th days.Rats in the pecking moxibustion group were treated with pecking moxibustion at Quchi(LI11),Dazhui(GV14),and Ashi points,and each point was treated with moxibustion for 15 min every day and a total of 3 courses of treatment,with 6 d as a course of treatment.After treatment,the capillary permeability,joint swelling,joint surface temperature,and plantar thermal pain threshold of the diseased joints in rats were observed,and the ultrastructural changes of synovial cells were observed by transmission electron microscopy. Results:The local swelling,surface temperature,and Evans blue(EB)leakage volume were significantly higher(P<0.05),the thermal pain threshold was significantly lower(P<0.05),and the synovial cell ultrastructure was obviously damaged in the affected joints in the model group compared with the blank group.The swelling degree,surface temperature,and EB leakage volume were significantly reduced(P<0.05),the thermal pain threshold was significantly increased(P<0.05),and the ultrastructural abnormalities of synovial cells were significantly improved in the diseased joints in the drug group and the pecking moxibustion group compared with the model group.The thermal pain threshold of rats in the pecking moxibustion group was significantly improved compared with the drug group(P<0.05). Conclusion:Pecking moxibustion obviously improves the pattern characteristics of local redness,swelling,heat,and pain in the diseased joints of rats with RA due to damp heat affecting bones/joints and effectively repairs the ultrastructure of the damaged synovium.It suggests that the pecking moxibustion intervention has a significant anti-inflammatory effect on early RA.

Objective:To preliminarily investigate the correlation between right atrial and right ventricular myocardial strain, assessed by two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography (2D-STE), and early death in patients after left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation.Methods:A total of 39 patients with end-stage heart failure who underwent LVAD implantation were prospectively included in the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi′an Jiaotong University from April 2022 to March 2024. Routine transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) images were obtained within 3 days before LVAD implantation for all patients to comprehensively assess left ventricular and right ventricular function. The right ventricular free wall longitudinal strain (RVFWSL), right ventricular four-chamber longitudinal strain (RV4CSL), right atrial reservoir strain (RASr), conduit strain (RAScd), and contraction strain (RASct) were measured by using 2D-STE. The primary endpoint was early postoperative mortality. The patients were divided into survival group and death group based on whether died within 3 months after LVAD implantation.Results:Of all the patients, five cases died in hospital after LVAD implantation, with 4 deaths attributed to right heart failure and 1 death to malignant arrhythmia. The RVFWSL and RV4CSL (absolute values) in the death group were significantly lower than those in the survival group (both P<0.05). Cox multivariate regression analysis showed that RVFWSL and RV4CSL were risk factors for death within 3 months [ HR: 0.521(95% CI=0.275-0.986), P=0.045; HR: 0.491(95% CI=0.252-0.958), P=0.037]. Further ROC curve analysis revealed that the diagnostic cutoff value for RVFWSL in predicting death within 3 months was ≤|-12.1|%, with the area under the curve (AUC) of 0.938(0.812-0.990), and the diagnostic cutoff value for RV4CSL was ≤|-14.2|%, with an AUC of 0.926(0.796-0.985). Conclusions:In patients with end-stage heart failure, RVFWSL ≤ |-12.1|% and RV4CSL ≤ |-14.2|% are associated with an increased risk of death within 3 months after LVAD implantation.

Objective:To investigate the feasibility of predicting the risk of spontaneous preterm birth in singleton pregnancy women with low risk of preterm birth by transabdominal-transvaginal ultrasound cervical length sequential screening in the second trimester.Methods:This prospective longitudinal cohort study included singleton pregnant women at 11-13 +6 gestational weeks who were admitted to Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital from January 2023 to September 2023. Transabdominal and transvaginal cervical lengths were measured during the mid-trimester fetal ultrasound scan at 18-24 weeks, and pregnancy outcomes were obtained after delivery. A short cervix was defined as a transvaginal cervical length of ≤25 mm, and the outcomes were defined as spontaneous preterm birth occurs between 20 and 36 +6 weeks and extremely preterm birth before 32 weeks. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the effectiveness of predicting spontaneous preterm birth by transabdominal and transvaginal cervix length, as well as the effectiveness of predicting short cervix by transabdominal cervical length. The relationship between transabdominal and transvaginal cervical length was evaluated using a scatter plot. Results:A total of 562 cases were included in this study, comprising 33 cases of spontaneous preterm birth (7 cases occurring before 32 weeks) and 529 cases of term birth. (1) Compared to the term birth group, transabdominal cervical length (median: 37.6 vs 33.2 mm; Z=-3.838, P<0.001) and transvaginal cervical length (median: 34.0 vs 29.9 mm, Z=-3.030, P=0.002) in the spontaneous preterm birth group were significantly shorter. (2) The areas under the ROC curve for predicting spontaneous preterm birth by transabdominal and transvaginal cervical length were 0.699 (95% CI: 0.588-0.809) and 0.657 (95% CI: 0.540-0.774), respectively. The sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive value of transvaginal cervical length Conclusions:In singleton pregnancy women with low risk of preterm birth, transabdominal-transvaginal cervical length sequential screening can reduce unnecessary transvaginal ultrasounds by approximately 41% without missing the diagnosis of pregnant women with a short cervix. This method also enhances the effectiveness of transvaginal cervical length to spontaneous preterm birth.

Objective:To preliminarily investigate the correlation between right atrial and right ventricular myocardial strain, assessed by two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography (2D-STE), and early death in patients after left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation.Methods:A total of 39 patients with end-stage heart failure who underwent LVAD implantation were prospectively included in the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi′an Jiaotong University from April 2022 to March 2024. Routine transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) images were obtained within 3 days before LVAD implantation for all patients to comprehensively assess left ventricular and right ventricular function. The right ventricular free wall longitudinal strain (RVFWSL), right ventricular four-chamber longitudinal strain (RV4CSL), right atrial reservoir strain (RASr), conduit strain (RAScd), and contraction strain (RASct) were measured by using 2D-STE. The primary endpoint was early postoperative mortality. The patients were divided into survival group and death group based on whether died within 3 months after LVAD implantation.Results:Of all the patients, five cases died in hospital after LVAD implantation, with 4 deaths attributed to right heart failure and 1 death to malignant arrhythmia. The RVFWSL and RV4CSL (absolute values) in the death group were significantly lower than those in the survival group (both P<0.05). Cox multivariate regression analysis showed that RVFWSL and RV4CSL were risk factors for death within 3 months [ HR: 0.521(95% CI=0.275-0.986), P=0.045; HR: 0.491(95% CI=0.252-0.958), P=0.037]. Further ROC curve analysis revealed that the diagnostic cutoff value for RVFWSL in predicting death within 3 months was ≤|-12.1|%, with the area under the curve (AUC) of 0.938(0.812-0.990), and the diagnostic cutoff value for RV4CSL was ≤|-14.2|%, with an AUC of 0.926(0.796-0.985). Conclusions:In patients with end-stage heart failure, RVFWSL ≤ |-12.1|% and RV4CSL ≤ |-14.2|% are associated with an increased risk of death within 3 months after LVAD implantation.