Neoadjuvant therapy has become the standard treatment for locally advanced resectable esophageal cancer, significantly improving long-term survival compared to surgery alone. Neoadjuvant therapy has evolved to include various strategies, such as concurrent chemoradiotherapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or targeted combination therapy. This enriches clinical treatment options and provides a more personalized and scientific treatment approach for patients. This article aims to comprehensively summarize current academic research hot topics, review the rationale and evaluation measures of neoadjuvant therapy, discuss challenges in restaging methods after neoadjuvant therapy, and identify the advantages and disadvantages of various neoadjuvant therapeutic strategies.

Objective To investigate the correlations of diaphragm function parameters,hy-poalbuminemia,decoy receptor 3(DcR3)and D-dimer(D-D)with disease severity and treatment outcomes of elderly patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD)complicated by re-spiratory failure.Methods A total of 118 elderly COPD patients with respiratory failure were select-ed as study subjects.Patients were divided into mild(n=27),moderate(n=51)and severe(n=40)groups based on arterial oxygen partial pressure[pa(O2)].Diaphragm function parameters,DcR3,D-D and hypoalbuminemia were compared among the three groups.Based on the treatment outcomes at 28 days,patients were further divided into treatment success group(n=87)and treatment failure group(n=31).Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to assess the correlations of dia-phragm function parameters,hypoalbuminemia,DcR3,and D-D with adverse outcomes.Results The diaphragm mobility and diaphragm movement area of patients in the severe group were significantly lower or smaller than those in the moderate group and the mild group(P＜0.05);the diaphragm mobility and diaphragm movement area of patients in the moderate group were significantly lower or smaller than those in the mild group(P＜0.05).The proportions of patients with DcR3,D-D and hypoproteinemia in the severe group were significantly higher than those in the moderate and mild groups,and the DcR3 and D-D in the moderate group were significantly higher than those in the mild group(P＜0.05).The age,Acute Physiological Function and Chronic Health Evaluation Ⅱ(APACHE Ⅱ)score,N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide(NT-proBNP)and the proportion of patients with coronary heart disease in the treatment failure group were significantly higher than those in the treatment success group(P＜0.05).The diaphragm mobility in the treatment failure group was significantly lower than that in the treatment success group,and the diaphragm movement area was smaller than that in the treatment success group(P＜0.05).The proportions of patients with DcR3,D-D and hypoproteinemia in the treatment failure group were significantly higher than those in the treatment success group(P＜0.001).Older age,higher APACHE Ⅱ score,higher NT-proBNP,combined with coronary heart disease,higher DcR3,higher D-D level,hypoproteinemia,decreased diaphragm mobility and reduced diaphragm motor area were independent risk factors for adverse treatment outcomes in elderly patients with COPD complicated with respiratory failure(P＜0.05).Conclusion In elderly COPD patients with respiratory failure,reduced diaphragm mobility,de-creased diaphragm motion area,elevated DcR3 and D-D levels and the presence of hypoalbumine-mia are associated with more severe disease conditions.

Objective: To investigate the potential efficacy and safety of Lutai Danshen Baishao granules (LDBG) for treating female melasma associated with kidney deficiency and blood stasis patterns. Methods: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted at the Third Central Hospital of Tianjin, China from March to December 2023. A total of 110 female patients with melasma linked to kidney deficiency and blood stasis were enrolled and treated with either LDBG or a placebo twice daily for 60 days. Efficacy was assessed through measures such as the total melasma area, reduced melasma area, reduction rate of melasma area, melasma color score, Melasma Area and Severity Index (MASI) score, and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) symptom score scale. Safety assessments included routine blood and biochemical tests. Results: Participants in both groups were aged 52–63 years, with no significant differences. After the 2-month intervention, the total melasma area decreased in both groups; however, a greater reduction was observed in the test group [462.50 mm2 (12.81%) vs. 100.00 mm2 (3.11%), P < .001]. Moreover, LDBG treatment significantly reduced the MASI and melasma color scores in the test group (P < .05). The total TCM symptom evaluation score significantly decreased (test group: 6.00 vs. placebo group: 7.00, P = .001), with significant relief in symptoms such as improvement in dark lips, nails, and waist soreness in the test group, compared with that in the placebo group (P < .05). Within-group comparisons revealed that TCM syndrome was significantly alleviated in the test group (P < .05). Conclusion LDBG intervention shows promising effectiveness in reducing female melasma and alleviating TCM syndromes.

Objective:To compare the dosimetric characteristics of three fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy techniques,i.e.,tomo-therapy(TOMO),volumetric-modulated arc therapy(VMAT),and CyberKnife(CK),in the treatment of intracranial oligometastases,and to assess their dose distribution,treatment efficiency,and difference in dose delivered to organs at risk(OARs).Methods:A retro-spective analysis was performed for the clinical data of 54 patients with intracranial oligometastases who underwent fractionated stereo-tactic radiotherapy in The First Affiliated Hospital of Army Medical University in 2021-2023.Varian Eclipse 16.1 Physician Worksta-tion was used to perform tumor target volume delineation,and MANTEIA AccContour 3.2 software was used to perform the delineation of OARs,such as brainstem,spinal cord,and optical nerves.The delineated structures and images were transmitted to TOMO,CK,and Eclipse treatment planning systems to design three different radiotherapy treatment plans.Related key parameters were analyzed using the dose-volume histogram to evaluate the dosimetric characteristics of these three radiotherapy techniques,including conformity index(CI)of the target,dose homogeneity index(HI),beam-on time,the number of monitor units(MU),and the exposure dose of OARs.Results:All three treatment plans(TOMO,VMAT,and CK)met the requirements for prescribed dose.TOMO had a slightly better CI than VMAT and CK(1.05 vs.1.09 and 1.17,P<0.001).VMAT had a better HI than CK and TOMO(1.15 vs.1.28 and 1.46,P<0.001).In terms of execution efficiency,VMAT had a significantly shorter beam-on time than TOMO and CK(5 minutes,1 633 MU vs.10 minutes,8 932 MU and 39 minutes,5 191 MU,P<0.001).In terms of the exposure dose of OARs,CK provided the best protection for the lens,with a maximum dose of 15 cGy for the right lens and 17 cGy for the left lens,and TOMO had an advantage in dose control for the right cochlea,with a mean dose of 88 cGy,while VMAT had the best performance in limiting the dose for the spinal cord,with a maximum dose of 31 cGy(P<0.05).Conclusion:This study shows that TOMO,VMAT,and CK all meet the requirements for the prescribed dose and can effectively protect OARs in the treatment of in-tracranial oligometastases.In clinical practice,the most appropriate technique should be selected based on the features of lesions and treatment goals to achieve individualized treatment.

Objective:To construct an evaluation index system of internal control medical equipment based on the internal control theory of The Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission(COSO)and combined with the current situation of medical equipment internal management in public hospitals,so as to provide reference and suggestions for the evaluation of internal control of medical equipment in public hospitals.Methods:Through literature research and expert consultation,the evaluation index system of internal control of medical equipment was preliminarily determined.Using the Delphi method,15 experts from 1 medical college and 3 tertiary hospitals in Beijing who were engaged in the use and management of medical equipment were selected to conduct two rounds of consultation on the evaluation index system of internal control of medical equipment,and the evaluation indicators were scored and screened.The analytic hierarchy process(AHP)was used to determine the index weights,and the internal control evaluation index system of medical equipment in public hospitals based on COSO was constructed.Results:The coefficient of the two rounds of expert consultation was 100%.The authority degree of consulting experts was 0.867.Finally,the evaluation index system of internal control of medical equipment in tertiary public hospitals was formed,which included 5 first-level indicators,17 second-level indicators and 50 third-level indicators.Conclusion:The evaluation index of internal control of medical equipment in public hospitals based on COSO has high expert enthusiasm,authority and coordination.The evaluation index system includes the unit level and the business level of internal control,with a wide coverage,which makes up for the limitations of traditional internal evaluation of medical equipment,which can make up for the limitations of the internal evaluation of traditional medical equipment,improve the internal control system of medical equipment in public hospitals,and optimize the medical equipment management system.

Objective:To construct an effectiveness evaluation model of internal control of medical equipment in public hospitals based on fuzzy analytic network process(F-ANP),and to improve the level of internal control management of medical equipment in hospitals.Methods:Through literature research and analysis,based on the internal control theory system of The Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission(COSO),combined with the characteristics of medical equipment management in public hospitals,the effectiveness evaluation model of internal control of medical equipment in public hospitals was established by F-ANP,which was combining analytic network process(ANP)and fuzzy comprehensive evaluation.An empirical analysis was carried out on the internal control of medical equipment in Beijing Friendship Hospital,Capital Medical University.Results:The index system for model evaluation included 5 first-level indicators of control environment,risk evaluation,control activities,information exchange,and supervision mechanism,17 second-level indicators,and 50 third-level indicators.The model was used to evaluate the effectiveness of internal control of medical equipment in the hospital,its maximum membership value was 0.133 7,and the result was"relatively effective",indicating that the construction and implementation of internal control of medical equipment in the hospital were relatively perfect,while the management of scrapping of medical equipment,cost control and equipment informatization construction still need to be improved.Conclusion:The effectiveness evaluation model of internal control of medical equipment of public hospitals based on F-ANP can provide certain reference value for evaluation of the effectiveness of internal control of medical equipment in public hospitals,which is conducive to standardizing internal control of medical equipment,promoting the fine management of medical equipment and ensuring the safety of medical equipment assets.

Osteonecrosis of the femoral head （ONFH） is a painful and debilitating disease caused by impaired blood supply to the femoral head and cellular and tissue degeneration， leading to gradual destruction of the bone structure and progressive collapse of the femoral head. The main pathological mechanism of ONFH is the disruption of the balance between bone absorption and the reconstruction of new bone， resulting from microcirculation damage and decreased cellular tissue ability. This imbalance leads to biomechanical changes and accelerates the pathological progression of ONFH. In the early stages， clinical manifestations may not be obvious， mainly presenting as pain or discomfort in the hip or groin area， which can be relieved after rest. In the later stage of the disease， pain intensifies， and limb shortening， lower limb weakness， difficulty walking， or limping may occur. Currently， western medicine commonly uses osteogenic agents， anticoagulants， and artificial joint replacement for treatment， but there are also many issues such as prosthesis loosening and infection. Research has shown that traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） treatment of ONFH takes a holistic approach and employs multi-functional， multi-target， and multi-system Chinese medicine therapies， ensuring the safety and effectiveness of the treatment. The osteoprotegerin （OPG）/receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB （RANK）/RANK ligand （RANKL） signaling pathway plays a crucial role in maintaining the dynamic balance of bone remodeling. TCM treatments utilize this pathway to promote apoptosis of osteoclasts， reduce bone resorption， and accelerate bone formation， thereby playing an important role in the prevention and treatment of ONFH. This paper reviewed the role of OPG/RANK/RANKL signaling pathway and related cytokine expression in ONFH by reviewing relevant literature in China and abroad and research status of Chinese medicinal monomers， Chinese medicinal formulations， and combinations with physical therapy in increasing osteoblast secretion， promoting OPG expression， enhancing cytokine expression levels， and inhibiting osteoclast activity for the prevention and treatment of ONFH. This paper is expected to provide new ideas and directions for TCM in the prevention and treatment of ONFH.

Objective:To evaluate the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of concise health status questionnaire (SF-36 scale) in evaluating the quality of life of patients with chronic Keshan disease, and to provide a scientific basis for studying the quality of life and the evaluation of treatment and rehabilitation of this population.Methods:In the August 2017, using cluster random sampling method, 175 patients with chronic Keshan disease treated by self-management of family beds in Pingliang City, Gansu Province in 2017 were selected as survey subjects, and demographic and disease data were collected. The Chinese version of SF-36 scale was used to investigate the quality of life. Split-half reliability and Cronbach's α coefficient were used to evaluate the reliability of the SF-36 scale; the factor analysis, correlation and differences between groups were used to evaluate the validity of the SF-36 scale.Results:The split-half reliability value of SF-36 scale was 0.916, and the Cronbach's α coefficient was 0.869. Factor analysis extracted 3 common factors from 8 dimensions of SF-36 scale, and the cumulative contribution rate of the 3 common factors to the total variance was 72.08%. In addition to the correlation coefficient ( r) between Role-Emotional and Bodily Pain dimension, the r value between total score and the scores of each dimension, and the scores of each dimension of SF-36 scale were 0.140 - 0.769. Except for the Bodily Pain dimension, there were statistically significant differences in the scores of Physiological Functioning, Role-Physical, General Health, Vitality, Social Functioning, Role-Emotional, and Mental Health dimension of the quality of life of patients with different grades of cardiac function ( F = 4.66, 10.73, 6.77, 14.61, 5.58, 9.57, 7.10, P < 0.05). Conclusion:The Chinese version of SF-36 scale has good reliability and validity in evaluating the quality of life of patients with chronic Keshan disease, and can be used to evaluate the quality of life of the patients.

Objective:To determine the optimal concentration of inhaled oxygen in pediatric patients undergoing laparoscopic choledochal cyst resection under general anesthesia.Methods:Seventy-five pediatric patients of both sexes, aged 1-3 yr, of American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status classification Ⅱ or Ⅲ, with body mass index of 15-18 kg/m 2, with expected operation time≥3 h, scheduled for elective laparoscopic choledochal cyst resection with general anesthesia, were divided into 3 groups ( n=25 each) using a random number table method: C 40 group (FiO 2=40%), C 30 group (FiO 2=30%) and C 21 group (FiO 2=21%). Blood samples were collected from the radial artery for blood gas analysis after operation for determination of oxygenation index (OI), respiratory index (RI), alveolar-arterial oxygen partial pressure difference (PA-aO 2) and arterial-alveolar oxygen partial pressure ratio (PaO 2/PAO 2). The occurrence of high risk events of hypoxia (SpO 2<94%), extubation time, and occurrence of pneumonia and atelectasis at day 7 after operation were recorded. Results:Compared with C 21 group, PaO 2, PAO 2, PA-aO 2 and RI were significantly increased, PaO 2/PAO 2 was decreased, and the incidence of high risk events of hypoxia was decreased in C 30 and C 40 groups, and the incidence of atelectasis in C 30 group and pneumonia and atelectasis in C 40 group was increased at day 7 after operation ( P<0.05). Compared with C 30 group, PaO 2, PAO 2, PA-aO 2 and RI were significantly increased, and PaO 2/PAO 2 was decreased in C 40 group ( P<0.05). Conclusions:The optimal concentration of inhaled oxygen recommended is 21%-30% in the pediatric patients undergoing laparoscopic choledochal cyst resection under general anesthesia.

ObjectivesTo introduce the progress in neurological classification of spinal cord injury (SCI) with complications. MethodsThe literatures in recent ten years were reviewed and summarized. ResultsIn January, 2022, a new neurological classification of SCI with complications in the International Standards for Neurological Classification of SCI (ISNCSCI) was published by the focus group of the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) International Standards Committee, with the extended "*"-tag concept, sensory and motor examination results impacted by SCI complication above, at, or below the neurological level of injury (NLI) could be consistently documented, scored, and classified. ConclusionThis new taxonomy in neurological classification of SCI with complications has overcome the shortcomings of the previous ISNCSCI versions and benefits the accuracy of ISNCSCI classifications, it could be tried in the clinical application.