Objective:To evaluate the feasibility and clinical efficacy of transoral endoscopic-assisted submandibular gland resection with low-temperature plasma knife technology, aiming to establish a scarless surgical approach to meet the patients aesthetic demands. Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 5 consecutive patients with benign submandibular gland pathologies treated by a single surgical team between January 2021 and December 2023. All procedures employed a transoral mucosal incision in the floor of mouth, with 0-degree high-definition endoscope assistance and low-temperature plasma knife for precise dissection and hemostasis. Close postoperative follow-up was performed. A systematic literature review compared surgical approaches regarding critical anatomical landmarks, complication profiles, and scar formation. The clinical efficacy of this technique was summarized and analyzed. Results:Successful transoral endoscopic plasma knife resections were performed for benign submandibular conditions（including neoplasms, chronic sialadenitis, and sialolithiasis）. All operations were completed without conversion to open approach. No permanent lingual nerve or marginal mandibular nerve injuries occurred. Transient lingual hypoesthesia recovered within 2 weeks. During 6-12 months follow-up, there was no recurrence and absence of visible cervical scarring, with 100% patient satisfaction regarding cosmesis. Conclusion:Transoral endoscopic plasma knife resection of the submandibular gland demonstrates procedural safety and technical feasibility. This approach offers significant advantages in minimally invasive access, superior aesthetic outcomes, and accelerated recovery, representing a viable novel alternative for benign submandibular gland disease management.
Humans ; Submandibular Gland/surgery* ; Retrospective Studies ; Endoscopy/methods* ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Male ; Treatment Outcome ; Adult

Objective To explore the function of electroacupuncture(EA)on body mass,fasting blood glucose,heat pain threshold,and transient receptor potential vanilloid 4(TRPV4)in the dorsal root ganglia(DRG)of rats with diabetic neuropathic pain(DNP).Methods A DNP rat model was formed by intraperitoneally injecting the animals with STZ.From days 15 to 21,bilateral Zusanli and Kunlun points of the DNP rat model were treated with electroacupuncture once daily for 30 min.We then measured their body mass,fasting blood glucose,and heat pain threshold.The co-expression of TRPV4 and NeuN in the rat L4～L6 DRG was detected by immunofluorescence.The effects of the TRPV4 agonist GSK1016790A on body mass,fasting blood glucose,and the heat pain threshold of DNP rats treated with electroacupuncture were detected.Results After the 7th day,body mass was significantly decreased(P<0.01)and fasting glucose was significantly increased(P<0.01)in the model group compared with the normal group.After the 21st day,compared with the model group,heat pain threshold of the model+electroacupuncture group was significantly higher(P<0.01);the results of co-expression of TRPV4 and NeuN immunofluorescence on rat L4～L6 DRG showed that:the expression of positive cells in the model group was significantly higher(P<0.01)than that in the normal group,the co-expression of TRPV4 and NeuN positive cells in L4～L6 DRG of rats in the model+electroacupuncture group was significantly lower(P<0.01)than that in the model group.The TRPV4 agonist GSK1016790A can reverse the downregulation of thermal pain threshold induced by electroacupuncture in DNP rats(P<0.01).Conclusion Electroacupuncture alleviated the DNP induced by STZ,and its mechanism may involve the inhibition of TRPV4 protein expression in the DRG.

Objective To explore the function of electroacupuncture(EA)on body mass,fasting blood glucose,heat pain threshold,and transient receptor potential vanilloid 4(TRPV4)in the dorsal root ganglia(DRG)of rats with diabetic neuropathic pain(DNP).Methods A DNP rat model was formed by intraperitoneally injecting the animals with STZ.From days 15 to 21,bilateral Zusanli and Kunlun points of the DNP rat model were treated with electroacupuncture once daily for 30 min.We then measured their body mass,fasting blood glucose,and heat pain threshold.The co-expression of TRPV4 and NeuN in the rat L4～L6 DRG was detected by immunofluorescence.The effects of the TRPV4 agonist GSK1016790A on body mass,fasting blood glucose,and the heat pain threshold of DNP rats treated with electroacupuncture were detected.Results After the 7th day,body mass was significantly decreased(P<0.01)and fasting glucose was significantly increased(P<0.01)in the model group compared with the normal group.After the 21st day,compared with the model group,heat pain threshold of the model+electroacupuncture group was significantly higher(P<0.01);the results of co-expression of TRPV4 and NeuN immunofluorescence on rat L4～L6 DRG showed that:the expression of positive cells in the model group was significantly higher(P<0.01)than that in the normal group,the co-expression of TRPV4 and NeuN positive cells in L4～L6 DRG of rats in the model+electroacupuncture group was significantly lower(P<0.01)than that in the model group.The TRPV4 agonist GSK1016790A can reverse the downregulation of thermal pain threshold induced by electroacupuncture in DNP rats(P<0.01).Conclusion Electroacupuncture alleviated the DNP induced by STZ,and its mechanism may involve the inhibition of TRPV4 protein expression in the DRG.

Objective To establish the fingerprint map and method of multi-component content determination of ginger and its processed products,and to evaluate their quality. Methods High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to establish the fingerprint of ginger and its processed products (dried ginger,baked ginger,ginger charcoal) and the method for the simultaneous determination of content of five components. The data were analyzed by similarity evaluation and chemical pattern recognition. Results The fingerprint of ginger and its processed products was established. The similarity was ranged from 0.931 to 0.996. A total of 15 common peaks were confirmed. Five components (6-ginger phenol,8-ginger phenol,10-ginger phenol,6-ginger enol,zingiberone) were identified when compared with the standard. The content of 6-ginger phenol,8-ginger phenol and 10-ginger phenol in ginger and its processed products(dried ginger,baked ginger,ginger charcoal),which were determined by HPLC,met the standard of Chinese Pharmacopoeia(2020 edition). The content of 6-ginger enol and zingiberone in fresh ginger was very low,but their content increased significantly after processing into dried ginger and baked ginger. Ginger and its processed products can be divided into different category in cluster analysis. Five components with VIP greater than one were selected by orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis. Conclusion The HPLC fingerprint and assay method established in this study are specific,simple and feasible,stable and reliable. With the help of chemical pattern recognition method,it can provide reference for the quality evaluation of ginger and its processed products.

Objective To investigate the effects of long-term occupational exposure to high-frequency noise in specific frequency bands on auditory function of the inner ear,and to evaluate the mechanisms of auditory threshold damages due to high-frequency noise exposure utilizing bone conduction audiometry and acoustic physical models.Methods The study subjects included factory workers and airport ground staff working in high-noise environments for a long period.Two groups(an exposure group and a control group)were established,and the exposure group was further divided into 3 subgroups according to exposure duration:5-9 years,10-14 years,and over 15 years.Bone conduction audiometry was used to assess auditory threshold changes in different frequency bands(4,6,8 kHz),while a sound level meter was employed to record noise exposure intensity.The impact of noise on the cochlea was simulated using an acoustic physical model.Multivariable regression analysis,controlling for confounding factors such as age and gender,was used to further analyze the independent effects of exposure duration and intensity on auditory damage.Results The auditory thresholds of exposure group were significantly higher than those of control group in the high-frequency bands,particularly in 8 kHz frequency band(P＜0.001).With increasing exposure duration,auditory damage in exposure group progressively worsened,and the most significant auditory threshold changes was found in the group exposed for over 15 years.The predictions made by the acoustic physical model closely matched the actual measurements,and the high model fitting degree(R2:0.85-0.90)in the long-term exposure group indicated a strong predictive capability for the cumulative effects of cochlear damage.Conclusion Long-term exposure to high-frequency noise in specific frequency bands results in significant cumulative damage to auditory function of the inner ear.Exposure duration and intensity are the primary independent risk factors.

Objective:To investigate the feasibility of conducting active surveillance (AS) for low risk papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) in China and to examine the factors in association with disease progression during AS.Methods:This study was a prospective observational research conducted from Jun. 2018 to Aug. 2022 at Ruijin Hospital affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine. Seventy-three patients with cytologically confirmed low-risk PTMC were enrolled in this study. They were followed up by ultrasonography, and the observed nodules were re-assessed whether or not to have disease progression. Disease progression was defined as having nodule enlarged more than 3 mm in any of diameters measured on ultrasound, or/and presence of suspicious lymph node metastasis.Results:The median follow-up time was 33 months. At the time of last follow-up, 16 cases (21.9%) exhibited disease progression, including 9 cases (12.3%) with suspicious lymph nodes detected by ultrasound, and 8 cases (11.0%) with lesion enlargement; one case (1.3%) exhibited both situations. The univariate chi-square analysis revealed that young patients (≤45 years old, P=0.041), presence of microcalcifications ( P=0.032), initial larger nodule (diameter greater than 7 mm, P=0.003), and elevated thyroid autoantibody levels ( P=0.008) were associated with disease progression. Multiple regression analysis showed elevated thyroid autoantibodies ( OR=4.311, P=0.030) and initial larger nodule ( OR=6.196, P=0.034) were independent risk factors for PTMC progression,respectively. Conclusions:AS for low-risk PTMC is a feasible and effective. During the observation, ultrasound can reveal suspicious lymph nodes and nodule enlargement, which are crucial indicators for assessing disease progression. Patients with initially larger nodule size and elevated thyroid autoantibody level are more likely to exhibit disease progression and should receive closer attention.

Objective:To observe any effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on the expression of phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (p-ERK1/2) and phosphorylated cyclic adenosine monophosphate response element binding protein (p-CREB) in the spinal dorsal horns of diabetics experiencing neuropathic pain.Methods:Eight rats were randomly selected from 30 healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats as the normal group (N), and the remaining twenty-two rats were treated with a single high-dose intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ) to establish a neuropathic pain model. The rats modeled successfully were randomly divided into a model group (M, n=8) and an EA group ( n=8). In the EA group, electroacupuncture was applied at the bilateral Hou san li and Kunlun acupoints starting on the 15th day after the STZ injection. The daily sessions lasted 30 minutes for 1 week. Body weight (BW), fasting blood glucose (FBG) and paw withdrawal latency (PWL) were observed before the STZ injection and on the 7th, 14th, and 21st days afterward. The expression of p-ERK1/2 and p-CREB in the dorsal horns of the rats′ spinal cords was detected using western blotting. The count of p-CREB-positive cells in the dorsal horns and their co-localization with neurons was detected using immunofluorescence. Results:In comparison with the N group, the average BW of the M group on the 7th, 14th and 21st days after the STZ injection was significantly lower, while the average FBG was significantly higher. There was no significant difference between the M and N groups in the average PWL on the 7th day after the STZ injection, but it had decreased significantly in the M group on the 14th and 21st days. Compared with the M group, the average PWL of the EA group was significantly longer on the 21st day after the injection. The expression of p-ERK1/2 and p-CREB protein in the spines of the M group was significantly higher than in the N group. p-CREB positive cells were more numerous in the M group compared with the N group, while in the EA group they were fewer. P-CREB was co-located with neurons in the spinal dorsal horn.Conclusion:EA can alleviate neuropathic pain effectively, perhaps by inhibiting the expression of p-ERK1/2 and p-CREB in the dorsal horns of the spinal cord.

Objective:To investigate the characteristics and causes of endplate injury in the oblique lateral interbody fusion for the treatment of lumbar diseases, and summarize the precaution of endplate injury.Methods:Thirty-five cases of endplate injury were observed, which were originally treated with oblique lateral interbody fusion with or without pedicle screw fixation from October 2014 to December 2017. There were 7 males and 28 females, and the age ranged from 51 to 78 years old (averagely 62.8±8.13 years). There were 2 cases of lumbar disc degeneration, 10 cases of lumbar canal stenosis, 17 cases of lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis, 2 cases of lumbar spondylolysis with or without spondylolisthesis, and 4 cases of lumbar degenerative scoliosis. Lesion sites contained L 3,4 in 2 cases, L 4,5 in 21 cases, L 2-4 in 3 cases, L 3-5 in 4 cases, L 2-5 in 3 cases and L 1-5 in 2 cases. Preoperative bone mineral density examination revealed there were 7 cases of T>-1 SD, 24 cases of -2.5 SD

Objective To investigate the effects of low frequency electroacupuncture on the P2X3 receptor expres-sion in dorsal root ganglion ( DRG) of rats with type II diabetic neuropathic pain. Methods Part 1:Fifty normal SD rats were randomly divided into normal group (8 rats) and model group (42 rats). The rat model of type II diabetic neuropathic pain was generated by high fat and high sugar diet with a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin ( STZ, 35 mg/kg) . 2 Hz electroacupuncture was administered at ipsilateral acupoints Zusanli and Kunlun for consecutive 7 days. Insulin sensitivity index ( ISI) was measured at 0 w and 5 w, and fasting plasma glucose ( FPG) was measured at 0 w, 5 w, and 7 w. Paw withdrawal threshold (PWT) was measured by mechanical pain threshold, and P2X3 receptor was determined by immunofluorescence. Part 2:Twelve rats with diabetic neuropathic pain (DNP) were divided into EA + vehicle group (6 rats) and EA + αβ?meATP group (6 rats). Rats in the two groups received the same EA treatment as Part 1. Rats in the EA + αβ?meATP group were injected with P2X3 receptor agonistαβ?meATP (0. 6μmol/L, 100μL) into the ventral sur?face of each hind paw every time before EA treatment. Rats in the EA + vehicle group received the same dose of vehicle ( PBS buffer) as a control. Pain threshold of the rats were measured. Results ① Compared with the normal group, the ISI levels of the rats in DNP group was significantly decreased after 5 weeks of the high?fat high?sugar diet (P < 0. 01). Two weeks after STZ injection, the fasting plasma glucose levels in the rats receiving STZ were significantly elevated ( P <0. 01 ) . The type 2 diabetes model was established with a successful rate of 69. 04%. ②PWTs:The PWTs of rats in DNP group were reduced compared with rats in the normal group (P < 0. 01), indicating that the type 2 DNP model was suc?cessfully established. Compared with the PWTs of DNP?controlled rats, the 2 Hz electroacupuncture significantly increased bilateral PWT of rats subjected to DNP from day 3 after treatment (P < 0. 01). P2X3 receptor agonistαβ?meATP greatly reduced bilateral PWT of EA?treated DNP rats compared with that of the EA + vehicle group (P < 0. 01). ③The immu?nofluorescence essay showed that P2X3 receptor expression in bilateral L5 DRGs in the DNP group was significantly in?creased as compared with that in the normal group ( P < 0. 01 ) . The increases were inhibited by 2 Hz EA in L5 DRGs compared with the DNP group (P < 0. 01). Conclusions 2Hz electroacupuncture can effectively treat the type II diabet?ic neuropathic pain by decreasing the expression of L5 DRG P2X3 receptors in rats.

Objective To explore the effect of low-frequency electroacupuncture (EA) on neuropathic pain induced by spinal nerve injury and its underlying mechanism.Methods Thirty-two male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into a normal group,a sham spared nerve injury (SNI) group,an SNI group and an SNI+EA group,each of 8.The rats in the SNI and SNI+EA groups were given SNI surgery,while those of the sham-SNI group only had the sciatic nerve and its branches exposed without any lesion.EA at 2 Hz was applied over the ipsilateral Zusanli and Kunlun acupoints daily for 14 days after the surgery.The ipsilateral paw withdrawal threshold (PWT) was measured,along with protein kinase A (PKA) levels in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord,calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and substance P (SP) levels along with transient receptor potential V1 (TRPV1).Results Compared to the normal group,the SNI groups all showed significant decreases in their PWTs on the affected side and significant increases in PKA,TRPV1,CGRP and substance P on the affected side.Compared to SNI group,the average ipsilateral PWT in the SNI+EA group increased significantly after EA treatment,while PKA levels,TRPV1,CGRP levels and SP expression all decreased significantly.Conclusion Electroacupuncture at low frequency can effectively relieve neuropathic pain,perhaps through down-regulation of PKA in the spinal cord and by decreasing pain hypersensitivity related to CGRP and SP.