OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of "olfactory three needles" on cognition, learning and memory abilities, as well as hippocampal microglia (MG) phagocytic activity in vascular dementia (VD) rats, and explore the mechanisms of acupuncture in regulating MG activation and improving remyelination, so as to ameliorate VD. METHODS: Among 38 SD rats meeting experimental requirements, 9 rats were randomly assigned to a sham-operation group, and the remaining rats underwent permanent bilateral common carotid artery ligation to establish VD model. Eighteen successfully modeled rats were randomly divided into a model group and an electroacupuncture (EA) group, with 9 rats in each one. In the EA group, EA was performed at "olfactory three needles" ("Yintang" [GV24⁺] and bilateral "Yingxiang" [LI20]), at disperse-dense wave, the frequency of 2 Hz/15 Hz and the current intensity of 1 mA, for 15 min per intervention, once daily. One course was composed of 7 days, and 2 courses were required, with the interval of 2 days. The novel object recognition test was employed to assess the cognition of rats, and the Morris water maze was adopted to observe learning and memory abilities. Luxol fast blue (LFB) staining was performed to evaluate myelin sheath loss in the hippocampus, the Western blot was used to detect the protein expression of triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-2 (TREM2) and proteolipid protein (PLP) in the hippocampus; and the immunofluorescence staining was used to detect the positive expression of PLP, sex determining region Y-box 10 (SOX10), ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule 1 (Iba1)⁺ TREM2⁺ and Iba1⁺ lysosome-associated membrane protein 1 (LAMP1)⁺ in the hippocampus. RESULTS: Compared with the sham-operation group, the rats in the model group exhibited the prolonged escape latency on day 3 and 4 (P<0.05, P<0.01), the increase of the total distance traveling (P<0.01) and the decrease of the recognition index (RI) and platform crossing frequency (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the rats in the EA group showed the shortened escape latency on day 3 and 4 (P<0.05), the decrease of total distance traveling (P<0.01) and the increase of RI and platform crossing frequency (P<0.05, P<0.01). When compared with the sham-operation group, the rats of the model group presented uneven staining, sparse arrangement of myelin sheath fibers, unclear contours, and prominent vacuole-like changes in the hippocampal CA1 region. When compared with the model group, the EA group showed more dense staining, the increase of myelin sheath fibers with more orderly alignment, and fewer vacuolar changes in the hippocampal CA1 region. Compared with the sham-operation group, the model group exhibited the increase of TREM2 protein expression and the decrease of PLP protein expression in the hippocampus (P<0.01), whereas the EA group showed the up-regulation of TREM2 and PLP protein expression when compared with the model group (P<0.01, P<0.05). The positive expression of the hippocampal PLP, SOX10, and Iba1⁺LAMP1⁺ in the model group was reduced in comparison with the sham-operation group (P<0.05, P<0.01), and the positive expression of Iba1⁺ TREM2⁺ was elevated (P<0.05). In the EA group, the positive expression of PLP, SOX10, Iba1⁺TREM2⁺, and Iba1⁺ LAMP1⁺ was higher compared with that in the model group (P<0.05, P<0.01). CONCLUSION "Olfactory three needles" can improve the learning and memory, and cognitive functions of VD rats, and its mechanism may be associated with the up-regulation of TREM2 and LAMP1 to adjust MG phagocytic activity and intracellular degradation, and promote remyelination.
Animals ; Dementia, Vascular/metabolism* ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Microglia/metabolism* ; Male ; Acupuncture Therapy/instrumentation* ; Acupuncture Points ; Humans ; Remyelination ; Memory ; Hippocampus/cytology* ; Cognition ; Electroacupuncture ; Needles

Objective To explore the efficacy of DSA-guided intrathecal drug delivery system combined with Zi Wu Liu Zhu Acupoint Therapy for management of cancer pain and provide reference for its standardized clinical application.Methods and Results Recommendations were formulated based on literature review and expert group discussion,and consensus was reached following expert consultation.The consensus recommendations are comprehensive,covering the entire treatment procedures from preoperative assessment and preparation,surgical operation process,postoperative management and traditional Chinese medicine treatment to individualized treatment planning.The study results showed that the treatment plans combining traditional Chinese with Western medicine effectively alleviated cancer pain,reduced the use of opioid drugs,and significantly improved the quality of life and enhanced immune function of the patients.Postoperative follow-up suggested good treatment tolerance among the patients without serious complications.Conclusion The formulated consensus is comprehensive and can provide reference for clinicians to use DSA-guided intrathecal drug delivery system combined with Zi Wu Liu Zhu Acupoint Therapy.The combined treatment has a high clinical value with a good safety profile for management of cancer pain.

Dyadic interviews can deeply reveal the complex interaction between dyads(eg,patients and their caregivers),and their importance in the field of nursing qualitative research has become increasingly prominent.Through a comprehensive literature review,this paper systematically combs the relevant literature of dyadic interviews,elaborates on the concept and application areas of dyadic interviews,deeply discusses 5 major forms of dyadic interviews and the analysis methods of dyadic data,illustrates with specific examples.The aim is to provide methodological guidance for Chinese nursing researchers and promote the scientific and standardized application of this method in the field of nursing qualitative research.

Objective:To compare the impact of different treatment strategies on the survival outcomes in rectal cancer patients with poor response to neoadjuvant therapy, and to explore the survival-related influencing factors.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted. Between January 2018 and November 2022, the clinical, pathological, and follow-up data of 106 rectal cancer patients who received neoadjuvant therapy and were evaluated as grade 4 or 5 based on the Magnetic Resonance Tumor Regression Grade (mrTRG) from the rectal cancer database at Peking Union Medical College Hospital were retrospectively collected. Based on the post-neoadjuvant therapy assessment, patients were classified into three groups: the chemotherapy-radiotherapy group (23 patients), the consolidation therapy group (18 patients), and the standard treatment group (65 patients). General condition, pathological findings, selection of neoadjuvant therapy, comorbidities, as well as 3-year expected DMFS and OS were observed in the three groups.Results:All 106 patients were followed up, with a median follow-up time of 28 (21, 38) months. The overall 3-year DMFS rate was 60%, and the 3-year OS rate was 74%. The 3-year DMFS in the standard treatment and consolidation therapy groups were 74% and 72%, respectively; the 3-year OS were 84%, 81%, respectively. The Log-rank test showed that there was no significant difference in the 3-year expected DMFS and OS between the standard treatment group and the consolidation therapy group (both P>0.05), but both groups had better survival outcomes than the chemotherapy-radiotherapy group (10% and 39%, respectively; all P<0.001). Multivariate Cox regression analysis indicated that the chemotherapy-radiotherapy only regimen was an independent risk factor for DMFS (HR=12.425, 95% CI: 4.436–34.594, P<0.001), and the independent risk factors for OS were chemotherapy-radiotherapy only regimen (HR=8.991, 95%CI:2.220–36.403, P=0.002) and age≥65 years (HR=3.495, 95%CI: 1.017–12.009, P=0.047). Stratified analysis showed that chemotherapy-radiotherapy only regimen was the independent risk factors for DMFS and OS in patients with extramural vascular invasion (EMVI) positive ( n=66) and mesorectal fascial invasion (MRF) positive (n=56) (all P<0.05). Whether consolidation therapy was added to the standard neoadjuvant treatment regimen was not an independent factor affecting 3-year expected DMFS or OS in rectal cancer patients with poor response to neoadjuvant therapy. Further comparisons between the standard neoadjuvant treatment and consolidation therapy groups showed no statistically significant differences in spincter-preservation rate or postoperative complication rates (both P>0.05). However, the consolidation therapy group had a longer interval between the end of radiotherapy and surgery [80.1 (50.8, 109.4) days vs. 61.8 (48.8, 74.8) days, P<0.001], and a higher incidence of chemotherapy-related adverse effects ([10/18] vs. 26.2% [17/65], P=0.018). Conclusion:In rectal cancer patients with poor response to neoadjuvant therapy and clear adverse prognostic features before surgery (locally advanced stage, MRF positive or EMVI positive), the addition of short- or long-course chemotherapy-based systemic therapy does not provide short- or long-term survival benefits. Moreover, an extended chemotherapy duration increases the incidence of chemotherapy-related adverse effects.

Objective:To analyze the types and characteristics of post-operative complications in colorectal cancer patients aged over 85 years undergoing laparoscopic surgery, and to summarize peri-operative management strategies.Methods:This was an observational study. Inclusion criteria: pathologically confirmed adenocarcinoma; tumor located in ileocecum, ascending colon, transverse colon, descending colon, sigmoid colon, or rectum; undergoing laparoscopic radical resection for colorectal cancer; complete clinical data. Exclusion criteria included distant metastasis, synchronous resection of multiple primary cancers, simultaneous liver metastasis surgery, and follow-up duration <1 month. A retrospective analysis was conducted on 191 patients of colorectal cancer patients aged over 85 years who underwent laparoscopic radical surgery in the General Surgery Department at Peking Union Medical College Hospital from January 2019 to January 2024. Among 191 patients, 107 patients (56.0%) had colon cancer and 84 (44.0%) rectal cancer. All patients received "home-based prehabilitation" and post-operative "enhanced recovery after surgery" protocols. Patient characteristics, peri-operative complication types, treatments, and outcomes were analyzed.Results:Post-operative complications occurred in 97 patients (50.8%), including 53 colon cancer patients (54.6%) and 44 rectal cancer patients (45.4%). Comorbidities existed in 88 patients (90.7%), with 93 patients (95.9%) classified as ASA II-III pre-operatively and 86 (88.7%) having nutritional risks. Surgical procedures included Dixon procedure (38 patients, 39.2%), right hemicolectomy (33 patients, 34.0%), sigmoidectomy (10 patients, 10.3%), and 17 patients (17.5%) received prophylactic stomas. Complication types comprised non-anastomotic infections (38 patients, 19.9%), intestinal flora disorder (26 patients, 13.6%), anastomotic/wound/stoma-related complications (16 patients, 8.4%), thrombotic/hemorrhagic events (6 patients, 3.1%), and others (11 patients, 5.8%). By Clavien-Dindo classification: Grade I (12 patients, 6.3%), Grade II (69 patients, 36.1%), Grade III (12 patients, 6.3%), and Grade IV (4 patients, 2.1%). Except for 5 patients (2.6%) requiring unplanned re-operation, all complications resolved with conservative treatment. The median duration of post-operative hospitalization was 9.5 days (7–13).Conclusion:Non-anastomotic infections and intestinal flora disorder constitute predominant complications after laparoscopic surgery in colorectal cancer patients aged over 85 years, mostly manageable with conservative treatment. Strengthened peri-operative management incorporating pre-operative prehabilitation and post-operative enhanced recovery after surgery protocols is crucial for patients aged over 85 years.

Objective To observe the effects of electroacupuncture on RhoA/ROCK2 signaling pathway in cerebral cortex of mice with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis(ALS);To explore the mechanism of electroacupuncture in improving the motor function of ALS mice.Methods The male hSOD1G93A mice were divided into model group and electroacupuncture group,and wild-type male mice in the same litter were set as blank group,with 12 mice in each group.After the mice were 60 days old,"Baihui"and both side of"Tianzhu","Tianshu"were selected for electroacupuncture for 10 min per day,5 days of continuous treatment and 2 days off for 3 weeks.Rotating rod experiment and open field experiment were used to evaluate the motor function of mice,the damage of neurons in cerebral cortex was observed by Nissl staining,Western blot was used to detect the expressions of Tar DNA binding protein-43(TDP-43),tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α,interleukin(IL)-1β,RhoA and ROCK2 protein in cerebral cortex.Immunofluorescence staining was used to detect the positive expressions of ion calcium binding adapter molecule 1(Iba-1)and glial fibrillary acidic protein(GFAP)in cerebral cortex.Results Compared with the blank group,the incubation period of rod turning and the total distance of open field movement in the model group were reduced(P<0.01),the neuron damage was obvious in the cerebral cortex,with Nissl body shrinkage and reduction in quantity(P<0.01),the relative expressions of TDP-43,TNF-α,IL-1β,RhoA and ROCK2 protein increased(P<0.01),and the positive expression of Iba-1 and GFAP increased(P<0.01).Compared with the model group,the incubation period of rod turning and the total distance of open field movement increased in electroacupuncture group(P<0.05),the damage of neuron in cerebral cortex was reduced,the number of Nissl bodies increased(P<0.05),the expressions of TDP-43,TNF-α,IL-1β,RhoA and ROCK2 decreased(P<0.05),and the positive expression of Iba-1 and GFAP reduced(P<0.05).Conclusion Electroacupuncture can improve motor function in ALS model mice,and the mechanism may be related to the inhibition of RhoA/ROCK2 signaling pathway activity and then relieve neuroinflammation.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the efficacy of DSA-guided intrathecal drug delivery system combined with Zi Wu Liu Zhu Acupoint Therapy for management of cancer pain and provide reference for its standardized clinical application. Methods and. RESULTS: Recommendations were formulated based on literature review and expert group discussion, and consensus was reached following expert consultation. The consensus recommendations are comprehensive, covering the entire treatment procedures from preoperative assessment and preparation, surgical operation process, postoperative management and traditional Chinese medicine treatment to individualized treatment planning. The study results showed that the treatment plans combining traditional Chinese with Western medicine effectively alleviated cancer pain, reduced the use of opioid drugs, and significantly improved the quality of life and enhanced immune function of the patients. Postoperative follow-up suggested good treatment tolerance among the patients without serious complications. CONCLUSIONS The formulated consensus is comprehensive and can provide reference for clinicians to use DSA-guided intrathecal drug delivery system combined with Zi Wu Liu Zhu Acupoint Therapy. The combined treatment has a high clinical value with a good safety profile for management of cancer pain.
Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Cancer Pain/therapy* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Pain Management/methods* ; China

Objective:To observe the high-risk histopathological feature (HRF) and their correlation with prognosis in children with intraocular retinoblastoma (RB) in the intraocular stage after failed eyepreserving treatment and enucleation surgery.Methods:A single-center retrospective case study. From August 2018 to January 2023, 64 children (64 eyes) with advanced intraocular RB who were diagnosed in Department of Ophthalmology of Beijing Children's Hospital and underwent enucleation surgery after failed eye-preserving treatment were included in the study. The median follow-up time was 51 months. The gender of the children patients, the age of visit and enucleation, International Intraocular Retinoblastoma Classification (IIRC), the initial chemotherapy regimen (hereinafter referred to as "chemotherapy"), the time of enucleation surgery, pathological results, post-enucleation treatment methods and prognosis were collected. The Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison between groups. Survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method, and the log-rank test was used for comparison between groups. Results:Among 64 cases and 64 eyes, 37 were male and 27 were female. The age of seeking medical treatment was 20 (11-31) months. The age at which the surgery was performed was 29 (16-40) months. The number of eyes in IIRC stage D and E was 16 and 48 respectively. The initial chemotherapy regimens simply applied (hereinafter referred to as "alone") intravenous systemic chemotherapy (IVC) and ophthalmic artery infusion chemotherapy (IAC) in 40 cases and 11 cases, 13 cases of IVC+IAC. All patients with positive HRF received systemic adjuvant chemotherapy after surgery. There were 37 eyes (57.8%, 37/64) positive for HRF. There was no statistically significant difference in the positive rate of HRF between children in IIRC stage D and stage E ( χ2=0.021, P=0.884). Among the 37 eyes with HRF, the numbers of eyes with extensive choroidal invasion, posterior lamina cribrosa optic nerve invasion, scleral invasion and optic nerve stump involvement were 17 (45.9%, 17/37), 16 (43.2%, 16/37), 3 (8.1%, 3/37) and 3 (8.1%, 3/37), respectively. During the follow-up period, there were 5 cases (7.8%, 5/64) of extraocular metastasis of the tumor and death, all of which were stage E and had HRF. Among them, the initial treatment plan was IAC for 4 cases, one case of IVC. The survival rates of children among the IVC, IAC or IVC+IAC regimens were 97.5% (39/40), 63.6% (7/11), and 100.0% (13/13), respectively. The comparison of survival rates among different chemotherapy regimens showed statistically significant differences ( χ2=14.233, P<0.001). The results of survival analysis showed that the cumulative survival rate of those with extensive choroidal invasion, posterior lamina cribrosa optic nerve infiltration, and those who received IAC was significantly lower than that of those without extensive choroidal invasion, posterior lamina cribrosa optic nerve infiltration, and those who received IVC+IAC and IVC ( P<0.05). Conclusions:Eye-preserving treatment for children with advanced intraocular RB may increase the positive rate of HRF and the risk of extraocular metastasis. The IVC+IAC eye-protecting treatment plan can improve the survival rate of children.

Objective To investigate the potential of one-stop multi-modality CT in the assessment of collateral circulation and prognosis in acute ischemic stroke(AIS).Methods From February 2022 to May 2024,115 patients diagnosed with AIS at Wuzhou Red Cross Hospital were enrolled in the study.All subjects were examined with one-stop multi-modality CT at admission and received endovascular therapy.According to the collateral circulation score derived from multi-phase CT angiography(mCTA)and the modified Rankin scale score at 90 days,these patients were divided into different groups:good(n=59)vs poor(n=56)collateral circulation groups,and favorable(n=48)vs unfavorable(n=67)outcome groups.Clinical and imaging parameters were compared between these groups.Independent risk factors for collateral circulation and prognosis of AIS patients were identified through multivariate Logistic regression analysis.A prediction model for unfavorable AIS prognosis was developed based on the results of multivariate Logistic analysis,and its predictive value was assessed using receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve analysis.Results Poor collateral circulation group exhibited higher proportions of insular ribbon and gray-white matter junction blurring as compared with good collateral circulation group(P<0.05),while the ratio of hypoperfusion intensity ratio(HIR)<0.3 was lower in poor collateral circulation group(P<0.05).Relative cerebral blood volume(rCBV)<40%,relative cerebral blood flow(rCBF)<30%,peak time(Tmax)>8 s,and Tmax>10 s volume were all significantly higher in poor collateral circulation group(P<0.05),whereas the Alberta stroke program early CT score(ASPECTS)was lower(P<0.05).Multivariate Logistic regression analysis identified ASPECTS,rCBV<40%,rCBF<30%,and Tmax>10 s as independent risk factors for poor collateral circulation(P<0.05).Unfavorable outcome group had higher rates of hemorrhage following endovascular thrombectomy and mismatch ratio<1.8 than favorable outcome group(P<0.05),with a lower HIR<0.3 ratio(P<0.05).Compared with favorable outcome group,unfavorable outcome group also showed higher admission NIHSS scores,higher percentages of rCBV<40%,rCBF<30%,Tmax>4 s,Tmax>6 s,and Tmax>10 s volumes(P<0.05),but lower mCTA collateral circulation score(P<0.05).Multivariate Logistic regression analysis indicated that admission NIHSS score,mCTA collateral circulation score,rCBV<40%,rCBF<30%,and Tmax>10 s were independent risk factors for unfavorable outcomes(P<0.05).The regression equation was formulated as:Logit(P)=-0.184+(admission NIHSS score×0.134)+(mCTA collateral circulation score×-0.415)+(rCBV<40%×0.107)+(rCBF<30%×0.089)+(Tmax>10 s×0.028).ROC curve analysis demonstrated an area under the curve of 0.775(95 CI:0.689-0.860,P<0.001)for the prediction model in assessing unfavorable AIS prognosis.Conclusion One-stop multi-modality CT has significant application value in assessing collateral circulation and predicting prognosis in AIS patients.