ObjectiveThis study explores the methods of lung tissue extraction and fixation required for pathological studies of fetal rats, based on the unique physiological structure of fetal rat lung tissue and existing lung tissue fixation techniques for adult rats. MethodsSix pregnant adult SD rats at 20.5 days of gestation were subjected to cesarean section to obtain fetal rats. Four healthy fetal rats with similar body weight, vital signs, and respiratory status were selected from each pregnant rat, and they were randomly divided into the following groups using a random number table: direct lung infiltration group, lung infiltration group after intratracheal infusion, whole-body infiltration group of fetal rats, and whole-body infiltration group after intratracheal infusion of fetal rats. To systematically compare and analyze the anatomical morphology under different fixation methods, lung tissues from four groups of fetal rats were harvested, perfused, and fixed, and the gross morphology of lung tissues in each group was observed. Paraffin sections were prepared and stained with Hematoxylin-Eosin (H&E). The histological morphology of the whole lung, alveoli, and bronchi was further examined under optical microscopy. ResultsIn the direct lung infiltration group, the hilar structures were unclear, lung lobation was indistinct, the shape was irregular, lung cavities were small, and alveoli and bronchi were shrunken. In the lung infiltration group after intratracheal infusion, the hilar structures were clear, lobation was pronounced, the shape was regular, lung cavities were large, and alveoli and bronchi were full. Both the whole-body infiltration group and whole-body infiltration group after intratracheal infusion of fetal rats exhibited visible lungs, hearts, skins, and other organs. The lung tissues of both groups showed obvious lobulation, irregular shape, and damage at the margins of lung lobes. In the whole-body infiltration group, the thoracic cavities of the fetus were flattened, lung cavities were small, and alveoli and bronchi were shrunken. In the whole-body infiltration group after intratracheal infusion of fetal rats, the fetal thoracic cavities were full, lung cavities were large, and alveoli and bronchi were relatively full. ConclusionThe lung infiltration after intratracheal infusion method for fetal rat lung tissue fixation outperforms direct lung infiltration, whole-body infiltration of fetal rats, and whole-body infiltration after intratracheal infusion of fetal rats in terms of preservation of the lung tissue's original morphology, paraffin sectioning, staining, and pathological observation and analysis. The embedding, sectioning, and staining processes are also simple and save consumables. Therefore, intratracheal infusion followed by lung infiltration method is recommended for fixation in histopathological observation of fetal rat lung tissue.

Objective To investigate and compare the effects of electroacupuncture and dexamethasone on lung function and histomorphology and behavior in the offspring of perinatal nicotine exposure(PNE)rats.Methods Twenty-four pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into control,model,electroacupuncture shallow needling,and dexamethasone groups using the random number table method(n=6 rats per group).A pulmonary dysplasia model in offspring rats with PNE was prepared by cervicodorsal subcutaneous injection with nicotine,and successful establishment of the model was confirmed by demonstrating statistically significant differences in growth parameters,lung function,and lung morphology compared to the control group.From the sixth day of maternal conception,the control group received cervicodorsal subcutaneous injection with 0.9%sodium chloride solution(1 mg/kg once per day),and the remaining groups were similarly injected with nicotine(1 mg/kg once per day).Concurrent with the nicotine injections,the electroacupuncture shallow needling group received electroacupuncture interventions at the"Zusanli"(ST 36)acupoint on both sides once a day for 20 min.In contrast,the offspring rats in the dexamethasone group received intraperitoneal dexamethasone injections from postnatal day 8(1.5 mg/kg once per day for 3 days),with a later dose of 0.75 mg/kg once per day for 4 days.Following successful model establishment,four offspring per rat were retained in each group using the random number table method.Until the 21st day after the birth of the offspring,using the random number table method,one offspring randomly selected from the four retained offspring per rat in each group was assigned to growth parameter assessment including body weight,lung weight,and lung index;simultaneously,one offspring was randomly selected for pulmonary function which was detected by a small animal pulmonary function machine,with the parameters of forced vital capacity(FVC),functional residual capacity(FRC),dynamic lung compliance(Cdyn),peak expiratory flow(PEF),peak inspiratory flow(PIF),and airway resistance(RL);concurrently,one offspring was randomly selected for hematoxylin and eosin staining to observe the histomorphology of the lung tissue,alveolar numbers,and mean alveolar septal thickness;additionally,one offspring was randomly selected for Morris water maze testing to evaluate the effects of the two intervention methods on learning and memory capabilities in offspring rats with PNE.Results Compared with the control group,the body weight,lung weight,lung index,FVC,PEF,FRC,Cdyn,alveolar number,platform crossing times,target quadrant time percentage,and target quadrant path percentage in the Morris water maze experiment were significantly decreased in the offspring rats of the model group(P<0.01).In contrast,PIF,RL,average thickness of alveolar septa,and latency of the Morris water maze experiment were significantly increased in the offspring rats of the model group(P<0.01).Compared with the model group,both electroacupuncture shallow needling group and dexamethasone group exhibited significant increases in body weight,lung weight,lung index,FVC,PEF,FRC,Cdyn,and alveolar numbers(P<0.05,P<0.01),along with significant decreases in PIF,RL values,and mean alveolar septal thickness(P<0.01).However,in the Morris water maze experiment,compared with the model group,the electroacupuncture shallow needling group demonstrated significantly more platform crossing times and a higher target quadrant time percentage and target quadrant path percentage(P<0.01),coupled with reduced latency period(P<0.01),whereas the dexamethasone group showed no significant differences compared to the model group.Compared to the electroacupuncture shallow needling group,the dexamethasone group showed significantly less platform crossing times and a lower target quadrant time percentage and target quadrant path percentage,coupled with increased latency period(P<0.01).Conclusion Both electroacupuncture and dexamethasone demonstrated protective effects on lung development in PNE offspring rats by ameliorating lung histomorphology and pulmonary function.However,offspring receiving late,small-dose,short-course dexamethasone exhibited inferior learning and memory capabilities,whereas the electroacupuncture group showed significantly superior cognitive performance compared to the dexamethasone group.

Objective To analyze the changes in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration(nAMD)before and after treatment with faricimab or ranibizumab.Methods A prospective study was conducted on 20 nAMD patients(20 eyes)who received treatment at the Ophthalmology Department of Wuhu Hospital affiliated with East China Normal University.nAMD was diagnosed with fluorescein fundus angiography,indocyanine green angiography,and optical coherence tomography(OCT).The central macular thickness(CMT),choroidal neovascularization(CNV)cross-sectional area(CSA),and CNV blood flow area(CFA)of the patients at baseline and after 4,12,and 24 weeks of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)treatment.The changes in index at different time periods and the differences in results between the two groups were studied.Results There were no statistically significant differences in age,gender,CNV type,OCT,and optical coherence tomography angiography(OCTA)morphology between the two groups of patients at baseline(all P＞0.05).CMT,CSA,and CFA decreased in both groups after treatment(all P＜0.05).CMT showed a gradual decrease in both groups after 4 and 12 weeks of treatment(all P＜0.05).There was no statistically significant difference in CMT between 12 and 24 weeks after treatment in the faricimab group(P=0.096).In the ranibizumab group,CMT increased 24 weeks after treatment,compared with that 12 weeks after treatment(P=0.004).CSA and CFA de-creased in both groups after 12 weeks of treatment(both P＜0.05).There was no statistically significant difference in CSA and CFA between 12 and 24 weeks after treatment in the faricimab group(P=0.085,0.095).In the ranibizumab group,CSA and CFA increased 24 weeks after treatment,compared with those 12 week after treatment(P=0.001,0.000).Inter-group comparisons showed that the CMT of patients in the faricimab group was lower than that in the ranibizumab group af-ter 24 weeks of treatment(P=0.022).There was no statistically significant difference in CSA and CFA at each time period for both groups(all P＞0.05).Conclusion Faricimab and ranibizumab have similar efficacy in the treatment of nAMD patients,but faricimab is superior to ranibizumab in sustained effects.

Objective To investigate and compare the effects of electroacupuncture and dexamethasone on lung function and histomorphology and behavior in the offspring of perinatal nicotine exposure(PNE)rats.Methods Twenty-four pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into control,model,electroacupuncture shallow needling,and dexamethasone groups using the random number table method(n=6 rats per group).A pulmonary dysplasia model in offspring rats with PNE was prepared by cervicodorsal subcutaneous injection with nicotine,and successful establishment of the model was confirmed by demonstrating statistically significant differences in growth parameters,lung function,and lung morphology compared to the control group.From the sixth day of maternal conception,the control group received cervicodorsal subcutaneous injection with 0.9%sodium chloride solution(1 mg/kg once per day),and the remaining groups were similarly injected with nicotine(1 mg/kg once per day).Concurrent with the nicotine injections,the electroacupuncture shallow needling group received electroacupuncture interventions at the"Zusanli"(ST 36)acupoint on both sides once a day for 20 min.In contrast,the offspring rats in the dexamethasone group received intraperitoneal dexamethasone injections from postnatal day 8(1.5 mg/kg once per day for 3 days),with a later dose of 0.75 mg/kg once per day for 4 days.Following successful model establishment,four offspring per rat were retained in each group using the random number table method.Until the 21st day after the birth of the offspring,using the random number table method,one offspring randomly selected from the four retained offspring per rat in each group was assigned to growth parameter assessment including body weight,lung weight,and lung index;simultaneously,one offspring was randomly selected for pulmonary function which was detected by a small animal pulmonary function machine,with the parameters of forced vital capacity(FVC),functional residual capacity(FRC),dynamic lung compliance(Cdyn),peak expiratory flow(PEF),peak inspiratory flow(PIF),and airway resistance(RL);concurrently,one offspring was randomly selected for hematoxylin and eosin staining to observe the histomorphology of the lung tissue,alveolar numbers,and mean alveolar septal thickness;additionally,one offspring was randomly selected for Morris water maze testing to evaluate the effects of the two intervention methods on learning and memory capabilities in offspring rats with PNE.Results Compared with the control group,the body weight,lung weight,lung index,FVC,PEF,FRC,Cdyn,alveolar number,platform crossing times,target quadrant time percentage,and target quadrant path percentage in the Morris water maze experiment were significantly decreased in the offspring rats of the model group(P<0.01).In contrast,PIF,RL,average thickness of alveolar septa,and latency of the Morris water maze experiment were significantly increased in the offspring rats of the model group(P<0.01).Compared with the model group,both electroacupuncture shallow needling group and dexamethasone group exhibited significant increases in body weight,lung weight,lung index,FVC,PEF,FRC,Cdyn,and alveolar numbers(P<0.05,P<0.01),along with significant decreases in PIF,RL values,and mean alveolar septal thickness(P<0.01).However,in the Morris water maze experiment,compared with the model group,the electroacupuncture shallow needling group demonstrated significantly more platform crossing times and a higher target quadrant time percentage and target quadrant path percentage(P<0.01),coupled with reduced latency period(P<0.01),whereas the dexamethasone group showed no significant differences compared to the model group.Compared to the electroacupuncture shallow needling group,the dexamethasone group showed significantly less platform crossing times and a lower target quadrant time percentage and target quadrant path percentage,coupled with increased latency period(P<0.01).Conclusion Both electroacupuncture and dexamethasone demonstrated protective effects on lung development in PNE offspring rats by ameliorating lung histomorphology and pulmonary function.However,offspring receiving late,small-dose,short-course dexamethasone exhibited inferior learning and memory capabilities,whereas the electroacupuncture group showed significantly superior cognitive performance compared to the dexamethasone group.

Objective To analyze the changes in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration(nAMD)before and after treatment with faricimab or ranibizumab.Methods A prospective study was conducted on 20 nAMD patients(20 eyes)who received treatment at the Ophthalmology Department of Wuhu Hospital affiliated with East China Normal University.nAMD was diagnosed with fluorescein fundus angiography,indocyanine green angiography,and optical coherence tomography(OCT).The central macular thickness(CMT),choroidal neovascularization(CNV)cross-sectional area(CSA),and CNV blood flow area(CFA)of the patients at baseline and after 4,12,and 24 weeks of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)treatment.The changes in index at different time periods and the differences in results between the two groups were studied.Results There were no statistically significant differences in age,gender,CNV type,OCT,and optical coherence tomography angiography(OCTA)morphology between the two groups of patients at baseline(all P＞0.05).CMT,CSA,and CFA decreased in both groups after treatment(all P＜0.05).CMT showed a gradual decrease in both groups after 4 and 12 weeks of treatment(all P＜0.05).There was no statistically significant difference in CMT between 12 and 24 weeks after treatment in the faricimab group(P=0.096).In the ranibizumab group,CMT increased 24 weeks after treatment,compared with that 12 weeks after treatment(P=0.004).CSA and CFA de-creased in both groups after 12 weeks of treatment(both P＜0.05).There was no statistically significant difference in CSA and CFA between 12 and 24 weeks after treatment in the faricimab group(P=0.085,0.095).In the ranibizumab group,CSA and CFA increased 24 weeks after treatment,compared with those 12 week after treatment(P=0.001,0.000).Inter-group comparisons showed that the CMT of patients in the faricimab group was lower than that in the ranibizumab group af-ter 24 weeks of treatment(P=0.022).There was no statistically significant difference in CSA and CFA at each time period for both groups(all P＞0.05).Conclusion Faricimab and ranibizumab have similar efficacy in the treatment of nAMD patients,but faricimab is superior to ranibizumab in sustained effects.

Objective:To analyze the radiographic parameters of shoulder balance that affect the postoperative satisfaction of Lenke type 1 adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS).Methods:A total of 98 patients with AIS who underwent posterior pedicle screw fusion in Xijing Hospital of Air Force Medical University from August 2017 to July 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 26 males and 72 females, aged 15.2±5.3 years (range, 10-24 years). Distribution of upper instrumented vertebrae: T 2 58 cases (59%), T 3 25 cases (26%), T 4 15 cases (15%); Distribution of lower instrumented vertebrae: T 12 63 cases (64%), L 1 28 cases (29%), L 2 4 cases (4%), L 3 3 cases (3%). Clavicle angle (CA), radiographic shoulder height (RSH), and coracoid height difference (CHD), clavicle-rib cage intersection difference (CRID), T 1 tilt angle, first rib tilt angle, clavicle chest angle difference(CCAD) and Scoliosis Research Society-22 (SRS-22) scale were compared before and after operation. Binary logistic regression was used to analyze the radiographic indicators of shoulder balance that affected the postoperative satisfaction of Lenke type 1 AIS. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was drawn to determine the threshold value of the imaging index. Results:All operations were successfully completed. The operation time was 260±80 min (range, 220-320 min), and the intraoperative blood loss was 360±110 ml (range, 300-700 ml). There was no nerve, dural or vascular injury during operation. RSH, CHD, CRID, T 1 tilt angle, first rib tilt angle, and CCAD at the final follow-up were 4.0 (0, 13.9) mm, 7.0 (0, 12.9) mm, 4.0 (0, 10.0) mm, 4.8° (3.3°, 8.2°), 5.3°±3.9°, and 5.5° (3.0°, 8.9°), respectively, which were less than the preoperative 10.6 (2.0, 20.3) mm, 10.3 (2.5, 15.9) mm, 8.0 (1.0, 15.2) mm, 7.6° (3.5°, 12.2°), 7.5°±6.9°, 8.5° (3.6°, 18.3°), and the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.05). The SRS-22 function, pain, appearance, and psychological scores at the final follow-up were 4.6 (4.0, 4.9), 4.1±0.5, 4.1±0.7, and 4.2 (3.9, 4.8) points, respectively, which were greater than the preoperative scores of 4.2 (3.8, 4.6), 4.0±0.7, 3.5±0.7, and 4.0 (3.5, 4.4) points, the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.05). Binary logistic regression showed that CCAD was an independent radiographic indicator of shoulder balance that affected the satisfaction of AIS patients after orthopaedic surgery ( OR=0.826, P=0.040). ROC curve showed that the area under the curve and 95% CI was 0.726 (0.572, 0.865), and the threshold was 6.6°. Conclusion:CCAD is an independent radiographic parameter of shoulder balance that affects the postoperative satisfaction of AIS. Patients are more likely to achieve a satisfactory outcome when their postoperative CCAD is ≤6.6°, which can be used clinically as a radiographic parameter to assess the efficacy of orthopaedic spine surgery.

Objective To observe the therapeutic effect of extracorporeal shock wave therapy combined withsurface electromyography biofeedback training(ESW-sEMGBF)on post-traumatic elbow joint stiffness.Methods A total of 80 patients with post-traumatic elbow stiffness admitted to the Rehabilitation Department of Hangzhou Fuyang Hospital of Orthopedics of Traditional Chinese Medicine from January 2021 to December 2021 were randomly assigned into control group(n = 40)and treatment group(n = 40)using a lottery method.The control group received conventional rehabilitation treatment(including soft tissue release,joint mobilization,continuous passive motion and cold therapy),and the treatment group received conventional treatment combined with ESW-sEMGBF.Both groups underwent training once daily for five days a week over eight weeks.The visual analogue scale(VAS),active range of motion(AROM)of the elbow joint,and Mayo Elbow Performance Score(MEPS)were evaluated before and after treatment.Results After 8 weeks of treatment,significant improvements were observed in all outcomes for both groups.The treatment group showed better improvements in VAS scores,AROM,and MEPS after treatment compared with the control group(P<0.05,P<0.001,P<0.001).No side effects or adverse reactions were observed in either group after treatment.Conclusion Extracorporeal shock wave therapy combined with surface electromyography biofeedback training effectively alleviated pain in patients with post-traumatic elbow joint stiffness,improved elbow joint function,and increased active range of motion of the elbow joint.

The fovea avascular area (FAZ) is an area of the retina surrounded by a continuous capillary plexus that does not have any capillary structure of its own. FAZ is an important region for the formation of fine vision function. The changes of its morphology and surrounding capillary density reflect the degree of macular ischemia, and are closely related to retinal vascular diseases such as diabetic retinopathy, retinal vein occlusion, Coats disease, idiopathic macular telangiectasia, and retinopathy of prematurity. Early observation of FAZ region changes in patients with retinal vascular disease by optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) can evaluate the severity and prognosis of the disease. However, the measurement error of FAZ-related data is still a problem that cannot be ignored. At present, OCTA devices of various manufacturers have different methods and algorithms for measuring and analyzing FAZ, which makes it impossible to compare the measured data between different devices. It is believed that with the continuous progress of OCTA related technology, more accurate data of FAZ regional changes can be obtained, which will bring more help to clinical work.

Objective To investigate the correlation between Hcy and blood lipid level and its diagnostic value in patients with cerebral infarction.Methods 218 patients with cerebral infarction were divided into the cerebral infarction group and no cercbral infarction group,based on the diagnosis results of head CT or MRI,and 60 healthy individuals were used as the control group.The levels of serum TC,TG,HDL-c,LDL-c and serum Hcy were determined in each group.The level of serum Hcy was used as a diagnostic-test and the criterion of cerebral infarction which was diagnosed by using head CT or MRI was used as a gold standard.Meanwhile,the sensibility,specificity,predictive value and likelihood ratio of Hcy were measured in patients with and without cerebral infarction.Results Levels of TC and Hcywere significantly elevated (P ＜ 0.01),but HDL-c level was significantly decreased in patients with and without cerebral infarction compared with the healthy people (P ＜ 0.05).Hcy level was shown negatively correlated with HDL-c (r =-0.144,P ＜ 0.05).The sensibility and specificity of Hcy in both two groups of patients with and without cerebral infarction were 42.20％ and 54.13％,the positive predictive value and negative predictive value of Hcy were 47.92％ and 48.36％,the positive likelihood ratio and negative likelihood ratio of Hcy were 0.92 and 1.07,respectively.Conclusion Hcy and blood lipid have definite correlation,but Hcy has low diagnostic value for cerebral infarction and may not be used as a biological marker for the cerebral infarction diagnosis.

Objective To evaluate the diagnostic value of ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration cytology(US-FNAC)in the assessment of radiologically detected ovarian neoplasms and retroperitoneal metastatic lymph nodes. Methods FNAC was performed under ultrasound guidance on 126 patients suspected of ovarian neoplasms and retroperitoneal metastatic lymph nodes. Cytologic examination was performed after staining smears with the haematoxylin and eosin method. Clinical data were retrieved from the medical records and all cytological specimens were reviewed. In these cases, the cytologic findings were correlated with histology of the primary tumor and were compared with surgical pathology. Results Satisfactory sampling was obtained in 86.2% of punctures, and cytological diagnosis was made in 85.7% cases. The size of the lymph nodes punctured was less than 20 mm in 93.5% cases, with the sensitivity of 81.6%、86.2%, specificity of 95.8%、100.0%, positive predictive value of 98.3%、100.0%, negative predictive value of 63.9%、33.3%, and accuracy of 85.3%、87.1%. Seven patients presented slight abdominal discomfort, and relieved without clinical treatment. Conclusions The fine needle aspiration technique has excellent positive predictive value and low morbidity. US-FNAC, as the valuable investigation, is not only useful in the diagnosis of ovarian masses and lymph nodes but can also help in choosing appropriate management. From our experience, US-FNAC can be added in follow-up of selected patients in whom the cytological identification of such masses and nodes is significant for the patient′s treatment.