Objective: To develop a convenient, direct, and highly sensitive method for screening trace chemical additives in complex Chinese patent medicines, thereby addressing core technological bottlenecks in pharmaceutical analysis and quality control. Methods: A brush ionization probe device was independently designed and constructed, and an efficient detection method was established through systematic optimization of key parameters. Twenty-three Chinese patent medicine samples, representing 6 dosage forms (capsules, tablets, pills, granules, powders, and liquid preparations), were analyzed using 10 common chemical additives as target analytes. Results: All samples were successfully analyzed without complex pretreatment, and 5 chemical additives were detected in 7 Chinese patent medicines. The brush ionization probe device exhibited cost-effectiveness (~0.2 USD per probe), operational simplicity, rapid analysis (~10s per sample), high efficiency, and minimal reagent consumption (~10 μL per sample). Conclusion: This advancement is expected to provide an innovative scientific tool for improving the generality and convenience of on-site quality control, while promoting technological progress in disciplines such as pharmacology and traditional Chinese medicine.

Purpose: Due to the preservation of the entire stomach after endoscopic resection, the occurrence of metachronous gastric cancer (MGC) remains a possibility. In this study, we investigated the incidence and risk factors for MGC in patients with early gastric cancer who underwent endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) and successfully eradicatedHelicobacter pylori. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted of 1,191 patients who underwent ESD and successfully eradicated H. pylori at the Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University. Endoscopic surveillance was performed at 3, 6, and 12 months post-resection, and annually thereafter. MGC was defined as the development of a new cancer at a site other than the primary gastric cancer site, at least 1 year after the initial endoscopic resection. Results: A total of 77 patients were diagnosed with MGC during a median follow-up of 41.5 months. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed a 5-year cumulative incidence of MGC of 9.4% after successful H. pylori eradication. Multivariate analysis of the training set using Cox proportional hazards models identified male sex, severe atrophic gastritis, multiple gastric cancers before H. pylori eradication, and smoking history as independent risk factors for MGC.The nomogram exhibited favorable discrimination, with area under the curves of 0.767 and 0.822 in the training set and 0.724 and 0.745 in the testing set at 3 and 5 years, respectively. Conclusions Patients with gastric cancer who undergo endoscopic resection, even after successful H. pylori eradication, should undergo annual and continuous endoscopic surveillance for MGC.

ObjectiveMagnetoencephalography (MEG), a non-invasive neuroimaging technique, meticulously captures the magnetic fields emanating from brain electrical activity. Compared with MEG based on superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUID), MEG based on optically pump magnetometer (OPM) has the advantages of higher sensitivity, better spatial resolution and lower cost. However, most of the current studies are clinical studies, and there is a lack of animal studies on MEG based on OPM technology. Pain, a multifaceted sensory and emotional phenomenon, induces intricate alterations in brain activity, exhibiting notable sex differences. Despite clinical revelations of pain-related neuronal activity through MEG, specific properties remain elusive, and comprehensive laboratory studies on pain-associated brain activity alterations are lacking. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of inflammatory pain (induced by Complete Freund’s Adjuvant (CFA)) on brain activity in a rat model using the MEG technique, to analysis changes in brain activity during pain perception, and to explore sex differences in pain-related MEG signaling. MethodsThis study utilized adult male and female Sprague-Dawley rats. Inflammatory pain was induced via intraplantar injection of CFA (100 μl, 50% in saline) in the left hind paw, with control groups receiving saline. Pain behavior was assessed using von Frey filaments at baseline and 1 h post-injection. For MEG recording, anesthetized rats had an OPM positioned on their head within a magnetic shield, undergoing two 15-minute sessions: a 5-minute baseline followed by a 10-minute mechanical stimulation phase. Data analysis included artifact removal and time-frequency analysis of spontaneous brain activity using accumulated spectrograms, generating spectrograms focused on the 4-30 Hz frequency range. ResultsMEG recordings in anesthetized rats during resting states and hind paw mechanical stimulation were compared, before and after saline/CFA injections. Mechanical stimulation elevated alpha activity in both male and female rats pre- and post-saline/CFA injections. Saline/CFA injections augmented average power in both sexes compared to pre-injection states. Remarkably, female rats exhibited higher average spectral power 1 h after CFA injection than after saline injection during resting states. Furthermore, despite comparable pain thresholds measured by classical pain behavioral tests post-CFA treatment, female rats displayed higher average power than males in the resting state after CFA injection. ConclusionThese results imply an enhanced perception of inflammatory pain in female rats compared to their male counterparts. Our study exhibits sex differences in alpha activities following CFA injection, highlighting heightened brain alpha activity in female rats during acute inflammatory pain in the resting state. Our study provides a method for OPM-based MEG recordings to be used to study brain activity in anaesthetized animals. In addition, the findings of this study contribute to a deeper understanding of pain-related neural activity and pain sex differences.

Spine fracture and dislocation are common traumatic spinal conditions that often require surgical intervention due to compromised spinal stability. Surgical approaches include anterior, posterior, and combined anterior-posterior spinal procedures. According to the specific surgical requirements, patients may be placed in the prone position or repositioned between prone and supine positions during surgery. Intraoperative repositioning has become an essential step in patient positioning. However, during repositioning, patients with spinal fracture and dislocation are at increased risk for complications such as hemodynamic instability, nerve injury, and pressure injuries to the skin and soft tissue. Notably, due to the instability of the spinal cord, even minor manipulations can further exacerbate the damage, potentially leading to severe outcomes like paraplegia. Although the current clinical guidelines provide instructive recommendations for standard position, there remains no specific protocols for intraoperative repositioning in patients with spine fracture and dislocation. With a concern for the lack of clinical studies on positioning techniques, risk prevention, and operational norms for special patients, no applicable guidelines or standards are available. A consensus was required to provide clinical reference, meet the requirements of surgical treatment, and minimize the safety risks of patients caused by improper placement of positions. Professional Committee of Operating Room Nursing of Shaanxi Nursing Association organized experts in nursing management and operating room nursing from major hospitals across China to formulate Expert consensus on intraoperative repositioning for patients with spinal fracture and dislocation ( version 2025). The consensus provides 11 recommendations covering pre-repositioning preparation, intraoperative maneuvers, and post-repositioning observation, aiming to provide references for clinical standardization of the intraoperative repositioning process and protection of patients′ safety.

Objective:To explore the impact of lymph node ratio (LNR) on the prognosis of gastric cancer patients.Methods:A retrospective case series study was conducted. The clinical data of 146 gastric cancer patients who underwent radical surgery and standardized chemotherapy at Lianyungang Department of General Surgery, Lianyungang Municipal Oriental Hospital from January 2015 to January 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. LNR was calculated, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves of LNR were plotted based on overall survival (OS) to find the optimal cut-off value, and the patients were divided into high LNR group and low LNR group according to the cut-off value. The clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of the two groups of patients were analyzed, and further the survival difference between patients aged ≥ 65 years and <65 years were analyzed in the two groups.Results:Out of 146 patients, 103 were male and 43 were female, with an age of (69±2) years; Pearson correlation analysis showed a positive correlation between the number of metastatic lymph nodes and LNR ( r = 0.899, P < 0.001). There was no significant correlation between the total number of cleared lymph nodes and LNR ( r = -0.069, P = 0.410). The 5-year cumulative OS rate for all patients was 30.1%, with a median OS time of 42.5 months. According to the 5-year OS, the ROC curve of LNR was plotted, and the area under the curve (AUC) of LNR was 0.699 (95% CI: 0.614-0.785, P < 0.001), with the optimal cut-off value of 0.355. LNR was related to age, tumor differentiation degree and TNM staging (all P < 0.05). The results of multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that LNR, age, TNM staging, and tumor differentiation degree were factors affecting the OS of patients. According to Kaplan-Meier analysis, the 5-year OS rate of patients with high LNR was lower than that of patients with low LNR (10.3% vs. 42.0%, χ2 = 69.89, P < 0.001). Among all patients, the 5-year OS rate of patients aged ≥ 65 years was lower than that of patients aged < 65 years (18.8% vs. 50.0%, χ2 = 15.77, P < 0.001). In the high LNR group, the 5-year OS rate of patients aged ≥ 65 years was lower than that of patients aged <65 years (2.3% vs. 33.3%, χ2 = 6.29, P = 0.012); in the low LNR group, the 5-year OS rate of patients aged ≥ 65 years was lower than that of patients aged < 65 years (32.3% vs. 55.9%, χ2 = 4.78, P = 0.029). Conclusions:LNR is an independent prognostic factor for gastric cancer patients, and gastric cancer patients with LNR > 0.355 have poor prognosis. With the same LNR, the prognosis of elderly patients is worse than that of young patients.

Body weight abnormalities, including overweight, obesity, and underweight, have become a dual public health challenge in Chinese adults: overweight and obesity lead to a variety of chronic complications, while underweight increases the risks of malnutrition, sarcopenia, and organ dysfunction. To systematically address these issues, multidisciplinary experts in endocrinology, sports science, nutrition, and psychiatry from various regions have held multiple weight management seminars. Based on the latest epidemiological data and clinical evidence, they expanded the guideline to include assessment and intervention strategies for underweight, in addition to the core content of obesity management. This guideline outlines the etiological mechanisms, evaluation methods, and multidimensional management strategies for overweight and obesity, covering key areas such as diagnosis and assessment, medical nutrition therapy, exercise prescription, pharmacological intervention, and psychological support. It is intended to provide a scientific and standardized approach to weight management across the adult population, aiming to curb the rising prevalence of obesity, mitigate complications associated with abnormal body weight, and improve nutritional status and overall quality of life.

Objective:To establish and validate a nomogram for predicting the probability of central lymph node metastasis (CLNM) by evaluating risk factors in clinical N 0(cN 0) stage patients with iisolated papillary thyroid carcinoma of isthmus (PTCI). Methods:Retrospectively analyzed the clinicopathological data of 112 PTCI patients who underwent surgical treatment at Lianyungang Municipal Oriental Hospital between January 2019 and December 2024. There were 35 males and 77 females, with an average age of (47.2±12.6) years, ranging from 28 to 71 years. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify independent risk factors for CLNM. Nomogram method was used to build the transfer risk prediction model and verify it.Results:The study enrolled 112 patients, with 42 cases (37.5%) exhibiting CLNM. ROC curve analysis demonstrated that tumor diameter predicted CLNM with an AUC of 0.781 (95% CI: 0.694-0.868), identifying an optimal cutoff value of 0.9 cm (sensitivity: 0.762, specificity: 0.700). Multivariate logistic regression revealed that CLNM was independently associated with age, tumor diameter, capsular invasion, and Hashimoto′s thyroiditis (HT), all P<0.05. The logistic regression analysis results were used to construct the nomogram model of CLNM risk prediction. Hosmer lemeshow test resulted χ2=6.876, P=0.442. The calibration curves of the model group and the validation group were basically close, with an average absolute error of 0.065, P=0.099. ROC curve analysis showed that the best cut-off value of nomogram was 160 points, C-index was 0.849 (95% CI: 0.771-0.927), sensitivity was 0.786, specificity was 0.729. Decision curve analysis (DCA) based on net benefit and threshold probability shows that the nomogram can obtain net benefit in a large threshold probability range (0.13-1.00). Temporary recurrent laryngeal nerve injury occurred in 5 patients (4.5%). Temporary parathyroid injury occurred in 4 cases (3.6%), all of which were normal within one month. Conclusions:For patients with cN 0 stage isolated PTCI, CLNM is related to age ≤45 years, tumor diameter>0.9 cm, envelope invasion and HT. HT is a protective factor for CLNM. The ROC curve, calibration curve and DCA curve verified internally showed that the nomogram obtained had good discrimination ability, calibration ability and clinical applicability. When the total score ≥ 160 points indicates that the risk of CLNM is increased.

In February 2024,the European Society of Cardiology(ESC)Working Group on Aortic and Peripheral Vascular Diseases,in collaboration with the European Society for Vascular Medicine(ESVM)and the European Society for Vascular Surgery(ESVS),published the Consensus on Exercise Therapy for Chronic Symptomatic Peripheral Artery Disease.This document provides evidence-based recommendations for estab-lishing comprehensive exercise programs,offering optimal therapeutic strategies for symptomatic chronic pe-ripheral artery disease(PAD)patients.Specifically,it proposes different exercise training regimens.This re-view interprets the consensus core components to inform evidence-based exercise therapy recommendations for PAD management in China.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the expression of parathyroid hormone-like hormone (PTHLH) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and analyze its correlation with clinical prognosis, its regulatory effects on HCC cell behaviors, and the signaling pathways mediating its effects. METHODS: We analyzed the differential expression of PTHLH in HCC and adjacent tissues and its association with patient prognosis based on data from TCGA and GEO databases and from 70 HCC patients treated in our hospital. The effects of PTHLH knockdown and overexpression on proliferation, migration, and invasion of cultured HCC cells were investigated using CCK-8 assay, colony formation assay, Transwell migration and invasion assays, and the signaling pathways activated by PTHLH were detected using Western blotting. RESULTS: TCGA and GEO database analysis showed significant overexpression of PTHLH mRNA in HCC tissues, which was associated with poor prognosis of the patients (P<0.05). High PTHLH mRNA expression was a probable independent prognostic risk factor for HCC (P<0.05). In the clinical samples, PTHLH mRNA and protein expressions were significantly higher in HCC tissues than in the adjacent tissues (P<0.001 or 0.01). Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses suggested that high PTHLH mRNA expression was an independent risk factor to affect postoperative disease-free survival of HCC patients (P<0.05). The prognostic prediction model based on PTHLH mRNA expression showed an improved accuracy for predicting the risk of postoperative recurrence in HCC patients. In cultured HCC cells, PTHLH overexpression significantly promoted cell proliferation, colony formation, migration and invasion, and caused activation of the ERK/JNK signaling pathway in Huh7 and Hep3B cells. CONCLUSIONS High PTHLH expression promotes HCC progression and is associated with poor patient prognosis. Its pro-tumor effects may be mediated by activation of the ERK/JNK signaling pathway.
Humans ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/metabolism* ; Liver Neoplasms/metabolism* ; Prognosis ; Cell Proliferation ; Parathyroid Hormone-Related Protein/genetics* ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Movement ; Disease Progression ; Signal Transduction ; Male ; RNA, Messenger/genetics* ; Female

OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical efficacy of acupuncture with yin-yang regulation method versus local acupuncture in treating chronic low back pain (CLBP) in elderly patients with lumbar disc herniation (LDH), and to evaluate the changes in the multifidus muscle before and after treatment using musculoskeletal ultrasound. METHODS: A total of 128 elderly patients with CLBP due to LDH were randomly assigned to an observation group (64 cases, 2 cases dropped out) and a control group (64 cases, 2 cases dropped out). The control group received local acupuncture at bilateral L₃-L₅ Jiaji points (EX-B2), Shenshu (BL23), Dachangshu (BL25), Weizhong (BL40), Yaoyangguan (GV3), and ashi points. The observation group received acupuncture with yin-yang regulation method, which included an abdominal protocol with Baihui (GV20), Zhongwan (CV12), Qihai (CV6), Guanyuan (CV4), bilateral Tianshu (ST25), and Dahe (KI12), etc., and a lumbar protocol with Baihui (GV20), Dazhui (GV14), Jizhong (GV6), Yaoyangguan (GV3), and ashi points, etc., alternated bilaterally. Both groups were treated once every other day, three times per week, for a total of 12 sessions. The visual analogue scale (VAS) score, Oswestry disability index (ODI) score, and the indexs of musculoskeletal ultrasound multifidus muscle (resting and functional thickness and Young's modulus values) were observed before and after treatment, and the clinical efficacy was evaluated in the two groups. RESULTS: After 1 and 4 weeks of treatment, both groups showed lower VAS scores compared to baseline (P<0.05), the VAS scores in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.001). ODI scores in both groups were decreased after 1 and 4 weeks of treatment compared to baseline (P<0.05), with a further reduction at 4 weeks of treatment compared to 1 week of treatment (P<0.05); the observation group showed lower ODI score than the control group after 1 week of treatment (P<0.001). After treatment, both groups demonstrated increased resting and functional multifidus muscle thickness bilaterally compared to baseline (P<0.01), with an increased right-side thickness change rate (P<0.01), though no significant difference was observed between groups (P>0.05). Compared to baseline, after treatment, the observation group exhibited decreased Young's modulus values for bilateral resting and functional multifidus muscle (P<0.01), while the control group showed reductions only in bilateral resting and right-side functional Young's modulus values (P<0.01). After treatment, the bilateral functional Young's modulus values in the observation group were lower than that in the control group (P<0.05), and the bilateral resting and functional changes in Young's modulus values were greater in the observation group than those in the control group (P<0.01). The overall effective rate was 93.5% (58/62) in the observation group, which was higher than 79.0% (49/62) in the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION Acupuncture with yin-yang regulation method effectively alleviates pain, improves functional disability, increases multifidus muscle thickness, and reduces Young's modulus values in elderly patients with CLBP due to LDH, which has superior therapeutic effect compared to local acupuncture.
Humans ; Low Back Pain/physiopathology* ; Male ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Female ; Aged ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement/physiopathology* ; Middle Aged ; Yin-Yang ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; Acupuncture Points ; Treatment Outcome