1.Three-dimensional Electrical Impedance Tomography for Monitoring Gastric Hemorrhage
Zi-Han ZHAO ; Bo SUN ; Jing-Shi HUANG ; Zhi-Wei LI ; Yang WU ; Nan LI ; Jia-Feng YAO ; Tong ZHAO
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(4):1062-1075
ObjectiveGastric hemorrhage is one of the most common and life-threatening emergencies of the upper digestive tract. Early identification and continuous monitoring are essential for reducing rebleeding rates and mortality, particularly within the critical early hours after onset. Although endoscopy and radiological imaging can accurately localize bleeding sites, these approaches are invasive, resource-intensive, and unsuitable for continuous bedside monitoring. Electrical impedance tomography (EIT), as a noninvasive and radiation-free functional imaging technique, offers real-time visualization of conductivity distribution and has the potential for detecting intragastric bleeding based on the electrical contrast between blood and surrounding gastric tissues. In this study, a three-dimensional gastric EIT (3D-gEIT) framework is proposed to achieve noninvasive, real-time, and dynamic monitoring of gastric hemorrhage, with emphasis on spatial localization and quantitative volume assessment. MethodsA three-dimensional upper-abdominal simulation model incorporating the stomach, gastric wall, gastric contents, and surrounding tissues was established. Three electrode configurations, namely the dual layer ring, the four layer staggered ring, and the opposed dual plane array, were designed and systematically compared to evaluate their influence on depth sensitivity and spatial resolution. Based on the Tikhonov-Noser hybrid regularization scheme, a region-clustering constraint was introduced to develop the TK-Noser-RCC algorithm. This approach aggregates spatially adjacent elements with similar conductivity variations, thereby enhancing structural continuity and suppressing isolated noise artifacts. To validate the proposed framework, an upper-abdominal physical phantom was constructed using agar to simulate background tissue conductivity. Hemispherical high-conductivity inclusions with volumes ranging from 10 ml to 50 ml were attached to the inner gastric wall to mimic localized bleeding under different gastric filling states. Boundary voltages were acquired under a 120 kHz excitation current and reconstructed using the TK-Noser-RCC algorithm. Furthermore, an in vivo animal experiment was performed using a porcine model with adult-scale abdominal dimensions. A total of 100 ml of autologous blood was injected incrementally into the stomach to simulate progressive gastric hemorrhage, and time-difference EIT reconstruction was conducted at each injection stage to assess the dynamic system response under physiological conditions. ResultsSimulation results demonstrated that the opposed dual-plane electrode array achieved superior depth sensitivity distribution and spatial resolution. For a 40 ml hemorrhage model, the average ICC and SSIM improved by 55.9% and 38.8% compared with the dual-layer ring configuration, and by 64.0% and 39.5% compared with the four-layer staggered configuration. The proposed region-clustering constraint significantly enhanced reconstruction stability. Under added Gaussian noise of 40 dB and 30 dB, ICC values remained approximately 0.85, indicating effective artifact suppression and preservation of boundary integrity. In physical phantom experiments, reconstructed hemorrhage volumes increased approximately linearly with the preset hemispherical volumes, and the reconstructed high-conductivity regions closely matched the actual bleeding locations. Both empty-stomach and full-stomach conditions were evaluated, demonstrating that the opposed dual-plane configuration maintained stable imaging performance across varying gastric contents. In the animal experiment, reconstructed low-impedance regions expanded progressively with increasing injected blood volume. The spatial localization of the hemorrhage remained stable throughout the procedure, and no significant artifacts were observed. Quantitative analysis showed that reconstructed volume and average conductivity variation exhibited an approximately linear growth trend with injected blood volume, confirming the sensitivity of the system to dynamic intragastric conductivity changes. ConclusionThe proposed 3D-gEIT framework enables quantitative reconstruction of gastric hemorrhage volume and spatial distribution with improved depth sensitivity, structural continuity, and noise robustness compared with conventional EIT approaches. By integrating optimized electrode configuration and a region-clustering-constrained reconstruction algorithm, the system provides stable dynamic monitoring under both controlled phantom conditions and in vivo physiological environments. This method offers a noninvasive, real-time, and low-cost imaging strategy for early diagnosis, postoperative monitoring, and bedside surveillance of gastric bleeding.
2.Suggestions on the implementation of consensus method in the formulation of acupuncture-moxibustion clinical practice guidelines.
Nan DING ; Xiaodong WU ; Nanqi ZHAO ; Dongxiao MU ; Jing HU ; Guofeng DONG
Chinese Acupuncture & Moxibustion 2025;45(2):237-241
Consensus method is not only a common technical approach to the formulation of the acupuncture-moxibustion guidelines, but also an important way to form the recommended treatment protocols of acupuncture-moxibustion guidelines. Based on the theory of implementation science, the paper explores the influencing factors of consensus-reaching to acupuncture-moxibustion guidelines, and puts forward methodological suggestions on the consensus method performed in the formulation of acupuncture-moxibustion guidelines, so as to advance the rational application of consensus method and enhance the scientificity and transparency of acupuncture-moxibustion guidelines.
Moxibustion/standards*
;
Humans
;
Acupuncture Therapy/standards*
;
Consensus
;
Practice Guidelines as Topic
3.Role of medical experience in the formulation of acupuncture-moxibustion clinical practice guidelines.
Nanqi ZHAO ; Xiaodong WU ; Dongxiao MU ; Nan DING ; Jing HU
Chinese Acupuncture & Moxibustion 2025;45(3):375-378
From the perspective of evidence integration and utilization in guidelines, based on the carrier variety, medical experience is composed of the literature on the practical experience of medical scholars recorded in the ancient and modern time, and the individual opinions in the expert consensus. These two types of carrier for medical experience play the different roles in the key steps during formulating the acupuncture-moxibustion guidelines. Three values are summarized, named being conductive to centering the key clinical questions and strongly representing these questions; being used as a basis to judge the clinical applicability of the recommended regimens; and facilitating the recommendation.
Humans
;
Moxibustion/standards*
;
Acupuncture Therapy/standards*
;
Practice Guidelines as Topic
4.Current status and reflections on the development of acupuncture-moxibustion technical specification in China.
Nan DING ; Xiaodong WU ; Nanqi ZHAO ; Dongxiao MU ; Jing HU
Chinese Acupuncture & Moxibustion 2025;45(4):535-540
Acupuncture-moxibustion technical specifications are a crucial component of the acupuncture-moxibustion standardization system. This study reviews the current development status of acupuncture-moxibustion technical specifications in China, and analyzes their classifications and characteristics. It is found that the scope and classification of acupuncture technical specifications remain unclear in academic circles, and the development process faces numerous difficulties and challenges. Therefore, this study proposes the need for a systematic approach to the planning and management of acupuncture technical specifications based on a clear definition of acupuncture techniques and categories. Additionally, it suggests conducting methodological research on the development of acupuncture technical specifications and promoting the rational application of the consensus method in this process.
China
;
Moxibustion/methods*
;
Acupuncture Therapy/instrumentation*
;
Humans
;
Acupuncture/standards*
5.Thoughts and suggestions on the demand investigation for developing acupuncture and moxibustion technical standards.
Jing HU ; Xiaodong WU ; Nan DING ; Nanqi ZHAO
Chinese Acupuncture & Moxibustion 2025;45(9):1318-1322
This paper analyzes the main issues exposed in the current demand investigations on developing acupuncture and moxibustion technical standards, including the lack of survey methods, insufficient data support, and inadequate demand analysis. It proposes the targeted improvement strategies by examining technical and clinical standard cases. It suggests that the demand investigations on developing acupuncture and moxibustion standards should be designed differently based on the categories and levels of standards, with a focus on multi-integration of market demand, clinical evidence, and policy background. This paper provides the research ideas and methodological suggestions for developing acupuncture and moxibustion standards, which is valuable for enhancing the applicability and practicability of standards.
Moxibustion/standards*
;
Humans
;
Acupuncture Therapy/standards*
6.Expert consensus on clinical protocol for treating herpes zoster with fire needling.
Xiaodong WU ; Bin LI ; Baoyan LIU ; Lin HE ; Zhishun LIU ; Shixi HUANG ; Keyi HUI ; Hongxia LIU ; Yuxia CAO ; Shuxin WANG ; Zhe XU ; Cang ZHANG ; Jingsheng ZHAO ; Yali LIU ; Nanqi ZHAO ; Nan DING ; Jing HU
Chinese Acupuncture & Moxibustion 2025;45(12):1825-1832
The expert consensus on the clinical treatment of herpes zoster with fire needling was developed, and the commonly used fire needling treatment scheme verified by clinical research was selected to form a standardized diagnosis and treatment scheme for acute herpes zoster and postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), so as to answer the core problems in clinical application. The consensus focuses on patients with herpes zoster, and forms recommendations for 9 key clinical issues, covering simple fire needling and TCM comprehensive therapy based on fire needling, including fire needling combined with cupping, fire needling combined with Chinese herb, fire needling combined with cupping and Chinese herb, fire needling combined with filiform needling, fire needling combined with moxibustion, and provides specific recommendations and operational guidelines for various therapies.
Humans
;
Herpes Zoster/therapy*
;
Acupuncture Therapy/instrumentation*
;
Consensus
;
Clinical Protocols
7.Comparison of differences in dosimetry and treatment efficiency of modified radiotherapy plans after left-sided breast-conserving surgery
Jian-hai LIN ; Jing FENG ; Zhong-hua CHEN ; Zhi-chao FU ; Jie CHEN ; Nan-bao ZHONG
Chinese Medical Equipment Journal 2025;46(4):45-51
Objective To compare the differences in dosimetry and treatment efficiency of three radiotherapy plans after left-sided breast-conserving surgery,including modified intensity-modulated radiation therapy(IMRT),cross-field volume-modulated arc therapy(VMAT)or improved VMAT,so as to provide references for clinical practice.Methods Three radiotherapy plans of modified IMRT,cross-field VMAT and improved VMAT were designed for 12 patients after left-sided-breast-conserving surgery.The modified IMRT with five irradiation fields and the improved VMAT with two arcs were modified by not setting cross-fields while determining the start and end angles with the rays passing through the least lung area.The cross-field VMAT had its start and end angles set based on the cross-fields.The doses to the target areas,peripheral organs at risk,heart and its substructures were evaluated,and dose verification was carried out.The three plans were compared in terms of treatment efficiency and gamma pass rate.SPSS 22.0 was used for statistical analysis.Results All the three plans behaved well in dose distribution.In terms of planning gross tumor volume dosimetry dosimetry,the improved VMAT and modified IMRT gained advantages than others in CI and D50,respectively,with the differences being significant(all P<0.05).In terms of planning target volume dosimetry,the modified IMRT had the V107 and D50 lower than those of the others,with the differences being significant(P<0.05).In terms of the protection of peripheral organs at risk,V5 of the left lung,Dmean of the right lung and Dmean of the healthy breast were lower in the modified IMRT plan than in the other 2 plans,with statistically significant differences(P<0.05);V20,V30,V35 and V40 of the left lung were lower in the modified VMAT plan than in the other 2 plans,with statistically significant differences(P<0.05).In terms of protection of heart and its substructures,the left ventricle V20,V30 and Dmean of the improved VMAT plan behaved better than those of other 2 plans,and the difference was statistically significant(all P<0.05).In terms of treatment efficiency,the cross-field VMAT plan had the lowest MU while highest treatment efficiency;the improved VMAT plan had the MU higher while the treatment efficiency lower than the cross-field VMAT plan;the modified IMRT plan had the highest MU while the lowest gamma pass rate,and the differences in the MUs and gamma pass rates among the three plans were statistically significant(P<0.05).Conclusion Under the same standard conditions,the cross-field VMAT and improved VMAT plans show technical advantages.Though the improved VMAT plan has the treatment efficiency lower than the cross-field VMAT,it decreases the possibility of radiocardiac injury in terms of dosimetry and thus can be used for radiotherapy after left-sided breast-conserving surgery.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2025,46(4):45-51]
8.Study on mechanism of Vaccarin improving EMT in renal fibrosis model mice through regulating STAT3
Meng-jiao CUI ; Qi-ming XU ; Yu CAO ; Ye-nan FAN ; Yi-qing YANG ; Guang-bo GE ; Wen-rui LIU ; Jian-rao LU ; Jing HU
Chinese Pharmacological Bulletin 2025;41(4):745-752
Aim To investigate the protective effect of Vaccarin(Va)on epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT)in renal fibrosis model mice through regulating STAT3,and the underlying mechanism.Methods Left ureter ligation was used to establish a mouse model of unilateral ureteral obstruction(UUO);human kid-ney tubular epithelial(HK2)cells were induced to differentiate by transforming growth factor-β(TGF-β)in vitro.HE and Masson staining were used to observe the morphological changes of renal tissue;kits were used to detect the levels of BUN,Cr,IL-1β and IL-7 in mouse serum;CCK-8 was used to detect the effect of Va on the viability of HK2 cells;RT-PCR was used to detect the levels of inflammatory factors in HK2 cells;Western blot was used to detect the expression of STAT3,p-STAT3,E-cadherin,and α-SMA proteins in renal tissue and HK2 cells;to further investigate the regulation of Va on STAT3,JAK/STAT3 pathway acti-vator RO8191 was used to treat TGF-β-induced HK2 cells,and functional loss was detected.Results Va improved the pathological damage in UUO mice,inhibi-ted the levels of BUN,Cr and inflammatory factors;Va inhibited the phosphorylation of STAT3,upregulated E-cadherin,and downregulated α-SMA protein expres-sion;RO8191 counteracted the inhibitory effect of Va on the phosphorylation of STAT3.Conclusions Va inhibits the phosphorylation of STAT3 and the release of inflammatory factors,improves EMT,thus exerting an anti-renal fibrosis effect.
9.Impact factors of vascular heat sink effect during in vitro microwave ablation of porcine lung
Zenan CHEN ; Zhongliang ZHANG ; Sibin WANG ; Xinyuan GUO ; Jing ZHANG ; Xiaobo ZHANG ; Xiaofeng HE ; Liangliang MENG ; Xin ZHANG ; Yingtian WEI ; Yueyong XIAO ; Qun NAN ; Xiao ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Medical Imaging Technology 2025;41(3):383-388
Objective To observe the impact factors of vascular heat sink effect during in vitro microwave ablation(MWA)of porcine lung.Methods Simulation models were established using in vitro porcine lung tissue blocks based on isobaric inflation with an air pump and cyclic perfusion of duck blood with a glass tube and peristaltic pump,etc.MWA was performed under 8 different combining conditions(vessel diameter of 3 or 5 mm,blood perfusion of 30 or 50 cm/s,as well as distance between vessel and ablation antenna of 5 or 10 mm)each for 3 times.The highest temperature TV on vessel side and TC on control side during MWA,and ablation depth DV on vessel side and DC on control side after MWA were recorded.Multi-factor linear regression equations were constructed based on simulated vessel diameters,blood perfusion and distance between vessel and ablation antenna,and the impact factors of|TC-TV|and|DC-DV|were screened,respectively.Results Simulated vessel diameter showed linear positive correlation with both|TC-TV|and|DC-DV|(both P<0.001).Simulated distance between vessel and ablation antenna showed linear negative correlation with both|TC-TV|and|DC-DV|(both P<0.001),and the latter had more obvious impact on vascular heat sink effect than the former.Meanwhile,no significant linear relationship was found between simulated blood perfusion and|TC-TV|nor|DC-DV|(both P>0.05).Conclusion Simulated vessel diameter and distance between vessel and ablation antenna were both impact factors of vascular heat sink effect during in vitro MWA of porcine lung,and the latter was more influential,whereas simulated blood perfusion showed no significant impact on it.
10.Clinical efficacy of olapalib in the treatment of platinum-sensitive recurrent breast cancer susceptibility gene-mutated ovarian cancer
Jing CHEN ; Nan TANG ; Yuanyuan WU ; Yan TIAN ; Tong LIU ; Yanli WANG ; Dongjie LI ; Runpu LI
Chinese Journal of Postgraduates of Medicine 2025;48(2):120-124
Objective:To explore the clinical efficacy of olapalib in the treatment of platinum-sensitive recurrent breast cancer susceptibility gene (BRCA)-mutated ovarian cancer.Methods:The clinical data of 105 patients with platinum-sensitive recurrent BRCA-mutated ovarian cancer confirmed by pathology/imaging from October 2020 to March 2023 in Baoding Second Central Hospital were selected retrospectively, and they were divided into the control group (52 cases) and the experimental group (53 cases) according to the treatment methods. The control group was treated with a platinum-containing regimen, followed by olaparib at the end of the treatment. The experimental group was treated with olaparib. The recent clinical outcomes, tumour marker levels, ovarian cancer functional assessment of treatment questionnaire (FACT-O) score, cancer fatigue scale (CFS) score, and adverse reaction were compared between the two groups. The survival curve was drawn by Kaplan-Meier, and the prognosis was compared.Results:The overall response rate clinical in the experimental group was higher than that in the control group: 64.15%(34/53) vs.44.23%(23/52), there was a statistical difference ( χ2 = 4.20, P<0.05). After treatment, the levels of serum glycoantigen (CA) 125, CA153, human epithelial protein 4 (HE4), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the experimental group were lower than those in the control group: (42.35 ± 6.85) kU/L vs. (46.64 ± 7.11) kU/L, (24.26 ± 4.58) kU/L vs. (26.74 ± 5.20) kU/L, (144.25 ± 19.85) pmol/L vs. (155.64 ± 21.26) pmol/L, (335.32 ± 38.41) μg/L vs. (359.47 ± 41.24) μg/L; the FACT-O scores in the experimental group was higher than that in the control group: (55.24 ± 6.85)scores vs. (51.26 ± 7.19) scores; the CFS scores in the experimental group was lower than that in the control group: (38.51 ± 6.11) scores vs. (44.94 ± 8.38) scores, there were statistical differences ( P<0.05).After treatment, the rate of dizziness, nausea, leukopenia, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, and anemia in the experimental group were lower than those in the control group ( P<0.05). The results of the survival curve showed that the median progression-free survival in the experimental group was longer than that in the control group ( P<0.05). Conclusions:Single-agent olaparib is effective in treating platinum-sensitive recurrent BRCA-mutated ovarian cancer, and can improve quality of life, reduce anemia and adverse reaction, and prolong patients′ median survival.

Result Analysis
Print
Save
E-mail