Community-acquired pneumonia （CAP） refers to an infectious inflammation of the lung parenchyma （including the alveolar wall，that is，the broad pulmonary interstitium） acquired outside the hospital. Its common pathogens include streptococcus pneumoniae，respiratory viruses， mycoplasma pneumoniae， and so on. The related factors for the occurrence and development of CAP include patient characteristics （immune function，mucus production and clearance function，coagulation function，physical condition， and comorbidity） and pathogen characteristics （susceptibility，virulence，and antibiotic resistance）. The pathogenesis of CAP lies in immune deficiency，pathogen invasion，inflammatory response disorder，mucus production and clearance disorder， coagulation disorder， and so on. The pathogenesis of CAP in traditional Chinese medicine can be described as "vital Qi deficiency and toxic stasis". Vital Qi deficiency （lack of immunity） is the potential pathogenesis of the disease and easy to be invaded by external pathogens （respiratory pathogens）. Toxic stasis （inflammatory disorder，mucus production and clearance disorder，and coagulation dysfunction） is the key pathogenic factor. Vital Qi deficiency and toxic stasis are intermingled in a state of deficiency and excess，which suggests that the treatment of CAP lies in strengthening vital Qi and eliminating pathogenic factors. This involves strengthening vital Qi in the whole process to consolidate body resistance and nourish promordial Qi. It also involves clearing heat，eliminating phlegm，removing dampness，and dispelling stasis to dispel pathogenic toxins based on the syndrome differentiation. Its action mechanism is to regulate immune and inflammatory responses，resist pathogens，and improve mucus production and clearance， as well as coagulation disorders. Starting from the key pathogenesis of CAP，"vital Qi deficiency and toxic stasis"， this paper discussed the pathogenesis of CAP and summarized the action mechanism of vital Qi strengthening for detoxification in its treatment. It is intended to complement the theoretical system by identifying "vital Qi deficiency and toxic stasis" as the key pathogenesis underlying CAP and the scientific connotation of treating CAP with vital Qi strengthening for detoxification，thereby providing insights for its clinical application.

Objective To compare the clinical outcomes of subxiphoid robot-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (SRATS) and intercostal robot-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (IRATS) in the treatment of anterior mediastinal tumors. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on patients with anterior mediastinal tumors who underwent robot-assisted surgery in the Department of Thoracic Surgery, Gansu Provincial Hospital, from May 2020 to July 2022. According to the surgical approach, patients were divided into an SRATS group and an IRATS group. Perioperative data were compared between the two groups. Results A total of 87 patients were included. There were 41 patients in the SRATS group [23 males, 18 females; mean age, (44.51±11.28) years] and 46 patients in the IRATS group [21 males, 25 females; mean age, (46.67±8.76) years]. Compared with the IRATS group, the SRATS group had significantly less intraoperative blood loss [(24.41±6.67) mL vs. (37.93±9.23) mL, P<0.001], shorter postoperative drainage duration [(1.73±0.59) days vs. (2.54±0.50) days, P<0.001], lower postoperative drainage volume [(94.46±34.08) mLvs. (116.72±24.90) mL, P=0.001], lower visual analogue scale (VAS) pain scores on postoperative day 1 [(3.66±0.76) points vs. (4.15±0.84) points, P=0.005] and day 3 [(2.41±0.59) points vs. (2.89±0.82) points, P=0.003], shorter postoperative hospital stay [(4.12±0.81) days vs. (4.98±1.02) days, P<0.001], and lower hospitalization costs [(4.51±0.65) ten thousand yuan vs. (4.86±0.68) ten thousand yuan, P=0.020]. There were no statistical differences between the two groups in operative time or incidence of postoperative complications (P>0.05). Conclusion Both SRATS and IRATS are safe and effective for the treatment of anterior mediastinal tumors. However, SRATS is less invasive and more conducive to enhanced postoperative recovery.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease （COPD） is a chronic respiratory disease that poses a significant threat to global health， exhibiting high morbidity， disability and mortality rate， with its prevention and treatment situation becoming increasingly critical. The pathogenesis of COPD is complex， and the underlying cellular and molecular biological mechanisms remain incompletely elucidated. Programmed cell death （PCD） is the process wherein cells actively undergo demise to maintain internal environmental stability in response to certain signals or specific stimuli. Contemporary medical research indicates that the dysregulation of PCD patterns such as apoptosis， necroptosis， pyroptosis， autophagy， and ferroptosis is closely related to the onset and progression of COPD. Clarifying the molecular mechanisms of PCD in COPD may provide novel perspectives for in-depth understanding and prevention of the disease. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） is characterized by holistic regulation. In recent years， extensive research has been conducted in the TCM field focusing on modulating apoptosis， necroptosis， pyroptosis， autophagy， and ferroptosis for the treatment of COPD， yielding remarkable achievements. Therefore， this study systematically explored the molecular mechanism of PCD in COPD and reviewed the potential mechanisms and intervention status of TCM targeting PCD in COPD， aiming to provide insights and references for the clinical prevention， treatment and in-depth research of COPD.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease （COPD） is a chronic respiratory disease that poses a significant threat to global health， exhibiting high morbidity， disability and mortality rate， with its prevention and treatment situation becoming increasingly critical. The pathogenesis of COPD is complex， and the underlying cellular and molecular biological mechanisms remain incompletely elucidated. Programmed cell death （PCD） is the process wherein cells actively undergo demise to maintain internal environmental stability in response to certain signals or specific stimuli. Contemporary medical research indicates that the dysregulation of PCD patterns such as apoptosis， necroptosis， pyroptosis， autophagy， and ferroptosis is closely related to the onset and progression of COPD. Clarifying the molecular mechanisms of PCD in COPD may provide novel perspectives for in-depth understanding and prevention of the disease. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） is characterized by holistic regulation. In recent years， extensive research has been conducted in the TCM field focusing on modulating apoptosis， necroptosis， pyroptosis， autophagy， and ferroptosis for the treatment of COPD， yielding remarkable achievements. Therefore， this study systematically explored the molecular mechanism of PCD in COPD and reviewed the potential mechanisms and intervention status of TCM targeting PCD in COPD， aiming to provide insights and references for the clinical prevention， treatment and in-depth research of COPD.

Parameters of peripheral blood cell have been shown as the potential predictors of erectile dysfunction (ED). To investigate the clinical significance of hematological parameters for predicting the risk of rapid ejaculation, we established a rat copulatory model on the basis of ejaculation distribution theory. Blood samples from different ejaculatory groups were collected for peripheral blood cell counts and serum serotonin (5-HT) tests. Meanwhile, the relationship between hematological parameters and ejaculatory behaviors was assessed. Final analysis included 11 rapid ejaculators, 10 normal ejaculators, and 10 sluggish ejaculators whose complete data were available. The platelet (PLT) count in rapid ejaculators was significantly lower than that in normal and sluggish ejaculators, whereas the platelet distribution width (PDW) and mean platelet volume (MPV) were significantly greater in rapid ejaculators. Multivariate logistic regression analysis and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed that the PLT was an independent protective factor for rapid ejaculation. Meanwhile, rapid ejaculators were found to have the lowest serum 5-HT compared to normal and sluggish ejaculators ( P < 0.001). Furthermore, there was a positive correlation between the PLT and serum 5-HT ( r = 0.662, P < 0.001), indicating that the PLT could indirectly reflect the serum 5-HT concentration. In addition, we assessed the association between the PLT and ejaculatory parameters. There was a negative correlation between ejaculation frequency (EF) and the PLT ( r = -0.595, P < 0.001), whereas there was a positive correlation between ejaculation latency (EL) and the PLT ( r = 0.740, P < 0.001). This study indicated that the PLT might be a useful and convenient diagnostic marker for predicting the risk of rapid ejaculation.
Male ; Animals ; Ejaculation/physiology* ; Rats ; Platelet Count ; Pilot Projects ; Serotonin/blood* ; Biomarkers/blood* ; Mean Platelet Volume ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; ROC Curve ; Erectile Dysfunction/physiopathology*

Objective:To investigate the factors influencing early recurrence for patients with initially unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who underwent salvage liver resection (SLR) following transcatheter arterial chemoembolization-based downstaging treatment, and construct a predictive model to evaluate its predicting performance.Methods:The retrospective cohort study was constructed. The clinicopathological data of 305 patients with initially unresectable HCC who were admitted to 4 medical centers in China, including the Third Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University (Shanghai Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital) et al, from January 2019 to December 2021 were collected. There were 286 males and 19 females, aged (48.7±10.4)years. A total of 133 patients who were admitted from January 2019 to December 2020 were set as the training cohort, and the other 172 patients who were admitted from January to December 2021 were set as the validation cohort. Observation indicators: (1) postoperative recurrence-free survival in HCC patients; (2) analysis of factors influencing postoperative early recurrence in HCC patients; (3) construction and validation of the predictive model. Comparison of measurement data with normal distribution between groups was conducted using the independent sample t test. Comparison of count data between groups was conducted using the chi-square test. Comparison of ordinal data was conducted using the rank sum test. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted using the Cox regre-ssion model. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate survival. The Log-rank test was used for survival analysis. The predicting performance of the model was evaluated using the concordance index (C-index) and the area under curve (AUC) of time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, and the accuracy of the model was validated using the calibration curve. The total net gain of the model was evaluated using the decision curve. Results:(1) Postoperative recurrence-free survival in HCC patients. The recurrence-free survival time of 133 HCC patients in the training cohort was 10.0(range, 1.5-24.0)months, with 1-, 2-year recurrence-free survival rate of 47.3% and 36.8%. The recurrence-free survival time of 172 HCC patients in the validation cohort was 11.0(range, 1.0-24.0)months, with 1-, 2-year recurrence-free survival rate of 51.7% and 37.2%. There was no significant difference in recurrence-free survival between patients in the training cohort and the validation cohort ( χ2=0.075, P>0.05). (2) Analysis of factors influencing postoperative early recur-rence in HCC patients. Results of multivariate analysis showed that tumor burden prior to down-staging treatment, grade of albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) score prior to SLR, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) half-life prior to SLR, and tumor response prior to SLR were independent factors influencing early recurrence in HCC patients after surgery [ hazard ratio=3.212, 2.526, 2.304, 1.575, 95% confidence interal ( CI) as 1.262-8.175, 1.324-4.818, 1.477-3.595, 1.138-2.180, P<0.05]. (3) Construction and validation of the predictive model. A nomogram predictive model for postoperative early recurrence was constructed base on the results of multivariate analysis. The C-index of predictive model was 0.786 for the training cohort and 0.734 for the validation cohort. The AUC of ROC curve of nomogram predictive model for 12-, 18-, and 24-month recurrence-free survival rate in the training cohort were 0.890 (95% CI as 0.836-0.944), 0.895 (95% CI as 0.842-0.947), and 0.887 (95% CI as 0.831-0.942), respectively. The AUC of ROC curve of nomogram predictive model for 12-, 18-, and 24-month recurrence-free survival rate in the validation cohort were 0.845 (95% CI as 0.781-0.909], 0.888 (95% CI as 0.826-0.950), and 0.919 (95% CI as 0.870-0.968), respectively. Results of calibration curve showed high consistency between the predicted results of nomogram predictive model and actual outcomes. Results of decision curve showed the nomogram predictive model with a good total net gain at a threshold of 0.10-0.50. Conclusions:Tumor burden prior to downstaging treatment, grade of ALBI score prior to SLR, AFP half-life prior to SLR, and tumor response prior to SLR are independent factors influencing early recurrence in initially unresectable HCC patients undergoing SLR following downstaging treatment. The nomogram predictive model based on these factors can effectively evaluate the prognosis of this patient population.

Objective To explore the relationship between blood pressure at baseline and significant decline in cognitive function after 4 years in middle-aged and elderly people in rural Xi'an,and the potential effect of age on the relationship.Methods Data were collected from a cohort of middle-aged and elderly people with cognitive impairment in rural Xi'an,Shaanxi Province.The cohort consisted of people aged≥40 years from a village in Huyi District,Xi'an.The baseline survey was completed between October 2014 and March 2015,and two follow-up visits were conducted in 2016 and 2018.Blood pressure parameters studied included hypertension and high systolic blood pressure(≥140 mmHg vs.＜140 mmHg),and high diastolic blood pressure(≥90 mmHg vs.＜90 mmHg).The Mini-Mental State Examination(MMSE)was used to assess the whole cognitive function,and the decline of MMSE score ≥4 points in 4 years was defined as significant decline of cognitive function.Multivariate Logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between blood pressure and cognitive function at baseline.Subgroup analysis was used to study the effect of age(＜65 vs.≥65 years)on the relationship.Results We recruited a total of 1 350 subjects in the analysis,including 235 subjects(17.4％)with baseline age ≥65 years and 533 male subjects(39.5％);671 subjects(49.7％)had hypertension,with systolic blood pressure of(131.71±17.79)mmHg;840 subjects(62.2％)had high systolic blood pressure,with diastolic blood pressure of(82.18±10.56)mmHg;395(29.3％)had high diastolic blood pressure.During the 4-year follow-up,56 cases(4.2％)met the criteria for significant decline of cognitive function.We did not find significant association of hypertension and high systolic blood pressure with cognitive decline in the general population,＜65-year-old subgroup,or ≥ 65-year-old subgroup.The incidence of significant cognitive decline was not statistically significant in the total population(3.6％vs.5.6％,P=0.092),the ≥65-year-old subgroup(7.5％vs.8.2％,P=0.855),the normal diastolic blood pressure group,or the high diastolic blood pressure group.However,in the subgroup＜65 years,the incidence of cognitive decline was higher in the high diastolic blood pressure group than in the normal diastolic blood pressure group(2.7％vs.5.1％,P=0.043).Multivariate analysis showed that high diastolic blood pressure was not found to be associated with significant cognitive decline in the total population(OR=1.744,95％CI:0.953-3.192,P=0.071),the subgroup of ≥65 years old(OR=0.858,95％CI:0.221-3.338,P=0.825),or the subgroup of ≥65 years old.In the＜65 age group,high diastolic blood pressure was significantly associated with cognitive decline(OR=2.051,95％CI:1.005-4.186,P=0.048).Conclusion High diastolic blood pressure is associated with 4-year cognitive decline in people aged 40-65 years,but not in those aged ≥65.No association is found between hypertension or high systolic blood pressure and significant cognitive decline.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the mediating role of sleep duration in the relationship between depression symptoms and myopia among middle school students. METHODS: This study was a cross-sectional research conducted using a stratified cluster random sampling method. A total of 1 728 middle school students were selected from two junior high schools and two senior high schools in certain urban areas and farms of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps. Questionnaire surveys and vision tests were conducted among the students. Spearman analysis was used to analyze the correlation between depression symptoms, sleep duration, and myopia. The Bootstrap method was employed to investigate the mediating effect of sleep duration between depression symptoms and myopia. RESULTS: The prevalence of myopia in the overall population was 74.02% (1 279/1 728), with an average sleep duration of (7.6±1.0) hours. The rate of insufficient sleep was 83.62% (1 445/1 728), and the proportion of students exhibiting depression symptoms was 25.29% (437/1 728). Correlation analysis showed significant negative correlations between visual acuity in both eyes and sleep duration with depressive emotions as measured by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (with correlation coefficients of -0.064, -0.084, and -0.199 respectively; P<0.01), as well as with somatic symptoms and activities (with correlation coefficients of -0.104, -0.124, and -0.233 respectively; P<0.01) and interpersonal relationships (with correlation coefficients of -0.052, -0.059, and -0.071 respectively; P<0.05). The correlation coefficients for left and right eye visual acuity and sleep duration were 0.206 and 0.211 respectively (P<0.001). Sleep duration exhibited a mediating effect between depression symptoms and myopia (indirect effect=0.056, 95%CI: 0.029-0.088), with the mediating effect value for females (indirect effect=0.066, 95%CI: 0.024-0.119) being higher than that for males (indirect effect=0.042, 95%CI: 0.011-0.081). CONCLUSIONS Sleep duration serves as a partial mediator between depression symptoms and myopia in middle school students.
Humans ; Myopia/etiology* ; Male ; Female ; Depression/physiopathology* ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Sleep ; Adolescent ; Students ; Child ; Time Factors ; Sleep Duration

Objective To explore the role and potential mechanisms of plasma-activated solution(PAS)in alleviating dextran sulfate sodium salt(DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis.Methods We constructed a DSS-induced ulcerative colitis mouse model and evaluated the effect of PAS in vivo by observing mouse weight,calculating disease activity indexes,detecting inflammatory factors and oxidative stress indicators through ELISA.We also evaluated the effect of PAS on colon cell proliferation and migration ability through clone formation experiments,scratch experiments,and used Western blotting to determine the expression levels of proliferation-related proteins.Results PAS significantly reversed DSS-induced weight loss and increased disease activity indexes in mice(P＜0.05).The serum inflammatory cytokine levels(TNF-α,IL-6 and IL-1β)in PAS group were significantly reduced compared to those in DSS group(P＜0.05).PAS treatment could improve the imbalance of colonic redox homeostasis including changes of malondialdehyde,catalase and superoxide dismutase caused by DSS(P＜0.05).After the use of endothelial nitric oxide synthase inhibitors,changes in various indicators caused by in vivo PAS disappeared(P＜0.001).The clone formation ability of colon cells was stronger in the group treated with PAS,and the expression of proliferation-related proteins increased.Cell scratch experiments suggested that intervention with PAS could reverse the decrease in cell migration ability caused by lipopolysaccharide(P＜0.001).After the application of endothelial nitric oxide synthase inhibitors,the pro-proliferative and migratory effects of PAS disappeared(P＜0.05).Conclusion PAS alleviate DSS-induced colitis in mice and promote colonic epithelial cell repair through the eNOS pathway.

Objective To explore the application of plasma-activated solution(PAS)in the treatment of peritoneal metastasis in mice.Methods A mice model of peritoneal tumor transplantation was established,and PAS was prepared for intervention in the mice.The growth of the peritoneally transplanted tumor was assessed using in vivo imaging technology,while the apoptosis level was evaluated through flow cytometry,immunofluorescence,and Western blotting.Results At the in vitro level,there was no significant impact on tumor cell apoptosis level under adherent conditions observed when utilizing PAS(P＞0.05).Under non-adherent condition,PAS significantly augmented tumor cell apoptosis level(P＜0.05),substantially increased the proportion of deceased cells(P＜0.05),and markedly elevated intracellular total and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species levels(P＜0.05).In vivo level,using PAS following peritoneal transplanted tumor formation exhibited no noteworthy influence on peritoneal transplanted tumor growth(P＞0.05),while immediate utilization of PAS during model conducting effectively reduced abdominal tumor spread(P＜0.05).Conclusion PAS inhibits tumor peritoneal dissemination in mice by promoting tumor cell anoikis.