Objective:To investigate intraoperative pathological findings and the interventional effects of "deep cervical lymphaticovenous anastomosis+" (dcLVA+) on deep cervical lymphatic drainage as well as the blood flow of carotid artery and jugular vein in elderly patients with cognitive impairment, and to put forward the thoughts based on the findings from the surgery.Methods:Between May 2024 and December 2024, retrospective analysis of Microsurgery Hospital, Fengcheng Hospital, Xi'an Medical College performed dcLVA+ between the deep cervical lymphatics or lymph nodes and jugular veins in 50 elderly patients with cognitive impairment (19 males and 31 females, aged 55-88 years with 69.94 years in average). Nine patients were found with Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) score at 1 (mild), 7 with CDR score at 2 (moderate) and 34 with CDR score at 3 (severe). Intraoperative observations based on literature reviews had identified anatomical relationships between the lymphatic sacs containing cervical lymphatic chain and the carotid sheath. The lymph node count, size, distribution, thickness of fat tissue and conditions of lymphatic vessels were documented. Ultrasound was used to compare the blood flow of carotid artery and jugular vein as well as the cross-sectional areas at the planes of hyoid and cricoid cartilage before and after the closure of incisions under anaesthesia in 39 patients. Correlation analyses for Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCa), Activities of Daily Living (ADL) and Agitation behavior score before and 1 week after surgery were performed using Spearman's correlation and Wilcoxon paired tests. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Postoperative follow-ups were conducted via the visit of outpatient clinic and WeChat and telephone interviews. Results:In surgery, the cervical lymphatic chain was found running within an almost enclosed sac surrounding the carotid sheath. There were enlarged lymph nodes, increased fat deposition, lymphatic dilation or fibrosis in the sac. The preoperative blood flow in the carotid artery at the planes of hyoid and cricoid cartilage in the 39 patients was recorded at 150.52 ml/min±40.33 ml/min and 358.29 ml/min±129.30 ml/min, while that in the jugular vein was at 172.50 ml/min±63.94 ml/min and 317.00 ml/min±105.21 ml/min, respectively, both were far lower than the normal blood flow. There were statistically significant differences in the blood flow of carotid artery and jugular vein before and after surgery ( P<0.01). It was found that the preoperative blood flow of the internal carotid artery at the plane of hyoid was positively correlated with the preoperative scores of MMSE ( P<0.01), MoCa ( P<0.05) and ADL ( P<0.01). The blood flow of the common carotid artery at the plane of cricoid cartilage was found significantly and positively correlated with the preoperative scores of MMSE ( P<0.05). It was also noted that the blood flow of the internal carotid artery at the plane of hyoid was significantly and positively correlated with the postoperative ADL ( P<0.01) but negatively correlated with the Agitation behavior score ( P<0.05). The blood flow of the common carotid artery at the plane of cricoid cartilage was significantly and positively correlated with the postoperative scores of MMSE and MoCa ( P<0.05). The blood flow of the internal jugular vein at the plane of hyoid was negatively correlated with the Agitation behavior score ( P<0.01). The cross-sectional area of carotid artery at the plane of left hyoid was significantly and positively correlated with the MMSE score ( P<0.05). Statistically significant differences were observed in MMSE, MoCa, ADL and Agitation behavior score before and after surgery ( P<0.01). Conclusion:dcLVA+ shows a certain therapeutic benefit to the elderly patients with cognitive impairment. The intraoperatively observed pathological changes in cervical lymphatic sacs affect deep cervical lymphatic drainage and the blood flow of carotid artery and jugular vein. Further studies are necessary to find out whether the findings from this study would be the specific pathological changes and the morbidity mechanisms among the elderly patients with cognitive impairment.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effects of online community support and tinnitus habituation therapy(THT)on tinnitus distress,functional impact,and anxiety in patients with chronic tinnitus,and to assess the efficacy and onset time of different interventions.METHODS A total of 120 patients were randomly assigned to a control group,an online support group,a THT group,or a combined intervention group.Tinnitus evaluation questionnaire(TEQ),tinnitus functional index(TFI),and self-rating anxiety scale(SAS)scores were assessed at 0,1,2,3,4,5,and 6 months.RESULTS All three interventions significantly improved TEQ,TFI,and SAS scores compared to the control group(P<0.001).The combined group showed the greatest improvement with the earliest onset(1 month),followed by the THT group(2 months)and the online support group.No significant changes were seen in the control group.CONCLUSION Online community support and THT both relieve tinnitus symptoms,with combined intervention achieving faster and greater benefits.

Objective To investigate the effect of triptolide(TPL)on renal interstitial fibrosis in mice with unilateral ureteral obstruction(UUO)and its mechanism.Methods Six male C57BL/6J mice were randomly selected as the sham group,and 12 mice with UUO modeling were randomly divided into the model group(UUO)and the triptolide group(TPL).Changes in serum creatinine(SCr),blood urea nitrogen(BUN),and body weight were compared among the groups.Renal tissue specimens were collected at 14 d after UUO for HE and Masson staining.Immunohistochemistry staining was performed to observe the expression of α-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA)and fibronectin(Fn)in kidney tissues.Western blotting analysis was used to detect the protein expression levels of nucleotide combined with structure of oligomerization domain receptor protein 3(NLRP3),GSDMD,cGSDMD,IL-1β and IL-18.Results At week 1,the body weight of mice in the UUO and TPL groups significantly decreased compared with that in the sham group(P＜0.05).Body weight reduced in the TPL group compared with that in the Sham group at week 2(P＜0.01).There was no significant difference in body weight between the TPL and UUO groups.BUN levels did not differ significantly between the three groups.Compared with the sham group,the SCr level in the UUO group significantly increased[(15.680±1.508)μmol/L](P＜0.01).A reduction in SCr level was observed following TPL administration[(12.550±3.004)μmol/L](P＜0.05).HE staining showed that the renal tubules of mice in the UUO group were significantly dilated and atrophic,with interstitial edema and increased inflammatory cell infiltration,while the pathological damage of renal tissues was significantly alleviated after TPL treatment.Masson staining revealed that interstitial collagen deposition significantly increased in the UUO group(36.350±5.183)％(P＜0.01)and reduced after TPL administration(20.820±3.290)％(P＜0.01).Immunohistochemistry results demonstrated that the IOD levels of α-SMA(1.233±0.045)and Fn(1.337±0.045)were higher in UUO group mice than in the sham group,while the IOD levels of α-SMA(1.047±0.025)and Fn(1.113±0.021)were lower in the TPL group than in the UUO group(P＜0.05).Western blotting analysis indicated that the expression levels of NLRP3,cGSDMD,IL-1β and IL-18 in the UUO group mice were higher than those in the sham group,while the protein expression levels of the above-mentioned indicators significantly decreased after TPL treatment(P＜0.05).Conclusion TPL ameliorates renal interstitial fibrosis in mice with UUO by inhibiting NLRP3-mediated pyroptosis.

Objective To investigate the effect of triptolide(TPL)on renal interstitial fibrosis in mice with unilateral ureteral obstruction(UUO)and its mechanism.Methods Six male C57BL/6J mice were randomly selected as the sham group,and 12 mice with UUO modeling were randomly divided into the model group(UUO)and the triptolide group(TPL).Changes in serum creatinine(SCr),blood urea nitrogen(BUN),and body weight were compared among the groups.Renal tissue specimens were collected at 14 d after UUO for HE and Masson staining.Immunohistochemistry staining was performed to observe the expression of α-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA)and fibronectin(Fn)in kidney tissues.Western blotting analysis was used to detect the protein expression levels of nucleotide combined with structure of oligomerization domain receptor protein 3(NLRP3),GSDMD,cGSDMD,IL-1β and IL-18.Results At week 1,the body weight of mice in the UUO and TPL groups significantly decreased compared with that in the sham group(P＜0.05).Body weight reduced in the TPL group compared with that in the Sham group at week 2(P＜0.01).There was no significant difference in body weight between the TPL and UUO groups.BUN levels did not differ significantly between the three groups.Compared with the sham group,the SCr level in the UUO group significantly increased[(15.680±1.508)μmol/L](P＜0.01).A reduction in SCr level was observed following TPL administration[(12.550±3.004)μmol/L](P＜0.05).HE staining showed that the renal tubules of mice in the UUO group were significantly dilated and atrophic,with interstitial edema and increased inflammatory cell infiltration,while the pathological damage of renal tissues was significantly alleviated after TPL treatment.Masson staining revealed that interstitial collagen deposition significantly increased in the UUO group(36.350±5.183)％(P＜0.01)and reduced after TPL administration(20.820±3.290)％(P＜0.01).Immunohistochemistry results demonstrated that the IOD levels of α-SMA(1.233±0.045)and Fn(1.337±0.045)were higher in UUO group mice than in the sham group,while the IOD levels of α-SMA(1.047±0.025)and Fn(1.113±0.021)were lower in the TPL group than in the UUO group(P＜0.05).Western blotting analysis indicated that the expression levels of NLRP3,cGSDMD,IL-1β and IL-18 in the UUO group mice were higher than those in the sham group,while the protein expression levels of the above-mentioned indicators significantly decreased after TPL treatment(P＜0.05).Conclusion TPL ameliorates renal interstitial fibrosis in mice with UUO by inhibiting NLRP3-mediated pyroptosis.

Objective:To investigate intraoperative pathological findings and the interventional effects of "deep cervical lymphaticovenous anastomosis+" (dcLVA+) on deep cervical lymphatic drainage as well as the blood flow of carotid artery and jugular vein in elderly patients with cognitive impairment, and to put forward the thoughts based on the findings from the surgery.Methods:Between May 2024 and December 2024, retrospective analysis of Microsurgery Hospital, Fengcheng Hospital, Xi'an Medical College performed dcLVA+ between the deep cervical lymphatics or lymph nodes and jugular veins in 50 elderly patients with cognitive impairment (19 males and 31 females, aged 55-88 years with 69.94 years in average). Nine patients were found with Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) score at 1 (mild), 7 with CDR score at 2 (moderate) and 34 with CDR score at 3 (severe). Intraoperative observations based on literature reviews had identified anatomical relationships between the lymphatic sacs containing cervical lymphatic chain and the carotid sheath. The lymph node count, size, distribution, thickness of fat tissue and conditions of lymphatic vessels were documented. Ultrasound was used to compare the blood flow of carotid artery and jugular vein as well as the cross-sectional areas at the planes of hyoid and cricoid cartilage before and after the closure of incisions under anaesthesia in 39 patients. Correlation analyses for Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCa), Activities of Daily Living (ADL) and Agitation behavior score before and 1 week after surgery were performed using Spearman's correlation and Wilcoxon paired tests. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Postoperative follow-ups were conducted via the visit of outpatient clinic and WeChat and telephone interviews. Results:In surgery, the cervical lymphatic chain was found running within an almost enclosed sac surrounding the carotid sheath. There were enlarged lymph nodes, increased fat deposition, lymphatic dilation or fibrosis in the sac. The preoperative blood flow in the carotid artery at the planes of hyoid and cricoid cartilage in the 39 patients was recorded at 150.52 ml/min±40.33 ml/min and 358.29 ml/min±129.30 ml/min, while that in the jugular vein was at 172.50 ml/min±63.94 ml/min and 317.00 ml/min±105.21 ml/min, respectively, both were far lower than the normal blood flow. There were statistically significant differences in the blood flow of carotid artery and jugular vein before and after surgery ( P<0.01). It was found that the preoperative blood flow of the internal carotid artery at the plane of hyoid was positively correlated with the preoperative scores of MMSE ( P<0.01), MoCa ( P<0.05) and ADL ( P<0.01). The blood flow of the common carotid artery at the plane of cricoid cartilage was found significantly and positively correlated with the preoperative scores of MMSE ( P<0.05). It was also noted that the blood flow of the internal carotid artery at the plane of hyoid was significantly and positively correlated with the postoperative ADL ( P<0.01) but negatively correlated with the Agitation behavior score ( P<0.05). The blood flow of the common carotid artery at the plane of cricoid cartilage was significantly and positively correlated with the postoperative scores of MMSE and MoCa ( P<0.05). The blood flow of the internal jugular vein at the plane of hyoid was negatively correlated with the Agitation behavior score ( P<0.01). The cross-sectional area of carotid artery at the plane of left hyoid was significantly and positively correlated with the MMSE score ( P<0.05). Statistically significant differences were observed in MMSE, MoCa, ADL and Agitation behavior score before and after surgery ( P<0.01). Conclusion:dcLVA+ shows a certain therapeutic benefit to the elderly patients with cognitive impairment. The intraoperatively observed pathological changes in cervical lymphatic sacs affect deep cervical lymphatic drainage and the blood flow of carotid artery and jugular vein. Further studies are necessary to find out whether the findings from this study would be the specific pathological changes and the morbidity mechanisms among the elderly patients with cognitive impairment.

Background::Acute pulmonary embolism (APE) is a fatal cardiovascular disease, yet missed diagnosis and misdiagnosis often occur due to non-specific symptoms and signs. A simple, objective technique will help clinicians make a quick and precise diagnosis. In population studies, machine learning (ML) plays a critical role in characterizing cardiovascular risks, predicting outcomes, and identifying biomarkers. This work sought to develop an ML model for helping APE diagnosis and compare it against current clinical probability assessment models.Methods::This is a single-center retrospective study. Patients with suspected APE were continuously enrolled and randomly divided into two groups including training and testing sets. A total of 8 ML models, including random forest (RF), Na?ve Bayes, decision tree, K-nearest neighbors, logistic regression, multi-layer perceptron, support vector machine, and gradient boosting decision tree were developed based on the training set to diagnose APE. Thereafter, the model with the best diagnostic performance was selected and evaluated against the current clinical assessment strategies, including the Wells score, revised Geneva score, and Years algorithm. Eventually, the ML model was internally validated to assess the diagnostic performance using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis.Results::The ML models were constructed using eight clinical features, including D-dimer, cardiac troponin T (cTNT), arterial oxygen saturation, heart rate, chest pain, lower limb pain, hemoptysis, and chronic heart failure. Among eight ML models, the RF model achieved the best performance with the highest area under the curve (AUC) (AUC = 0.774). Compared to the current clinical assessment strategies, the RF model outperformed the Wells score ( P = 0.030) and was not inferior to any other clinical probability assessment strategy. The AUC of the RF model for diagnosing APE onset in internal validation set was 0.726. Conclusions::Based on RF algorithm, a novel prediction model was finally constructed for APE diagnosis. When compared to the current clinical assessment strategies, the RF model achieved better diagnostic efficacy and accuracy. Therefore, the ML algorithm can be a useful tool in assisting with the diagnosis of APE.

Objective To evaluate the effect of parasternal intercostal plane block(PIB)on postopera-tive fatigue in elderly patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting(CABG).Methods A to-tal of 111 elderly patients undergoing elective off-pump CABG in Xuzhou Municipal Central Hospital from May 2021 to January 2023 were selected as the study subjects.The patients were divided into the control group(group C,n=55)and PIB group(group P,n=56)by adopting the random number table method.After induction of anesthesia,the patients in the group P received the ultrasound-guided bilateral PIB,and the group C received the equal volume of normal saline at the same site.The incidence rate of postoperative fatigue syn-drome(POFS)on postoperative 1,3,5,7 d and postoperative 8 weeks,NRS scores immediately after extuba-tion and at postoperative 12,24,48 h,postoperative opioid drugs consumption,ICU stay duration,hospitaliza-tion duration and adverse events occurrence were compared between the two groups.Results Compared with the group C,the incidence rates of POFS on postoperative 1,3,5,7 d and postoperative 8 weeks in the group P were significantly decreased,the NRS scores immediately after extubation and at postoperative 12,24 h in the group P were lower,the postoperative opioid drugs consumption were smaller,the ICU stay duration was shorter,and the differences were statistically significant(P＜0.05).The NRS score at postoperative 48 h and hospitalization duration had no statistical differences between the two groups(P＞0.05).No nerve block re-lated adverse events in the patients appeared during the study period.Conclusion The ultrasound guided PIB could effectively reduce the incidence rate of POFS in elderly patients undergoing off-pump CABG,promote the patients'prognosis and improve the recovery quality of the patients.

Objective To observe the clinical effect of acupotomy loosening Heyangnei on improving knee joint function in patients with moderate and severe KOA and the regulation of muscle strength of periknee muscle group.Methods 60 patients with K-L Ⅲ-Ⅳ grade KOA were randomly divided into acupotomy group and placebo acupotomy group.The two groups received the same health education and were given diclofenac diethylamine emulsion for external use.The acupotomy group received acupotomy loosening Heyangnei treatment,and the placebo acupotomy group received dermal simulated acupotomy operation once a week,3 weeks as a course of treatment.WOMAC scale and VAS score were performed before and after treatment and during follow-up,and knee motion and periknee muscle strength were measured.Results After treatment and at follow-up,the WOMAC score and VAS score in the acupotomy group were significantly lower than those in the placebo acupotomy group(P<0.01),and the knee motion and muscle strength of periknee muscles(quadriceps,hamstring,gastrocnemius and tibialis anterior)in the acupotomy group were significantly higher than those in the placebo acupotomy group,with statistical significance(P<0.01).Conclusion Acupotomy can effectively relieve joint pain in K-L Ⅲ-Ⅳ KOA patients,improve joint range of motion,enhance the strength of major muscles around the knee,and improve the function of the knee joint.

Objective To observe the clinical effect of acupotomy loosening Heyangnei on improving knee joint function in patients with moderate and severe KOA and the regulation of muscle strength of periknee muscle group.Methods 60 patients with K-L Ⅲ-Ⅳ grade KOA were randomly divided into acupotomy group and placebo acupotomy group.The two groups received the same health education and were given diclofenac diethylamine emulsion for external use.The acupotomy group received acupotomy loosening Heyangnei treatment,and the placebo acupotomy group received dermal simulated acupotomy operation once a week,3 weeks as a course of treatment.WOMAC scale and VAS score were performed before and after treatment and during follow-up,and knee motion and periknee muscle strength were measured.Results After treatment and at follow-up,the WOMAC score and VAS score in the acupotomy group were significantly lower than those in the placebo acupotomy group(P<0.01),and the knee motion and muscle strength of periknee muscles(quadriceps,hamstring,gastrocnemius and tibialis anterior)in the acupotomy group were significantly higher than those in the placebo acupotomy group,with statistical significance(P<0.01).Conclusion Acupotomy can effectively relieve joint pain in K-L Ⅲ-Ⅳ KOA patients,improve joint range of motion,enhance the strength of major muscles around the knee,and improve the function of the knee joint.

【Objective】 To explore the role and mechanism of TRPC6 in apoptosis of glomerular mesangial cells (HBZY-1) induced by endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS). 【Methods】 The experiment groups were classified as follows: normal control (NC), thapsigargin (TG), TG+SKF96365, and TG+TRPC6 siRNA groups. Transcription and protein expressions of TRPC6 and ERS related proteins (GRP78 and Caspase12) were detected by qRT-PCR and Western blotting. Additionally, cell apoptosis was measured by flow cytometry and Hoechst33258. Finally, Fluo-4 AM Ca²⁺ imaging technique was used to determine changes of intracellular calcium ( [Ca²⁺] i) by laser scanning confocal microscope. 【Results】 Morphological changes of apoptotic cells were characterized by nuclear enrichment or nuclear fragmentation, and the apoptosis rate was increased after TG stimulation. The expressions of TRPC6 and ERS related proteins (GRP78 and Caspase12) were elevated in TG group compared with NC group (P<0.05). Pre-incubation of HBZY-1 cells with SKF96365 and TRPC6 siRNA decreased cell apoptosis (P<0.05). The entry of [Ca²⁺] i also increased after TG stimulation (P<0.05). The expressions of TRPC6, GRP78 and Caspase12 were downregulated compared with TG group after treatment with SKF96365 and TRPC6 siRNA accompanied by decreased [Ca²⁺] i (P<0.05). 【Conclusion】 Taken together, this study suggests that inhibition of TRPC6 can alleviate TG-induced HBZY-1 cell apoptosis.