Objective:To evaluate the efficacy, safety, and prognostic factors of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) combined with molecular targeted therapy (MTT) and camrelizumab in patients with unresectable recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma (urHCC).Methods:Clinical data of 83 patients with urHCC treated at the First Affiliated Hospital of the University of Science and Technology of China between October 2018 and October 2023 were retrospectively analyzed, including 75 males and 8 females, aged (55.2±10.7) years. Among them, 43 patients received TACE combined with MTT and camrelizumab (observation group), while 40 received TACE combined with MTT alone (control group). Kaplan-Meier curves were plotted to compare overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) between the groups. Treatment response was assessed according to the mRECIST criteria, and objective response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR) were compared. Adverse events (AEs) were monitored in both groups.Results:The observation group demonstrated longer median OS (31.8 vs 19.9 months, χ2=11.26, P=0.001) and median PFS (14.5 vs 7.4, months, χ2=4.08, P=0.043) compared to the control group. The ORR and DCR in the observation group were 51.2% (22/43) and 90.1% (39/43), respectively, both higher than those in the control group [25.0% (10/40) and 70.0% (28/40), respectively]. The differences were statistically significant ( χ2=5.99, 5.71; P=0.023, 0.025; respectively). Multivariate Cox analysis showed that different treatment regimens were influencing factors for post-treatment survival in patients with urHCC (control group vs treatment group: HR=2.633, 95% CI: 1.483- 4.677, P<0.001), as well as for PFS (control group vs treatment group: HR=1.781, 95% CI: 1.116-2.842, P=0.015). No treatment-related deaths or unexpected AEs occurred in either group. The most common systemic therapy-related AE was hand-foot syndrome, observed in 15 patients (34.9%, 15/43) in the observation group and 9 (22.5%, 9/40) in the control group ( χ2=1.55, P=0.236). Conclusions:Compared to TACE combined with MTT alone, TACE combined with MTT and camrelizumab demonstrates superior efficacy and acceptable safety in treating unresectable recurrent HCC.

Objective:To analyze the impact of serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) on the prognosis of patients with combined hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinoma (CHC) after radical surgery.Methods:Clinical data of 100 patients diagnosed with CHC by postoperative pathology in Hunan Provincial People's Hospital from January 2009 to January 2019 were retrospectively analyzed, including 73 males and 27 females, aged (52.0±10.9) years. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis were conducted to try to find out the effects of AFP and CA19-9 on postoperative disease-free survival (DFS) of patients with CHC. Subgroup analysis was also performed to analyze the DFS among patients with different levels of AFP and CA19-9. Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test were used to plot and compare the survival curves between groups.Results:Univariate analysis showed that levels of AFP, CA19-9, alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) TNM staging, portal vein invasion, tumor number are associated with postoperative DFS in CHC patients (all P<0.05). The multivariate Cox analysis showed that AFP≥20.6 μg/L ( HR=6.686, 95% CI: 1.985-9.582), CA19-9≥35.2 U/L ( HR=5.790, 95% CI: 1.197-8.855), AJCC tumor TNM staging stage Ⅱ( HR=6.384, 95% CI: 2.069-11.532), and portal vein invasion ( HR=2.384, 95% CI: 1.100-10.125) were risk factors for a shortened DFS in CHC patients after surgery (all P<0.05). Subgroup analysis showed that patients with AFP≥20.6 μg/L and CA19-9≥35.2 U/L ( n=14) had a lower DFS compared to patients with AFP<20.6 μg/L and CA19-9≥35.2 U/L ( n=32), and patients with AFP≥20.6 μg/L and CA19-9<35.2 U/L ( n=20) ( χ2=6.23, 4.98, P=0.014, 0.043). Conclusion:AFP and CA19-9 are risk factors for DFS in CHC patients. Patients with AFP≥20.6 μg/L and CA19-9≥35.2 U/L showed a worse prognosis.

BackgroundInsomnia， a common sleep disorder， is robustly associated with cardiovascular diseases， diabetes， and psychiatric disorders， substantially impairing quality of life. Although clinically commonly used medications are effective， long-term use may lead to drug resistance and dependence. While the efficacy of Ganmai Dazao Decoction in improving insomnia is definite， its underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. ObjectiveTo explore the active ingredients and core targets of Ganmai Dazao Decoction in the treatment of insomnia， systematically reveal its potential molecular pharmacological mechanism， and to provide references for clinical application. MethodsIn November 2024， the active ingredients and related targets of Ganmai Dazao Decoction were screened from the INPUT database. Insomnia-related datasets were acquired from the Gene Expression Omnibus （GEO） database， followed by differential expression analysis using GEO2R to identify differentially expressed genes （DEGs） associated with insomnia. The shared targets were obtained through Venn diagrams， and the protein-protein interaction （PPI） network was constructed using the STRING database and Cytoscape 3.9.1. Enrichment analyses were conducted on the shared targets using Gene Ontology （GO） and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes （KEGG）. The top 3 key active ingredients and the top 10 core targets in terms of node degree values were selected. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation of receptors and ligands were performed using AutoDock 4.4.6， and the results were visualized using Pymol 3.0.3 to further verify the stability of the receptor-ligand complex system. ResultsA total of 337 active ingredients and 5 265 drug-related targets in Ganmai Dazao Decoction were retrieved， along with 1 061 insomnia-related DEGs. 287 shared targets were identified between Ganmai Dazao Decoction and insomnia. The traditional Chinese medicine-active ingredients-shared targets-disease network showed that quercetin， catechins and kaempferol were the key components of Ganmai Dazao Decoction in treating insomnia. These three components alleviate insomnia by acting on ten core targets， including nuclear factor kappa B inhibitor alpha （NFKBIA）， fibronectin 1 （FN1）， interleukin-6 （IL6）， protein c-Fos （FOS）， histone acetyltransferase p300 （EP300）， histone deacetylase 1 （HDAC1）， transcription factor Jun （JUN）， heat shock protein HSP 90-alpha 1 （HSP90AA1）， glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase （GAPDH）， and interleukin-1 beta （IL1β）. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses indicated that Ganmai Dazao Decoction may alleviate insomnia through the IL17 signaling pathways， lipid and atherosclerosis signaling pathways， and other mechanisms. The results of molecular docking demonstrated strong binding affinity between the 3 key components and the 10 core targets of Ganmai Dazao Decoction. Molecular dynamics simulations further confirmed the stability of the quercetin-GAPDH， catechin-HDAC1 and kaempferol-EP300 complexes. ConclusionThe key components of Ganmai Dazao Decoction， namely quercetin， catechin， and kaempferol， exert therapeutic effects on insomnia by targeting 10 core proteins and modulating multiple pathways， including the IL17 signaling pathway， lipids and atherosclerotic-related pathways. ［Funded by Chengdu Medical College Level Scientific Research Project （number， CYZYB23-01）］

Masking is an important tool to evaluate auditory function,but it has always posed challenges in clinical audiology tests.This is mainly because of the lack of in-depth research into the biological mechanisms of masking over a long period,and an insufficient understanding of the principles of masking generation.This article describes the neurobiological fundamentals of clinical audiology test masking in terms of altered resonance patterns in the basilar membrane,the two-tone suppression effect of cochlear outer hair cell receptor potentials,the loss of bal-ance between excitatory and inhibitory transmitters at dopamine receptors,and disturbances in the phenomenon of phase-locking of nerve discharges.Overmasking is due to an enhanced contralateral inhibitory effect on cochlear out-er hair cell motility.This article aims to provide further guidance for clinical audiologist or physician in the proper use of masking.

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy, safety, and prognostic factors of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) combined with molecular targeted therapy (MTT) and camrelizumab in patients with unresectable recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma (urHCC).Methods:Clinical data of 83 patients with urHCC treated at the First Affiliated Hospital of the University of Science and Technology of China between October 2018 and October 2023 were retrospectively analyzed, including 75 males and 8 females, aged (55.2±10.7) years. Among them, 43 patients received TACE combined with MTT and camrelizumab (observation group), while 40 received TACE combined with MTT alone (control group). Kaplan-Meier curves were plotted to compare overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) between the groups. Treatment response was assessed according to the mRECIST criteria, and objective response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR) were compared. Adverse events (AEs) were monitored in both groups.Results:The observation group demonstrated longer median OS (31.8 vs 19.9 months, χ2=11.26, P=0.001) and median PFS (14.5 vs 7.4, months, χ2=4.08, P=0.043) compared to the control group. The ORR and DCR in the observation group were 51.2% (22/43) and 90.1% (39/43), respectively, both higher than those in the control group [25.0% (10/40) and 70.0% (28/40), respectively]. The differences were statistically significant ( χ2=5.99, 5.71; P=0.023, 0.025; respectively). Multivariate Cox analysis showed that different treatment regimens were influencing factors for post-treatment survival in patients with urHCC (control group vs treatment group: HR=2.633, 95% CI: 1.483- 4.677, P<0.001), as well as for PFS (control group vs treatment group: HR=1.781, 95% CI: 1.116-2.842, P=0.015). No treatment-related deaths or unexpected AEs occurred in either group. The most common systemic therapy-related AE was hand-foot syndrome, observed in 15 patients (34.9%, 15/43) in the observation group and 9 (22.5%, 9/40) in the control group ( χ2=1.55, P=0.236). Conclusions:Compared to TACE combined with MTT alone, TACE combined with MTT and camrelizumab demonstrates superior efficacy and acceptable safety in treating unresectable recurrent HCC.

Masking is an important tool to evaluate auditory function,but it has always posed challenges in clinical audiology tests.This is mainly because of the lack of in-depth research into the biological mechanisms of masking over a long period,and an insufficient understanding of the principles of masking generation.This article describes the neurobiological fundamentals of clinical audiology test masking in terms of altered resonance patterns in the basilar membrane,the two-tone suppression effect of cochlear outer hair cell receptor potentials,the loss of bal-ance between excitatory and inhibitory transmitters at dopamine receptors,and disturbances in the phenomenon of phase-locking of nerve discharges.Overmasking is due to an enhanced contralateral inhibitory effect on cochlear out-er hair cell motility.This article aims to provide further guidance for clinical audiologist or physician in the proper use of masking.

Objective:To analyze the impact of serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) on the prognosis of patients with combined hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinoma (CHC) after radical surgery.Methods:Clinical data of 100 patients diagnosed with CHC by postoperative pathology in Hunan Provincial People's Hospital from January 2009 to January 2019 were retrospectively analyzed, including 73 males and 27 females, aged (52.0±10.9) years. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis were conducted to try to find out the effects of AFP and CA19-9 on postoperative disease-free survival (DFS) of patients with CHC. Subgroup analysis was also performed to analyze the DFS among patients with different levels of AFP and CA19-9. Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test were used to plot and compare the survival curves between groups.Results:Univariate analysis showed that levels of AFP, CA19-9, alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) TNM staging, portal vein invasion, tumor number are associated with postoperative DFS in CHC patients (all P<0.05). The multivariate Cox analysis showed that AFP≥20.6 μg/L ( HR=6.686, 95% CI: 1.985-9.582), CA19-9≥35.2 U/L ( HR=5.790, 95% CI: 1.197-8.855), AJCC tumor TNM staging stage Ⅱ( HR=6.384, 95% CI: 2.069-11.532), and portal vein invasion ( HR=2.384, 95% CI: 1.100-10.125) were risk factors for a shortened DFS in CHC patients after surgery (all P<0.05). Subgroup analysis showed that patients with AFP≥20.6 μg/L and CA19-9≥35.2 U/L ( n=14) had a lower DFS compared to patients with AFP<20.6 μg/L and CA19-9≥35.2 U/L ( n=32), and patients with AFP≥20.6 μg/L and CA19-9<35.2 U/L ( n=20) ( χ2=6.23, 4.98, P=0.014, 0.043). Conclusion:AFP and CA19-9 are risk factors for DFS in CHC patients. Patients with AFP≥20.6 μg/L and CA19-9≥35.2 U/L showed a worse prognosis.

Objective:To investigate the effect of combination of infrared thermography (IRT) and high frequency colour Doppler ultrasound (HFCDU) in location of superficial fascia perforating vessels and to guide the design and harvest of super-thin anterolateral thigh flap (ALTF) .Methods:A total of 15 patients who received medical treatment in the Department of Orthopaedics, Zhoushan Hospital and Department of Foot and Ankle Surgery, Wuxi No.9 People’s Hospital from January 2022 to July 2023 were selected to participate the study. The patients were 11 males and 4 females, aged 26 to 64 years with an average age of 48.3 years. A total of 14 wounds of foot, 1 of hand, 1 of forearm and 1 of ankle were reconstructed with 17 free super-thin ALTFs. The sizes of soft tissue defect were 5 cm×3 cm-23 cm×7 cm. The flaps were 6 cm×4 cm to 25 cm×8 cm in size. The donor sites were directly pulled together and sutured. Before surgery, HFCDU was applied to locate the perforator vessels across deep fascia into superficial fascia of the ALTF. IRT was further employed to locate the superficial perforator vessels on the superficial fascia in operating room. The running course of a perforating branch in the superficial fascia was determined by the running courses of the perforating branch located by the two location methods. Super-thin ALTFs were harvested and the precise locations of the perforating vessels were verified in surgery. SPSS 23.0 software was used for data analysis. Rank sum test was performed on the location data of superficial fascial perforating branches found by IRT and the data in surgery. P<0.05 was considered a statistically significant difference. All patients were included in the postoperative follow-up by means of visit of outpatient clinic and via WeChat reviews, where the survival and functional recovery of the flaps were observed. Results:A total of 30 perforating vessels had been located by HFCDU and 30 by IRT, and a total of 31 perforating vessels were found in superficial fascia in surgery. The true positive rate was 93.3%, with a false positive rate at 6.7% and a false negative rate at 9.7%. The rank sum test calculated P=0.853 for the number of perforating vessels located by the IRT and those found from surgery. There was no significant difference between the 2 detecting methods. No postoperative complication occurred in all 14 flaps. Partial necrosis occurred in 1 flap but healed after dressing changes. Venous occlusion had occurred in 1 flap, it was rectified after surgical exploration. Superficial infection happened in 1 flap and it was improved after anti-infection treatment. Postoperative follow-up was conducted for 3-12 months. The flaps were in good texture with satisfactory appearance and function of limbs. All donor sites healed well without scar hyperplasia. Conclusion:IRT combined with HFCDU is a reliable method in location of perforator vessels of ALTF, and it is an ideal technique in the exploration of perforator vessels and in the harvest of a super-thin flap.

Objective:To investigate the effect of combination of infrared thermography (IRT) and high frequency colour Doppler ultrasound (HFCDU) in location of superficial fascia perforating vessels and to guide the design and harvest of super-thin anterolateral thigh flap (ALTF) .Methods:A total of 15 patients who received medical treatment in the Department of Orthopaedics, Zhoushan Hospital and Department of Foot and Ankle Surgery, Wuxi No.9 People’s Hospital from January 2022 to July 2023 were selected to participate the study. The patients were 11 males and 4 females, aged 26 to 64 years with an average age of 48.3 years. A total of 14 wounds of foot, 1 of hand, 1 of forearm and 1 of ankle were reconstructed with 17 free super-thin ALTFs. The sizes of soft tissue defect were 5 cm×3 cm-23 cm×7 cm. The flaps were 6 cm×4 cm to 25 cm×8 cm in size. The donor sites were directly pulled together and sutured. Before surgery, HFCDU was applied to locate the perforator vessels across deep fascia into superficial fascia of the ALTF. IRT was further employed to locate the superficial perforator vessels on the superficial fascia in operating room. The running course of a perforating branch in the superficial fascia was determined by the running courses of the perforating branch located by the two location methods. Super-thin ALTFs were harvested and the precise locations of the perforating vessels were verified in surgery. SPSS 23.0 software was used for data analysis. Rank sum test was performed on the location data of superficial fascial perforating branches found by IRT and the data in surgery. P<0.05 was considered a statistically significant difference. All patients were included in the postoperative follow-up by means of visit of outpatient clinic and via WeChat reviews, where the survival and functional recovery of the flaps were observed. Results:A total of 30 perforating vessels had been located by HFCDU and 30 by IRT, and a total of 31 perforating vessels were found in superficial fascia in surgery. The true positive rate was 93.3%, with a false positive rate at 6.7% and a false negative rate at 9.7%. The rank sum test calculated P=0.853 for the number of perforating vessels located by the IRT and those found from surgery. There was no significant difference between the 2 detecting methods. No postoperative complication occurred in all 14 flaps. Partial necrosis occurred in 1 flap but healed after dressing changes. Venous occlusion had occurred in 1 flap, it was rectified after surgical exploration. Superficial infection happened in 1 flap and it was improved after anti-infection treatment. Postoperative follow-up was conducted for 3-12 months. The flaps were in good texture with satisfactory appearance and function of limbs. All donor sites healed well without scar hyperplasia. Conclusion:IRT combined with HFCDU is a reliable method in location of perforator vessels of ALTF, and it is an ideal technique in the exploration of perforator vessels and in the harvest of a super-thin flap.

Objective:To investigate the feasibility and clinical effect of the surgical approach and method of transnasal fenestration under nasal endoscope for the treatment of maxillary odontogenic cyst. Methods:The clinical data of 23 cases with maxillary odontogenic cysts treated by nasal endoscopy through nasal fenestration were retrospectively analyzed. All cases underwent nasal endoscopy and CT examination before the operation. The mucosal membrane of the parietal wall of the cyst was excised through fenestration of the nasal base. The cyst fluid was removed by decompression, and the bony opening of the nasal base was trimmed and enlarged to the edge of the cyst. The intraoperative and postoperative effects were observed. Results:All cases were well exposed under the direct vision of nasal endoscope. The top wall of the cyst was removed to maximize the communication between the cyst cavity and the nasal floor. There were no complications such as nasolacrimal duct injury, turbinate atrophy, necrosis, and facial numbness. All patients were followed up for 6-12 months, and the clinical symptoms gradually disappeared after surgery. The inferior turbinate was in good shape, the cyst cavity was smooth, the cyst wall was determined, and no cyst recurrence was observed. Conclusion:The treatment of odontogenic cyst of maxilla under nasal endoscope through nasal fenestration is convenient. It has less trauma, fewer complications and a satisfactory curative effect, which is worthy of clinical promotion.
Humans ; Maxilla ; Retrospective Studies ; Odontogenic Cysts/surgery* ; Endoscopy ; Turbinates/surgery* ; Endoscopes