ObjectiveThis paper aims to assess the effects of Wenfei Guyuan umbilical moxibustion on the quality of life and immune function in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease （COPD） in stable phase. MethodsA multi-center randomized controlled trial design was employed，and the 220 cases of patients with COPD in stable phase from three grade A class-Ⅲ hospitals were included as research objects. The patients were randomly divided into the test group and control group，with each group consisting of 110 cases. Both groups received standardized treatment of western medicine，and the test group received Wenfei Guyuan umbilical moxibustion twice weekly for 13 weeks，followed by a 26-week follow-up period. Quality of life was evaluated by using the COPD assessment test （CAT），the modified COPD patient-reported outcomes （mCOPD-PRO） measure，and the modified effectiveness satisfaction questionnaire for COPD （mESQ-COPD） before treatment，four weeks， eight weeks， and 13 weeks of the treatment period，as well as 13 weeks and 26 weeks of the follow-up period. The number of acute exacerbation cases of patients in both groups was recorded during study period to evaluate the effect of Wenfei Guyuan umbilical moxibustion on acute exacerbations. 30 cases were randomly selected in both observation group and control group. Peripheral blood samples were collected before treatment and at 13 weeks of treatment. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was used to detect the levels of immunoglobulin A （IgA），immunoglobulin G （IgG），immunoglobulin M （IgM），interleukin 10 （IL-10），interleukin 17A （IL-17A），transforming growth factor β1 （TGF-β1），and tumor necrosis factor α （TNF-α）. Flow cytometry was used to detect cluster of differentiation 4 positive （CD4⁺），cluster of differentiation 8 positive （CD8⁺），T helper 17 （Th17），and Treg levels， thereby preliminarily exploring the effect of Wenfei Guyuan umbilical moxibustion on immune function. ResultsA total of 220 patients were included，with five cases dropping out. 215 cases were finally included in the per-protocol set，including 107 in the treatment group and 108 in the control group. Baseline characteristics of the first two groups before treatment were compared between the two groups. In terms of life quality evaluation， the main effect of group differences on the CAT scores was significant （F=15.108，P<0.01）. The main effects of group differences on the physical domain （F=38.807，P<0.01），psychological domain （F=38.996，P<0.01），environmental domain （F=17.436，P<0.01），and total score of mCOPD-PRO （F=41.972，P<0.01） were significant. The main effects of group difference on clinical symptoms domain of mESQ-COPD （F=81.516，P<0.01），work-life ability domain （F=36.549，P<0.001），environmental adaptation ability domain （F=22.677，P<0.01），therapeutic effect domain （F=74.055，P<0.01），and total score of mESQ-COPD （F=73.251，P<0.01） were significant. Regarding acute exacerbations，during the entire study period，as well as the treatment period and follow-up period，the observation group showed fewer patients experiencing acute exacerbations compared to the control group，but the difference between the two groups was not statistically significant. In terms of immune indicators，after 13 weeks of treatment，the levels of IgA，IgG，and IgM in the observation group were significantly better than those in the control group （P<0.05）. The level of IL-10 was significantly higher than that in the control group （P<0.05），and the levels of IL-17A，TGF-β1，and TNF-α were significantly lower than those in the control group （P<0.05）. Compared with those in the control group，the level of CD4⁺/CD8⁺ in the observation group was significantly increased （P<0.05），while the levels of CD4⁺ and Treg were slightly increased，but the difference was not statistically significant. The levels of CD8⁺，Th17，and Th17/Treg were significantly decreased （P<0.05）. ConclusionWenfei Guyuan umbilical moxibustion can improve the quality of life， and immune function in patients with COPD in stable phase. It is worth promoting in clinical practice.

Objective: This prospective study evaluated the feasibility of chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) MRI for assessing disease activity in thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO). Materials and Methods: A total of 88 patients with active TAO, 76 with inactive TAO, and 30 healthy controls were enrolled. CEST MRI-derived magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) and MTR asymmetry (MTRasym) at 1 ppm, 2 ppm, and 3.5 ppm were calculated. Clinical data, MTR, and MTRasym values for the extraocular muscles (one representative muscle per eye, yielding two measurements per participant) were compared among the groups. Spearman’s correlation was used to examine associations between imaging parameters and the clinical activity score (CAS) in patients with TAO. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent associations between imaging parameters and disease activity in patients with TAO (active vs. inactive). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was conducted to evaluate the diagnostic performance for discriminating active from inactive TAO. Results: Patients with active TAO showed lower MTR values (P < 0.001) and higher MTRasym (1 ppm), MTRasym (2 ppm), and MTRasym (3.5 ppm) (all P < 0.001) compared with those with inactive TAO. MTR was negatively correlated with CAS (r = -0.402; P < 0.001), while MTRasym (1 ppm), MTRasym (2 ppm), and MTRasym (3.5 ppm) were positively correlated with CAS (r = 0.369, 0.350, and 0.349, respectively;all P < 0.001). MTR and MTRasym (1 ppm) were independently associated with TAO activity. The areas under the ROC curve (AUCs) for MTR and MTRasym (1 ppm) in discriminating active from inactive TAO were 0.772 and 0.730, respectively. Combining MTR with MTRasym (1 ppm) significantly improved diagnostic performance compared with either parameter alone, achieving an AUC of 0.805 (P = 0.029 and 0.001). Conclusion MTR and MTRasym (1 ppm) were independently associated with TAO activity. Their combination further enhanced diagnostic performance in distinguishing active from inactive TAO, suggesting their potential as quantitative imaging biomarkers to guide treatment in patients with TAO.

AIM:To investigate the dynamic changes in ocular surface function after eyelid malignant tumor resection combined with Hughes flap reconstruction.

METHODS:A prospective self-controlled study was conducted. Patients who underwent eyelid malignant tumor resection combined with Hughes tarsoconjunctival flap reconstruction(all tumors occured in the lower eyelid)at Shanxi Eye Hospital from January 2021 to December 2023 were enrolled. The contralateral healthy eye served as control. Ocular surface examinations were performed preoperatively and at 3, 6, 9, and 12 mo postoperatively, including ocular surface disease index(OSDI), tear meniscus height(TMH), non-invasive average tear film break-up time(NiaBUT), tear film lipid layer grading, upper and lower eyelid meibomian gland dropout grading, corneal fluorescein staining, and eye redness index.

RESULTS:A total of 36 patients were enrolled. Two patients were lost to follow-up because they did not complete the scheduled follow-up period, leaving 34 patients with complete data for analysis. The cohort comprised 10 men(29%)and 24 women(71%), with a mean age of 70.08±10.92 y(range 33-81 y). Histopathological diagnoses included basal cell carcinoma(BCC)in 22 eyes(65%), sebaceous gland carcinoma(SGC)in 10 eyes(29%), and squamous cell carcinoma(SCC)in 2 eyes(6%). Tumor size ranged from 4 to 30 mm(mean 12.64±0.31 mm). According to the AJCC staging system, 14 eyes(41%), 18 eyes(53%), and 2 eyes(6%)were classified as T1b, T2b, and T3b, respectively. Preoperatively, OSDI scores were higher in surgical eyes than in contralateral healthy eyes(28.74±13.72 vs 17.47±3.02, P<0.05). OSDI scores in surgical eyes further increased at 6, 9, and 12 mo postoperatively, peaking at 9 mo(all P<0.05), whereas no significant postoperative changes were observed in contralateral healthy eyes. Compared with contralateral healthy eyes, TMH in surgical eyes increased significantly at 3 mo postoperatively and remained elevated thereafter despite a slight decline(all P<0.05). NiaBUT in surgical eyes was shorter than the preoperative value from 3 mo postoperatively onward and was lower than that in contralateral healthy eyes(all P<0.05). Eye redness index in surgical eyes were consistently higher than those in contralateral healthy eyes(all P<0.001). Tear film lipid layer grade and meibomian gland dropout grades in both the upper and lower eyelids were significantly worsened postoperatively compared with baseline(all P<0.001). Corneal fluorescein staining grades were higher in surgical eyes than in contralateral healthy eyes preoperatively(P<0.001)and were higher at 3, 6, 9, and 12 mo postoperatively than at baseline(all P<0.001).

CONCLUSION: After lower eyelid malignant tumor resection combined with Hughes flap reconstruction, evaporative dry eye is the predominant phenotype. Meibomian gland dropout in both upper and lower eyelids appears irreversible within 12 mo postoperatively, and corneal epithelial damage and ocular surface inflammation persist over time.

Objective Patients with lung cancer often experience interrelated symptoms such as fatigue, pain, and sleep disturbances during chemotherapy, forming a core symptom cluster that significantly impacts daily functioning, treatment experience, and quality of life. Currently, evidence on non-pharmacological management of this core symptom cluster is scattered, and there is a lack of standardized, patient- and caregiver-friendly guidance tools that are easy to understand and implement. This patient guideline aims to provide decision support for self-management of the core symptom cluster in patients undergoing chemotherapy for lung cancer. Methods Guided by evidence-based methodology, qualitative interviews and on-site questionnaire surveys were conducted to identify the health-related needs of stakeholders. Domestic and international guideline websites, relevant professional association websites, and comprehensive databases were systematically searched according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The included literature was evaluated for quality, and recommendations were extracted, integrated, and graded to form a summary of the best evidence. Based on the identified health issues and evidence summary, preliminary recommendations for the patient guideline were developed. The recommendations were then revised through two rounds of Delphi expert consultation, and consensus was reached on the strength of recommendations, forming the final version of the patient guideline. Results The patient guideline covered four major sections: screening and assessment of core symptom clusters, daily management, intervention measures, and timing of referral. The core content included nine aspects: screening of core symptom clusters, assessment, lifestyle habits, dietary interventions, sleep environment, exercise interventions, psychological interventions, Traditional Chinese Medicine interventions, and referral indications. In total, the guidelines addressed 16 health issues and provided 25 recommendations. Conclusion The development process of this patient guideline is rigorous and fully considered the needs of patients. Expert review concludes that the recommendations are highly feasible and appropriate.

Objective·To investigate the effects of liraglutide on liver fibrosis in mice with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)and the underlying mechanisms.Methods·Twenty 8-week-old C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into a normal chow diet group(Chow group)and a methionine-choline-deficient(MCD)diet group(MCD group),with 10 mice per group.The MCD diet was used to induce NAFLD.Each group was further divided into two subgroups,resulting in four subgroups:Chow+saline,Chow+liraglutide,MCD+saline,and MCD+liraglutide group.After daily intraperitoneal injection of liraglutide(400 μg/kg)or an equivalent volume of saline for 4 weeks,an intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test(IPGTT)was performed.Serum levels of aspartate transaminase(AST),alanine aminotransferase(ALT),total cholesterol(TC),triglyceride(TAG),high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C),and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C)were measured.Liver tissues were collected post-euthanasia to assess TAG content.Histopathological changes,lipid deposition,and fibrosis were evaluated via hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining,Oil Red O staining,and Masson staining.Real-time quantitative PCR(qPCR)and Western blotting were used to analyze the expression of α-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA),fibronectin(FN),collagen type Ⅰ α(COL1A),matrix metalloproteinase 9(MMP9),tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1(TIMP1),transforming growth factor β(TGF-β),SMAD3,and phosphorylated SMAD3(pSMAD3).Results·The IPGTT revealed that liraglutide intervention reduced blood glucose levels at 15,30,and 60 min,with a decreased area under the curve(AUC)(both P<0.05).Biochemical analysis showed that liraglutide lowered AST and ALT levels(both P<0.001),increased TC and HDL-C levels(both P<0.05),but had no significant effect on TAG or LDL-C in MCD mice.HE staining and Oil Red O staining revealed reduced lipid droplets,ballooning degeneration,and inflammatory infiltration in hepatocytes after liraglutide treatment.Masson staining indicated decreased collagen fiber deposition in the liver.qPCR and Western blotting analysis demonstrated upregulated expression of α-SMA,FN,COL1A,TIMP1,TGF-β,and pSMAD3/SMAD3,alongside downregulated MMP9 in MCD mice.Liraglutide reversed these changes,lowering α-SMA,FN,COL1A,TIMP1,TGF-β,and pSMAD3/SMAD3 expression while increasing MMP9 expression.Conclusion·Liraglutide ameliorates liver injury,lipid deposition,and fibrosis in NAFLD mice,through modulation of the TGF-β/SMAD3 pathway and regulating fibrosis-associated protein expression.

Objective:To explore the feasibility of measuring the angle of progress(AOP)and the fetal head-perineum distance(HPD)by ultrasound to predict the duration of the second stage of labor.Methods:A to-tal of 135 full-term singleton primiparas who gave birth through vagina in Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University from September 2022 to June 2024 were selected.They all received medication for labor analgesia during labor,and the fetal position was determined as occipital anterior position by ultrasound when the cervix was fully dilated.AOP and HPD were measured during the contraction interval.All parturients were divided into group A(duration of the second stage of labor≤60 min),group B(60 min＜duration of the sec-ond stage of labor≤120 min)and group C(duration of the second stage of labor＞120 min).The differences of AOP and HPD among these groups were compared,and their predictive efficacy for vaginal delivery within 60min and 120min was evaluated.Results:①The AOP in group A was higher than that in group B.The HPD in group A was lower than that in group B.The differences were statistically significant(P＜0.01).The AOP in group B was higher than that in group C.The HPD in group B was lower than that in group C.The differences were statistically significant(P＜0.05).②The area under the ROC curve for AOP and HPD to predict a vaginal delivery within 60 min was 0.872 and 0.914,and the optimal cut-off value was 126.25°and 4.52 cm,respectively(P＜0.01).③The area under the ROC curve for AOP and HPD to predict a vaginal delivery within 120 min was 0.901 and 0.801,and the optimal cut-off value was 116.40°and 4.69 cm,respectively(P＜0.01).Conclusions:It is feasible to pre-dict the duration of the second stage of labor duration by measuring AOP and HPD using intrapartum ultrasound.

Objective·To investigate the effects of liraglutide on liver fibrosis in mice with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)and the underlying mechanisms.Methods·Twenty 8-week-old C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into a normal chow diet group(Chow group)and a methionine-choline-deficient(MCD)diet group(MCD group),with 10 mice per group.The MCD diet was used to induce NAFLD.Each group was further divided into two subgroups,resulting in four subgroups:Chow+saline,Chow+liraglutide,MCD+saline,and MCD+liraglutide group.After daily intraperitoneal injection of liraglutide(400 μg/kg)or an equivalent volume of saline for 4 weeks,an intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test(IPGTT)was performed.Serum levels of aspartate transaminase(AST),alanine aminotransferase(ALT),total cholesterol(TC),triglyceride(TAG),high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C),and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C)were measured.Liver tissues were collected post-euthanasia to assess TAG content.Histopathological changes,lipid deposition,and fibrosis were evaluated via hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining,Oil Red O staining,and Masson staining.Real-time quantitative PCR(qPCR)and Western blotting were used to analyze the expression of α-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA),fibronectin(FN),collagen type Ⅰ α(COL1A),matrix metalloproteinase 9(MMP9),tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1(TIMP1),transforming growth factor β(TGF-β),SMAD3,and phosphorylated SMAD3(pSMAD3).Results·The IPGTT revealed that liraglutide intervention reduced blood glucose levels at 15,30,and 60 min,with a decreased area under the curve(AUC)(both P<0.05).Biochemical analysis showed that liraglutide lowered AST and ALT levels(both P<0.001),increased TC and HDL-C levels(both P<0.05),but had no significant effect on TAG or LDL-C in MCD mice.HE staining and Oil Red O staining revealed reduced lipid droplets,ballooning degeneration,and inflammatory infiltration in hepatocytes after liraglutide treatment.Masson staining indicated decreased collagen fiber deposition in the liver.qPCR and Western blotting analysis demonstrated upregulated expression of α-SMA,FN,COL1A,TIMP1,TGF-β,and pSMAD3/SMAD3,alongside downregulated MMP9 in MCD mice.Liraglutide reversed these changes,lowering α-SMA,FN,COL1A,TIMP1,TGF-β,and pSMAD3/SMAD3 expression while increasing MMP9 expression.Conclusion·Liraglutide ameliorates liver injury,lipid deposition,and fibrosis in NAFLD mice,through modulation of the TGF-β/SMAD3 pathway and regulating fibrosis-associated protein expression.

Objective To develop a method for rapidly identifying Clostridioides difficile(C.difficile)and de-termining high-producing toxin strains,conduct clinical evaluation.Methods The loop-mediated isothermal amplifi-cation(LAMP)method was used to identify C.difficile based on the tcdC,tcdA,and tcdB genes.The sensitivi-ty,specificity,and overall consistency of the detection method were evaluated.Results Feces specimens from 499 hospitalized patients suspected of C.difficile-associated diarrhea were detected,with C.difficile detection rate of 12.8％(64/499),out of which the detection rate of toxin-producing C.difficile was 10.8％(54/499).The sensi-tivity,specificity,positive predictive value,and negative predictive value of the detection method for tcdA were 87.2％,98.9％,89.1％,and 98.6％,respectively,and 88.2％,99.6％,90.0％,and 98.73％for tcdB,respec-tively.The total toxin levels of different strains were different,but the average toxin production level of A+B+strains(1.79 μg/mL)was higher than those of A-B+strains(0.72 μg/mL)and A-B-strains(＜0.10 μg/mL).Conclusion The portable high-throughput LAMP detection method can rapidly and efficiently identify C.difficile and determine high-producing toxin strains.

Objective To develop a risk management system for complications associated with peripheral venous indwelling needles and to evaluate its application effect in order to reduce the risk of related complications.Methods We designed a comprehensive risk management system for peripheral intravenous indwelling needle complications,integrating specialized evidence-based guidelines with clinical practice insights,including 5 modules:intelligent assessment and decision support,intelligent inspection reminders,educational modules,collaborative case management procedures,and a knowledge base.Patients admitted to the neurology and internal classification metabolism departments of a tertiary hospital in Jilin Province were conveniently selected as the research subjects.Patients were assigned to a control group(from May to July 2022,before the implementation of the system)and an experimental group(from September to December 2022,after the implementation of the system).The incidence of complications,duration of indwelling needle,compliance rate of core indicators for nursing quality and number of nursing consultations were compared between the groups.Additionally,a self-administered questionnaire was used to assess clinical nurses'evaluations of the system.Results A total of 189 patients were included in the experimental group and 177 patients in the control group.The incidence of complications associated with peripheral intravenous indwelling needles was lower than that in the control group.The duration of indwelling peripheral intravenous needles was longer than that in the control group.The quality compliance rate of peripheral venous indwelling needle care in the experimental group was higher than that in the control group,and the number of consultation cases in the experimental group was higher than that in the control group.Comparisons between the 2 groups showed statistically significant differences for all indicators(P＜0.05).The nurses'recognition rates for the system's user-friendliness,professional guidance,and patient benefit were 77.78％,81.74％,and 82.13％,respectively.Conclusion The application of a peripheral vein indwelling needle complication risk management system can reduce the incidence of complications,prolong the duration of indwelling,and improve nursing quality.Nurses have a high recognition of this system.

Objective:To report the nationwide surveillance results of pathogenic profiles and antimicrobial resistance patterns of Gram-positive bloodstream infections in China in 2023.Methods:The clinical isolates of Gram-posttive bacteria from blood cultures were collected in member hospitals of National Bloodstream Infection Bacterial Resistant Investigation Collaborative System（BRICS）during January to December 2023. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using the dilution method recommended by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute（CLSI）. Statistical analyses were conducted using WHONET 5.6 and SPSS 25.0 software.Results:A total of 4 385 Gram-positive bacterial isolates were obtained from 60 participating center. The top five pathogens were Staphylococcus aureus（ n=1 544，35.2%），coagulase-negative Staphylococci（ n=1 441，32.9%）， Enterococcus faecium（ n=574，13.1%）， Enterococcus faecalis（ n=385，8.8%），and α-hemolytic Streptococci（ n=187，4.3%）. The prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus（MRSA）and methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative Staphylococci（MRCNS）was 26.2%（405/1 544）and 69.8%（1 006/1 441），respectively. Notably，all Staphylococci remained susceptible to glycopeptide or daptomycin. Staphylococcus aureus demonstrated excellent susceptibility（>97.0%）to cephalobiol，rifampicin，trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole，linezolid，minocycline，tigecycline，and eravacycline. No Enterococcus exhibiting resistance to linezolid were detected. Glycopeptide resistance was uncommon but more frequent in Enterococcus faecium（resistance to vancomycin and teicoplanin：both 1.7%）compared to Enterococcus faecalis（both 0.3%）. The detection rates of MRSA and MRCNS exhibited significant regional variations across the country（ χ2=17.674 and 148.650，respectively，both P<0.001）. No vancomycin-resistant Enterococci were detected in central China. Institutional comparison demonstrated higher prevalence of MRSA（ χ2=14.111， P<0.001）and MRCNS（ χ2=4.828， P=0.028）in provincial hospitals than that in municipal hospitals. Socioeconomic analysis identified elevated detection rates of both MRSA（ χ2=18.986， P<0.001）and MRCNS（ χ2=4.477， P=0.034）in less developed regions（per capita GDP