Objective To study the correlation between Periostin, interleukin-33 (IL-33), and chronic cough after thoracoscopic lobectomy in patients with coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) combined with lung cancer. Methods A total of 102 lung cancer and coronary heart disease patients at Tianjin Chest Hospital from January 2022 to January 2024 were prospectively enrolled, and they were divided into a chronic cough group (n=42) and a non-chronic cough group (n=60) based on whether chronic cough occurred after surgery. Serum levels of Periostin and IL-33 were measured on the 1st, 7th, and 14th days post-lobectomy. The Pearson method was employed to analyze the correlation between Periostin and IL-33 levels and the severity of cough. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify factors influencing the occurrence of chronic cough. Additionally, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was utilized to assess the potential value of serum Periostin and IL-33 levels in predicting postoperative chronic cough. Results In patients with chronic cough, the peripheral blood Periostin and IL-33 levels measured on days 7 and 14 were significantly higher than those in patients with non-chronic cough, and the interactions between the two groups and at different time points were significant (P<0.001). The degree of cough was positively correlated with the levels of Periostin and IL-33 on days 7 and 14 (P<0.05), but had no significant correlation with the levels on day 1 (P>0.05). In patients with lung cancer, after thoracoscopic lobectomy, Periostin [OR=1.619, 95%CI (1.295, 2.025)] and IL-33 [OR=1.831, 95%CI (1.216, 2.758)] on day 7 and Periostin [OR=1.952, 95%CI (1.306, 2.918)] and IL-33 [OR=1.742, 95%CI (1.166, 2.603)] on day 14 were identified as risk factors for chronic cough. ROC curve analysis showed that the sensitivity of Periostin on day 7 was 69.05%, the specificity was 71.67%, and the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.756 [95%CI (0.616, 0.893)]. The sensitivity of Periostin on day 14 increased to 71.43% and the specificity was 76.67%, AUC was 0.762 [95%CI (0.633, 0.898)]. At the same time, the critical value of IL-33 on day 7 was 45.03 pg/mL, the sensitivity and specificity were both 83.33%, the AUC was 0.884 [95%CI (0.789, 0.980)], and the critical value of IL-33 on day 14 was 56.01 pg/mL, the sensitivity was 85.71%, the specificity was 80.00%, and the AUC was 0.899 [95%CI (0.799, 0.999)]. Joint logistic regression analysis of Periostin and IL-33 levels on days 7 and 14 showed showed that the sensitivity was 95.24%, the specificity was 95.00%, and the AUC reached 0.993 [95%CI (0.979, 1.000)]. Conclusion Periostin and IL-33 levels, measured at various time points, are abnormally elevated following thoracoscopic lobectomy in patients with combined CABG and lung cancer. These levels significantly correlate with cough severity. Given their predictive potential for chronic cough, these markers are deemed valuable biomarkers.

With the continuous deepening of the concept of precision diagnosis and treatment for lung cancer, how to achieve higher efficiency and accuracy in the screening, diagnosis, and treatment pathways in clinical practice has become an important issue that urgently needs to be overcome. The current clinical difficulty lies in the fact that despite continuous advancements in imaging and molecular diagnostic technologies, there are still limitations in manual efficiency and subjective experience when it comes to massive data analysis and multi-scale feature extraction. Artificial intelligence (AI), especially algorithm systems based on deep learning, is an innovative technology capable of deeply empowering medical big data. This method utilizes algorithms such as convolutional neural networks, combined with radiomics, pathomics, and multi-modal data fusion analysis, demonstrating immense potential in early precise detection and benign-malignant differentiation of pulmonary nodules, digital pathological subtype recognition and non-invasive prediction of driver genes, precise 3D surgical planning and automatic delineation of radiotherapy target volumes, as well as dynamic risk warning during follow-up. This innovative technology provides a brand-new solution for realizing intelligent and individualized lung cancer diagnosis and treatment models. This consensus, based on the latest evidence from evidence-based medicine and combined with the development trends in the AI field and real-world clinical needs, was ultimately formed by gathering the consensus opinions of multidisciplinary experts in radiology, pathology, thoracic surgery, and other fields. The main content covers the application specifications of AI in the three core scenarios of lung cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment, the technical standards for data collection and algorithm validation, as well as the ethical and regulatory challenges faced at the current stage. It aims to clarify the applicable boundaries of AI as a clinical auxiliary decision support tool, providing scientific guidance and standardized exploration directions for peers currently engaged in or planning to carry out AI-assisted clinical diagnosis, treatment, and translation of lung cancer.

Clamshell incision is widely used in the surgical resection of complex mediastinal tumors, but it is also controversial. Its advantages are the full exposure of the field of vision and the huge operating space, while its disadvantages are the destruction of chest wall muscles and respiratory function impairment. At present, there is a lack of norms for the selection and application of Clamshell incisions, and the definition of complex mediastinal tumors is ambiguous and the dimensions are single. Therefore, this article reviews the literature and combines practical experience to systematically summarize the application progress of Clamshell incisions in the surgical resection of complex mediastinal tumors, with the aim of providing guidance for clinical work.

Brain MRI data is characterized by large volumes and susceptibility to noise and artifacts,which pose significant challenges of improving the speed and accuracy of brain tumor detection and analysis due to the tumors'diverse types,shapes,and boundaries that are both similar and highly variable.Therefore,a series of improvements based on YOLOv7 algorithm are proposed for enhancing detection precision and speed:(1)employing partial convolution during feature extraction to reduce the model's parameters and improve overall detection speed;(2)in light of the complex variability of brain tumors,introducing a three-dimensional spatial attention mechanism during feature extraction to enhance the model's focus on critical image features;(3)replacing the original IoU loss function with WIoU to increase the attention to medium-quality anchor boxes during bounding box regression for further improving detection accuracy.Experiments conducted on two public brain tumor datasets,Brain_Tumor and Glioma_of_test,show that the improved model achieves mAP of 96.9%and 92.8%,which are 1.4%and 2.4%higher than the original YOLOv7 model,and the frames per second reach 162.7 and 158.1,showing improvements of 6.4 and 18.2,respectively.These enhancements enable more effective detection of brain tumors in MRI images.

Medical physicists play an important role in radiodiagnosis, radiotherapy, and nuclear medicine practices. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) suggests that medical physicists should be trained and achieve professional certifications. Many developed countries/regions have established comprehensive examination and certification programs for medical physicists. However, these systems are yet to be improved in China. This leads to a lack of control over the professional competence and practice standards in the workforce, posing a negative impact on the quality and safety of China’s clinical services in radiation medicine. The International Medical Physics Certification Board (IMPCB) is aimed at accrediting national/regional medical physics certification programs and providing certification of individual medical physicists in countries/regions lacking such certification programs. This study introduces the procedures and specific method for China’s medical physicists to achieve professional certifications via IMPCB, aiming to help improve their professionalism.

Brain MRI data is characterized by large volumes and susceptibility to noise and artifacts,which pose significant challenges of improving the speed and accuracy of brain tumor detection and analysis due to the tumors'diverse types,shapes,and boundaries that are both similar and highly variable.Therefore,a series of improvements based on YOLOv7 algorithm are proposed for enhancing detection precision and speed:(1)employing partial convolution during feature extraction to reduce the model's parameters and improve overall detection speed;(2)in light of the complex variability of brain tumors,introducing a three-dimensional spatial attention mechanism during feature extraction to enhance the model's focus on critical image features;(3)replacing the original IoU loss function with WIoU to increase the attention to medium-quality anchor boxes during bounding box regression for further improving detection accuracy.Experiments conducted on two public brain tumor datasets,Brain_Tumor and Glioma_of_test,show that the improved model achieves mAP of 96.9%and 92.8%,which are 1.4%and 2.4%higher than the original YOLOv7 model,and the frames per second reach 162.7 and 158.1,showing improvements of 6.4 and 18.2,respectively.These enhancements enable more effective detection of brain tumors in MRI images.

Objective:To compare the effect of repeated transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) targeting the M1 hand area, the M1 lower limb area, or the sciatic nerve on the motor functioning and ability in the activities of daily living of persons after a spinal cord injury (SCI).Methods:This was a retrospective analysis of data describing 86 hospitalized SCI patients. They were divided into four groups based on where the rTMS was applied: an M1 hand area group ( n=22), an M1 lower limb area group ( n=20), a sciatic nerve group ( n=24), and a control group ( n=20) who never received rTMS. In addition to conventional medication and rehabilitation training, the M1 hand area group, the M1 lower limb area group and the sciatic nerve group received 10Hz rTMS over the named area for 4 weeks. Before and after the treatment, the Spinal Cord Independence Measure (SCIM) total scores, SCIM indoor activity (SCIM12) sub-scores, Modified Barthel Index (MBI) scores, and lower extremity motor (LEMS) scores were compared among the four groups. Results:After the treatment, the average SCIM, SCIM12, MBI, and LEMS scores had improved significantly in all four groups. The average SCIM [10.00(4.00, 24.75] and MBI scores [12.00(6.75, 31.50)] of the M1 hand area group were then significantly better than the control group′s averages [3.50(0.00, 9.50) and 7.50(1.25, 17.75)]. There was also significantly greater improvement in the average LEMS score of the M1 hand area group [2.00(0.00, 10.00)] compared with both the sciatic nerve group [0.00(0.00, 2.00)] and the control group [0.00(0.00, 1.75)].Conclusions:High-frequency rTMS stimulation of the M1 hand area significantly promotes the recovery of lower limb motor function and self-care ability after an SCI. It is more effective than stimulating the M1 lower limb area or the sciatic nerve.

Clamshell incision is widely used in the surgical resection of complex mediastinal tumors, but it is also controversial. Its advantages are the full exposure of the field of vision and the huge operating space, while its disadvantages are the destruction of chest wall muscles and respiratory function impairment. At present, there is a lack of norms for the selection and application of Clamshell incisions, and the definition of complex mediastinal tumors is ambiguous and the dimensions are single. Therefore, this article reviews the literature and combines practical experience to systematically summarize the application progress of Clamshell incisions in the surgical resection of complex mediastinal tumors, with the aim of providing guidance for clinical work.

Liver cancer imposes a substantial global disease burden.Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC),as the primary pathological type of primary liver cancer,accounts for approximately 90％of all cases.As a minimally invasive treatment,thermal ablation causes minimal impact on liver function and trauma,serving as the first-line treatment option for early-stage HCC patients unsuit-able for surgical resection.However,clinical data indicate that 5-year recurrence rate of HCC pa-tients after thermal ablation treatment is as high as 50％～70％,and incomplete ablation remains a core factor leading to recurrence.Therefore,exploring and optimizing complete ablation strategies has become a critical direction for improving the efficacy of thermal ablation in HCC and enhanc-ing long-term survival rates of patients.This paper systematically reviews the current applications of thermal ablation in HCC treatment and focuses on discussing key technologies and strategies for achieving complete ablation,with the aim of providing theoretical foundations and technical refer-ences for improving the complete ablation rate of thermal ablation in clinical practice and formu-lating personalized diagnosis and treatment plans.

BACKGROUND:Previous studies found that Semen Ziziphi Spinosae extract prolongs slow-wave sleep and promotes growth hormone secretion in mice by increasing the expression of brain tissue serotonin 1A receptor (5-HT1AR),which binds to serotonin,thus leading to bone growth. Serotonin 1A receptor acts as a protein,and its expression abundance is regulated by miRNAs. The authors hypothesized that Semen Ziziphi Spinosae extract may regulate the expression of 5-HT1AR through miRNAs and thus exert drug effects. OBJECTIVE:To observe the effect of Semen Ziziphi Spinosae extract on bone growth by regulating the miR-7b-3p/5-HT1AR pathway in mouse brain tissue. METHODS:(1) Kunming mice were divided into a normal control group,a drug administration group (gavage administration of Semen Ziziphi Spinosae extract 0.320 mg/g),a positive control group (gavage administration of jujuboside 0.013 mg/g),a Semen Ziziphi Spinosae extract+5-HT1AR selective inhibitor group (8 μg of P-MPPF,a 5-HTIAR selective inhibitor,was injected into the lateral ventricle every day for the last 3 days during the gavage administration of Semen Ziziphi Spinosae extract). After 25 days,the effects of Semen Ziziphi Spinosae extract on bone growth,serum growth hormone level and brain 5-HT1AR expression were observed. (2) Then the chip method was used to observe differentially expressed miRNAs in the brain tissues of growing mice and ordinary mice. PCR validation and dual luciferase reporter gene assay confirmed the regulatory relationship between the screened Mir-7B-3p and 5-HT1AR. (3) Mouse cerebral cortical cells were cultured and identified in vitro,and the effect of Semen Ziziphi Spinosae extract on 5-HT1AR expression in cerebral cortical cells was observed using western blot. (4) Kunming mice were divided into a normal control group,a medication group,a miR-7b-3p inhibitor group,a medication+5-HT1AR inhibitor group,and a positive control group. The expression of 5-HT1AR in brain tissues of mice and the binding activity of 5-HT and 5-HT1AR were observed. (5) Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into a normal control group,a medication group,a miR-7b-3p inhibitor group,a medication+miR-7b-3p mimics group and a positive control group. Changes in slow wave sleep in mice were observed.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1) Semen Ziziphi Spinosae extract could promote the growth of body length and tibia,growth hormone secretion,and brain tissue 5-HT1AR level in mice. (2) The number of differentially expressed miRNAs screened by GeneChip was 16,of which 13 were up-regulated and 3 were down-regulated. Bioinformatics results predicted that down-regulation of miR-7b-3p could regulate 5-HT1AR expression,and dual-luciferase reporter gene experiments confirmed a direct regulatory relationship between the two. (3) Semen Ziziphi Spinosae extract and silencing of miR-7b-3p expression in cerebral cortical cells could cause high expression of 5-HT1AR. After silencing of miR-7b-3p,5-HT1AR expression,binding activity of serotonin and 5-HT1AR and growth hormone secretion in mouse brain tissue were all elevated. After overexpression of miR-7b-3p,5-HT1AR expression,binding activity of serotonin and 5-HT1AR and growth hormone secretion were all reduced. Accordingly,the slow-wave sleep period in mice was also prolonged or shortened. To conclude,Semen Ziziphi Spinosae extract can reduce the level of miR-7b-3p and increase the expression of 5-HT1AR in brain tissue to prolong slow wave sleep and promote the secretion of growth hormone,thereby playing a postive effect on bone growth. These findings provide a scientific basis for the use of Semen Ziziphi Spinosae extract as a potential measure to promote bone growth.