ObjectiveTo observe the clinical efficacy of acupuncture combined with bloodletting and cupping in the treatment of chronic spontaneous urticaria（CSU） and to explore its potential mechanisms of action. MethodsSeventy CSU patients were randomly divided into loratadine group and acupuncture + bloodletting group， with 35 patients in each group. The loratadine group received oral loratadine tablets， 10 mg once daily in the evening. The acupuncture + bloodletting group received acupuncture at Zhongwan （CV 12）， Guanyuan （CV 4）， Tianshu （ST 25）， Zusanli （ST 36）， Sanyinjiao （SP 6）， Xuehai （SP 10）， Quchi （LI 11）， Hegu （LI 4）， Taichong （LR 3）， Baihui （GV 20）， and Shenting （GV 24）， once daily，along with bloodletting and cupping at Dazhui （GV 14） and Geshu （BL 17）， every other day. Both groups were treated for 4 weeks. The 7-day urticaria activity score（UAS7） was assessed before and after the treatment， and levels of serum immunoglobulin E （IgE）， interleukin-4 （IL-4）， interleukin-5 （IL-5）， eosinophil cationic protein （ECP）， plasma tissue factor （TF）， activated factor Ⅶ （FⅦa）， prothrombin fragment 1+2 （F1+2）， D-dimer （D-D） and complement component 5a （C5a） were detected. ResultsA total of 65 patients were included in the final analysis， 32 in the loratadine group and 33 in the acupuncture + bloodletting group. Before treatment， there was no significant difference in UAS7 score， serum IgE， IL-4， IL-5， ECP levels， or plasma TF， FⅦa， F1+2， D-D， C5a levels between groups （P＞ 0.05）. After treatment， both groups showed significant reductions in UAS7 score， serum IgE， IL-4， IL-5， and plasma TF， FⅦa， F1+2， D-D， and C5a levels compared to those before treatment （P＜0.01）. However， after treatment， there was no significant difference in UAS7 score and serum ECP， IgE， IL-4， IL-5 levels between groups （P＞0.05）. The acupuncture + bloodletting group showed lower plasma TF， FⅦa， F1+2， D-D and C5a levels compared to the loratadine group （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. ConclusionAcupuncture combined with bloodletting and cupping can effectively improve the skin symptoms of CSU patients and reduce the levels of inflammatory factors. The potential mechanism of action may involve the regulation of the coagulation-complement-mast cell activation axis， thereby inhibiting mast cell degranulation.

BACKGROUND:Pravastatin is a clinically effective drug for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia and is now found to play a beneficial role in the treatment of CNS injury;however,the mechanism remains unknown. OBJECTIVE:To ascertain the possible mechanism of action and whether pravastatin medication can expedite functional recovery following sciatic nerve crush injury. METHODS:Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned into:pravastatin(sciatic nerve crush injury+pravastatin gavage),negative control(sciatic nerve crush injury+saline gavage),and sham operation(sciatic nerve exposure but no injury+saline gavage).While the other two groups received comparable amounts of saline gavage,the pravastatin group received postoperative pravastatin(5 mg/kg)by gavage for 1 week.The general conditions of the rats in each group were observed after operation.Sciatic function index was evaluated at the end of the 2nd,4th,6th,and 8th week after operation,and the wet mass ratio of the gastrocnemius muscle was measured at the end of the 8th week after operation.The levels of inflammatory cytokines in serum were measured using ELISA.Histomorphometrics was used to measure the number of myelinated nerve fibers,fiber diameter,axon diameter,and myelin sheath thickness.RT-qPCR assay was used to measure the relative mRNA expression of nerve growth factor and brain-derived neurotrophic factor,and western blot was used to measure the protein expression of growth-associated protein 43. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Compared with the negative control group,the sciatic function index in the pravastatin group recovered faster(P<0.05)and was closer to the level of the sham operation group,the expression of tumor necrosis factor α and interleukin 6 in serum was lower(P<0.05)and close to that of the sham operation group,and the relative mRNA expression of nerve growth factor and brain-derived neurotrophic factor in the sciatic nerve increased(P<0.05 or P<0.01),the relative protein expression of growth-associated protein 43 in the sciatic nerve was also significantly increased(P<0.05),the number of myelinated nerve fibers was increased more,and the values of fiber diameter,axon diameter,and myelin sheath thickness were larger(P<0.01)and closer to those of the sham operation group.To conclude,treatment with pravastatin accelerates functional recovery from sciatic nerve crush injury by a possible mechanism of inhibiting the expression of tumor necrosis factor α and interleukin 6 and promoting the secretion of neurotrophic factors nerve growth factor and brain-derived neurotrophic factor.

The free inferior epigastric artery perforator flap is currently a highly regarded autologous breast reconstruction technique. However, in clinical practice, the anatomical characteristics of the lower abdominal vasculature and surrounding tissue structures do not always permit ideal perforator flap harvesting. In many cases, it becomes necessary to preserve a larger rectus abdominis muscle cuff to ensure reliable blood supply to the flap through the perforating vessels. Compared with various forms of rectus abdominis myocutaneous flaps that all require incision of the anterior sheath and intramuscular vascular pedicle dissection, the superficial inferior epigastric artery (SIEA) perforator flap significantly reduces donor-site morbidity. Nevertheless, the anatomical variability of the superficial inferior epigastric vessels increases surgical uncertainty. Based on clinical observations, this study establishes a comprehensive clinical strategy algorithm. Primarily focusing on different configurations of free rectus abdominis flaps, it incorporates additional preparation of free SIEA perforator flaps when anatomical conditions permit. The objectives are to ensure reliable perfusion of the lower abdominal flap while minimizing donor-site damage and reducing surgical complexity.

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy and safety of remedial pedicled rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap transplantation for breast reconstruction.Methods:This retrospective study included 23 female breast cancer patients who underwent autologous breast reconstruction with a remedial pedicled rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap at Hunan Cancer Hospital from June 2022 to June 2023. The patients' ages ranged from 24 to 56 years, with a mean age of (43.2±1.3) years. All patients had previously undergone mastectomy and tumor resection before receiving the remedial pedicled rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap reconstruction. Follow-up was conducted through outpatient visits and telephone interviews, with a median follow-up period of 10 (6-15) months. Observation indicators included survival rate of flaps, patient satisfaction rate and aesthetic outcomes. Adverse reactions including but not limited to flap contracture and deformation, during and following the surgical procedure were also recorded.Results:The remedial pedicled rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap technique was utilized for autologous breast reconstruction in 23 patients. Specifically, this approach was chosen due to two primary reasons: the perforator distance from the vascular pedicle being excessively long in 18 cases, and suboptimal characteristics of the main pedicle in 5 cases. Two types of flap configurations were employed. For 15 patients, a unilateral remedial pedicled rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap was used, with an average flap size of (21.5±0.8) cm in length and (11.2±1.3) cm in width. All flaps demonstrated adequate blood supply without the need for additional vascular anastomosis. For the remaining 8 patients, a combination of a unilateral remedial pedicled rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap and a contralateral free lower abdominal flap was utilized, resulting in an average flap size of (29.3±0.7) cm in length and (12.0±1.8) cm in width. In these cases, the inferior epigastric vessels of the free lower abdominal flap were successfully anastomosed to the internal thoracic vessels of the recipient site, ensuring all flaps survived postoperatively. The survival rate of flaps in 23 patients was 100% (23/23), and the patient satisfaction rate was 100% (23/23). Postoperative evaluation revealed that the reconstructed breasts exhibited satisfactory shape and texture, with no instances of flap contracture or deformation. The reconstructed breasts were largely symmetrical with the contralateral side, leaving only linear scars at the donor and recipient sites. Importantly, there was no significant impact on abdominal wall function, and no adverse reactions such as flap contracture or impaired abdominal wall function were observed in any of the patients.Conclusion:When the characteristics of the perforating vessels in the lower abdomen are suboptimal, the use of a remedial pedicled rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap technique for breast reconstruction can ensure satisfactory outcomes and significantly enhance surgical safety.

Objective:To investigate the clinical, pathological, and molecular biological characteristics of gastric hepatoid adenocarcinoma (HAS) in order to provide reference for clinical treatment.Methods:Thirty-two patients diagnosed with hepatoid adenocarcinoma after radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer at Shanxi Cancer Hospital were included from January 2019 to December 2021. Immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization, and next-generation sequencing (NGS) methods were used to analyze immune markers and molecular characteristics in the pathological tissues from 32 patients with HAS. Cox regression analysis and Kaplan-Meier method were used to analyze the prognostic factors of overall survival and disease-free survival.Results:Among the 32 patients with HAS, 26 were male, 6 were female; aged 28-77 years, with an median age 62.0 (53.8, 67.2) years. Fifteen cases of HAS were located in the cardia, 10 cases in the antrum, and 7 cases in the body of the stomach. The maximum diameter of the mass was 3-10 cm, and mainly ulcerative in gross. The immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization results showed that the positive rates of AFP, SALLA4, and Glypican-3 were 68.8% (22/32), 68.8% (22/32), 78.1% (25/32), respectively; Seven patients had microsatellite status of dMMR. Two cases of HER2 gene amplification and 2 cases of EB virus positivity. The NGS results showed that HAS was often accompanied by multiple gene mutations, with 23 cases having ≥ 2 gene mutations and 6 cases having ≥10 gene mutations. The TP53 gene had the highest mutation frequency; 4 cases had genetic structural variations; 28 cases had copy number variation. In addition, there were 7 cases of MSI-H and 9 cases of TMB-H. Follow-up results showed that 12 cases died, 9 cases developed metastasis, and the shortest survival time was 5 months.Conclusions:Gastric HAS is a type of tumor with high invasiveness and poor prognosis. The combined detection of AFP, SALLA4 and Glypican-3 can improve the diagnostic rate of tumors. dMMR/MSI-H and TMB-H patients in HAS are significantly higher than those in ordinary gastric cancer, and the high frequency mutation genes in HAS are often accompanied by multiple potential therapeutic targets. Immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy and targeted therapy are expected to become the treatment direction of HAS.

Lumbar disc (LD) herniation and aging are prevalent conditions that can result in substantial morbidity. This study aimed to clarify the mechanisms connecting the LD aging and herniation, particularly focusing on cellular senescence and molecular alterations in the nucleus pulposus (NP). We performed a detailed analysis of NP samples from a diverse cohort, including individuals of varying ages and those with diagnosed LD herniation. Our methodology combined histological assessments with single-nucleus RNA sequencing to identify phenotypic and molecular changes related to NP aging and herniation. We discovered that cellular senescence and a decrease in nucleus pulposus progenitor cells (NPPCs) are central to both processes. Additionally, we found an age-related increase in NFAT1 expression that promotes NPPC senescence and contributes to both aging and herniation of LD. This research offers fresh insights into LD aging and its associated pathologies, potentially guiding the development of new therapeutic strategies to target the root causes of LD herniation and aging.
Intervertebral Disc Displacement/metabolism* ; Humans ; Aging/pathology* ; Nucleus Pulposus/pathology* ; Male ; Female ; Transcriptome ; Middle Aged ; Lumbar Vertebrae/pathology* ; Adult ; Cellular Senescence ; Stem Cells/pathology* ; Aged ; Intervertebral Disc Degeneration/metabolism*

Objective To provide a reference for medication therapy management(MTM)of diabetic patients complicated with abnormal blood pressure fluctuation.Methods A 71-year-old female diabetic patient with combined hypertension and abnormal blood pressure fluctuations was referred by the doctor to the pharmacy clinic.The pharmacists provided MTM services through pharmacy inquiry,medication evaluation,medication reconciliation,drug use education,and pharmacy follow-up.They reconciliated the medication regimen based on plasma glucose levels and dynamic blood pressure rhythms.Results Through twelve times MTM services for fourteen weeks,the atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease(ASCVD)risk factors,including morning peak blood pressure,fasting plasma glucose(FPG),plasma glucose two hours post breakfast(P2h PG)and glycosylated hemoglobin(HbA1c),reduced from 163/115 mmHg,7.54 mmol·L-1,12.87 mmol·L-1 and 7.2%before MTM to 137/84 mmHg,6.42 mmol·L-1,8.79 mmol·L-1 and 6.4%after MTM services,and the trough blood pressure post breakfast raised from 86/64mmHg to 115/76 mmHg.The patient's plasma glucose and blood pressure were effectively managed and controlled,and the abnormal non-spoon-shaped hypertension rhythm changed to the normal spoon-shaped diurnal blood pressure rhythm,and the patient's dizziness symptoms disappeared after breakfast.Conclusion The hospital develops pharmacy clinics,where pharmacists provide MTM services for patients with chronic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes,promote clinical rational drug use,and improve the level of patient health management.

Liver transplantation is a crucial treatment for end-stage liver disease,yet its complexity continues to limit clinical application.With the development of the internet and big data,artificial intelligence(AI)technologies have gradually expanded their use in liver transplantation surgery,covering donor liver evaluation,organ allocation,robot-assisted surgery,and postoperative management,demonstrating significant advantages.However,the application of AI also raises a series of ethical issues,notably fairness in resource allocation,conflicts between technical limitations and the principle of non-maleficence,ambiguous responsibility attribution,patient privacy security,and informed consent.This article systematically reviews the current applications of AI in liver transplantation surgery and the related ethical challenges,aiming to provide a reference for its rational use and sustainable development.

Drug addiction,also referred to as drug dependence or substance use disorder,is a chronic and recurrent brain disease.Its main characteristics are compulsive drug-seeking behavior,continued use of drugs,and a loss of control over intake.Prolonged use of addictive substances can result in both physiological and psychological dependence.When usage is ceased,individuals may experience intense discomfort,including anxiety,insomnia,nausea,vomiting,and a strong craving for the substances.Drug dependence is classified into two types:physical dependence and psychological dependence.Physical dependence describes a pathological state of adaptation that results from the repeated use of addictive substances,leading to severe withdrawal syndrome upon cessation.Psychological dependence involves a mental craving for addictive substances,which is needed to experience the specific euphoria that follows consumption.Regular or continuous use is required to sustain these euphoric effects.The mechanisms of addiction are complex and influenced by genetic,environmental,and various other factors.They involve higher-level neurological activities,such as memory,reward,and decision-making.Currently,effective treatment methods for drug addiction are insufficient.Due to the complexity of drug addiction,laboratory animal research is essential.Using animal behavioral models to simulate human drug addiction can enhance our understanding of the mechanisms of addiction.This research offers a comprehensive overview of various animal experimental models that explore both physical and psychological dependence.It includes detailed descriptions of the methods and procedures used to assess physical dependence,behavioral sensitization,conditioned place preference,drug discrimination,and self-administration experiments.Additionally,the characteristics of each experimental model are compared,and the relevance of these models is discussed,aiming to provide support for the research on addiction mechanisms and the development of therapeutic methods.