BackgroundObstructive sleep apnea （OSA） represents a prevalent sleep disordered breathing condition characterized by complex pathophysiology. The arousal threshold （ArTH）， a core non-anatomical contributor to OSA pathogenesis， is intimately tied to the disease severity and clinical phenotypes. To date， research regarding factors associated with ArTH has yielded inconsistent findings， and ArTH profiles and disparities across populations with different genetic backgrounds are not fully elucidated. ObjectiveTo explore the differences of ArTH in OSA patients with different genetic backgrounds and analyze the key factors affecting ArTH， thereby providing evidence for understanding OSA pathophysiology and formulating targeted treatment regimens. MethodsA total of 285 patients who met the diagnostic criteria for OSA， as defined by the Multidisciplinary Diagnosis and Treatment Guidelines for Adult Obstructive Sleep Apnea， were retrospectively enrolled in this study. All participants underwent overnight polysomnography （PSG） at the Sleep Medicine Center of Inner Mongolia Mental Health Center from December 2022 to May 2024. Based on the study design， the cohort was stratified into two distinct genetic background subgroups （group A and group B）. Demographic and clinical characteristics， the Epworth Sleepiness Scale （ESS） score， and overnight PSG data were collected. The apnea hypopnea index （AHI）， the lowest pulse oxygen saturation （LSpO₂）， and fraction of hypopneas （F_Hypopneas） were utilized as surrogate indicators to estimate ArTH in OSA patients. The influencing factors of low ArTH were tested by binary Logistic regression analysis. ResultsAmong the 285 OSA patients， there were 227 cases （79.65%） in group A and 58 cases （20.35%） in group B. Comparisons between the two genetic background subgroups revealed no statistically significant differences in the proportion of low ArTH， ESS score， PSG parameters， and the three markers for low ArTH （AHI<30 events/h， LSpO₂>82.5%， F_Hypopneas>58.3%） （P>0.05）. Binary Logistic regression analysis identified sex （OR=2.421， 95% CI： 1.070–5.478）， BMI （OR=0.847， 95% CI： 0.770–0.932）， N1 sleep duration （OR=0.974， 95% CI： 0.963–0.985）， and hypertension （OR=0.348， 95% CI： 0.143–0.848） as independent factors associated with low ArTH in the total cohort. Stratified analysis by genetic backgrounds revealed that sex（OR=3.799， 95% CI： 1.389–10.392）， BMI（OR=0.819， 95% CI：0.723–0.929）， and N1 sleep duration（OR=0.973， 95% CI： 0.961–0.986） were independent factors of low ArTH in group A. In contrast， only N1 sleep duration （OR=0.951， 95% CI： 0.911–0.993） remained a significant factor in group B. ConclusionArthur may have conservative characteristics in patients with OSA with different genetic backgrounds， but the pathophysiological mechanism of OSA may have population heterogeneity. ［Funded by Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Natural Science Fundation Project （number， 2024QN08050）； Intra-institutional Scientific Research Project of Inner Mongolia Mental Health Center （number， 2022QNWN0010）］

This paper summarizes professor YANG Chunbo's clinical experience in treating refractory constipation （RC） complicated with melanosis coli （MC） from the perspective of damp-heat theory. Internal accumulation of damp-heat is considered as the core pathogenesis of this condition， and the therapeutic principles should focus on clearing， transforming， tonifying， and resolving. Self-formulated Qinghua Beverage （清化饮） is developed to clear and transform damp-heat， regulate qi， and soothe collaterals. In clinical practice， RC complicated with MC is classified into damp-heat with qi stagnation syndrome and damp-heat with stasis obstruction syndrome. Qinghua Beverage is used as the base prescription with modifications according to syndrome differentiation. For damp-heat with qi stagnation syndrome， medicinals that promote qi movement and unblock the bowels， activate blood and clear collaterals are added， while for damp-heat with stasis obstruction syndrome， herbs that resolve stasis and unblock collaterals are incorporated， with simultaneous consideration of nourishing blood and supporting collaterals.

Objective To analyze the distribution and drug resistance patterns of pathogenic bacteria in bile and blood cultures obtained from patients with biliary stones accompanied by acute biliary tract infection,to evaluate the clinical appropriate-ness of antibiotic use based on drug sensitivity results,and to provide evidence for empirical antibiotic treatment in such patients.Methods The clinical data of 161 patients with biliary calculi complicated by acute biliary tract infection who were admitted to the First People's Hospital of Neijiang from 2017 to 2023 were retrospectively analyzed.The results of microbial culture,drug sensitivity analysis,and patient characteristics were assessed to evaluate the appropriateness of clinical antimicrobial therapy.Results Among the 161 patients with positive cultures,212 strains of pathogenic bacteria were detected.The predominant patho-gens were Escherichia coli,Klebsiella pneumoniae subspecies,and Enterococcus faecium.Age and underlying diseases significantly affected the distribution of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae subspecies.Within the gram-negative bacterial group,Esche-richia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae subspecies exhibited higher drug resistance to commonly used broad-spectrum penicillin,third-generation cephalosporin and quinolones but lower resistance rates to piperacillin and tazobactam;furthermore,elderly indi-viduals aged ≥65 years showed higher resistance rates to ceftriaxone than those under age 65 while people with drug exposure history had higher ceftazidime resistance rates that were statistically significant.In contrast to Enterococcus faecalis which displayed low antimicrobial resistance rates for most drugs tested in this study,Enterococcus faecium demonstrated high levels of antibiotic resistance;however,both Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium exhibited zero-resistance rates against vancomycin and tigecycline although this may be attributed to their small sample size in our study cohort.Finally,we found that empirical anti-in-fective drugs,as well as target anti-infective drugs,were not prescribed rationally among these patients due mainly to inappropriate combinations of antibiotics or incorrect dosages.Conclusions The predominant pathogens in patients with acute biliary tract infection are gram-negative bacteria,Gram-positive bacteria,and fungi;however,the potential involvement of anaerobic bacteria should not be overlooked.Vancomycin exhibits sensitivity against gram-positive bacteria,yet the overall rationality of antibiotic usage remains suboptimal.Enhanced clinical testing for pathogenic microorganisms is imperative in the management of biliary stones accompanied by acute biliary tract infection.In contrast,clinical pharmacists should provide comprehensive training on anti-infective drugs to clinicians to facilitate their judicious selection of antibiotics based on drug sensitivity results and prevent the e-mergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria.

Pancreatic cancer is highly aggressive and often diagnosed at an advanced stage,leaving most patients ineligible for radical resection.This study retrospectively analyzed four patients with locally advanced or advanced pancreatic cancer to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of high-intensity focused ultrasound(HIFU)ablation combined with chemotherapy as a neoadjuvant and conversion therapy.All cases were reviewed and individualized treatment plans were formulated through a multidisciplinary team evaluation.All patients received HIFU plus gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel chemotherapy,with assessments of tumor volume,vascular involvement,surgical conversion,symptom relief,and adverse events.Three patients achieved marked tumor shrinkage and reduction of vascular invasion,enabling successful R0 resection without recurrence during follow-up.The remaining patient achieved disease stability,significant pain relief,and maintained good quality of life under repeated HIFU therapy.All treatments were well tolerated,and no severe adverse reactions occurred.The combination of HIFU and chemotherapy demonstrated synergistic local and systemic effects,effectively achieving tumor downstaging,improving resectability,and alleviating symptoms.As a safe,noninvasive,and repeatable therapeutic approach,this strategy offers a promising option for patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.Further large-scale prospective studies are warranted to validate its long-term efficacy and elucidate underlying mechanisms.

Background and Aims:Acute pancreatitis(AP)is an acute inflammatory disease of the pancreas caused by abnormal activation of pancreatic enzymes.Although gallstones,hyperlipidemia,and alcohol use are the most common causes,a subset of patients develop AP secondary to rare etiologies that are often misdiagnosed or diagnosed late,leading to recurrence or inappropriate management.This study aims to summarize the clinical characteristics,diagnostic strategies,and treatment outcomes of four cases of AP caused by uncommon etiologies,supported by a literature review.Methods:Clinical data of 4 patients admitted to the Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery,the Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University,between November 2021 and September 2024,were retrospectively analyzed.Their etiological characteristics,diagnostic approaches,and treatment strategies were reviewed in combination with relevant literature.Results:The underlying causes of AP were intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm,pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor,pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma,and duodenojejunal intussusception.All cases initially presented as idiopathic AP.Three patients underwent definitive surgical treatment and recovered well,while one patient with pancreatic cancer received only palliative care due to delayed diagnosis and died three months later.Conclusion:AP secondary to rare etiologies often mimics common forms in clinical presentation but poses diagnostic challenges.For patients with recurrent or idiopathic AP,clinicians should emphasize etiological tracing and utilize advanced imaging and endoscopic modalities for early identification.Timely etiological intervention,particularly surgical management when appropriate,is essential for preventing recurrence and improving prognosis.

Objective To observe resting-state functional connectivity(rs-FC)changes of mirror neuron system(MNS)brain regions in male nicotine addicts,and to explore their correlations with the degree of addiction.Methods Twenty-five male nicotine addicts(addiction group)and 27 healthy males(control group)were prospectively recruited,and resting-statefunctional MR scanning was performed.The general information and rs-FC values were compared between groups,and correlations of rs-FC values with Fagerstr?m test for nicotine dependence(FTND)and heaviness of smoking index(HSI)scale scores in addiction group were analyzed.Results No significant difference of age nor education level was found between groups(both P＞0.05).Compared to control group,rs-FC values between left inferior frontal gyrus(IFG.L)and right middle temporal gyrus(MTG.R)as well as right middle occipital gyrus(MOG.R)increased(GRF corrected,voxel-level P＜0.005,cluster-level P＜0.05),while between right fusiform gyrus(FFG.R)and right dorsal cingulate gyrus(DCG.R),right supplementary motor area(SMA.R),left medial superior frontal gyrus(SFGmed.L)and left supplementary motor area(SMA.L)decreased(GRF corrected,voxel-level P＜0.005,cluster-level P＜0.05).In addiction group,rs-FC value between IFG.L and MTG.R was negatively correlated with HSI scale score(r=-0.457,P=0.022),while that between IFG.L and MOG.R was negatively correlated with HSI scale and FTND scores(r=-0.440,-0.458,P=0.028,0.021).Conclusion There were specific changes of rs-FC patterns of MNS brain regions in male nicotine addicts,which were correlated with the degree of addiction.

OBJECTIVE To explore the characteristics of hot flushes and the effect of Erxian Decoction in rats after bilateral oo-phorectomy.METHODS Forty-eight female SD rats were randomly divided into 4 groups:sham operation group,bilateral ovariecto-my group,17β-estradiol treatment group and Erxian Decoction treatment group,with 12 rats in each group.After bilateral ovariecto-my,rats were gavaged with 17β-estradiol(0.1 mg·kg-1·d-1)and Erxian Decoction(8 g·kg-1·d-1)for 6 weeks.On the 21st and 42nd days of modeling,the body weight,rectal temperature,infrared thermography of the body surface and other characteristic informa-tion of the rats were detected.Serum E2 content was detected by ELISA.The pathological changes of the uterus and foot pad sweat glands of the rats were observed by HE staining.The hypothalamic estrogen receptor(ER)and thermoreceptor transient receptor poten-tial vanilloid 3(TRPV3)and transient receptor potential vanilloid 4(TRPV4)were detected by immunohistochemistry.The protein ex-pression of ERβ,PAC1R and PKA was detected by Western blot.RESULTS Compared with the sham operation group during the same period,the body weight of the rats in the bilateral ovariectomy group increased significantly(P<0.01),while the body weight of the rats in the 17β-estradiol group and Erxian Decoction group increased slowly.Compared with the sham operation group,the rectal temperature of the bilateral ovariectomy group and the 17β-estradiol group increased significantly on the 21st day after modeling(P<0.01),and decreased significantly on the 42nd day after modeling(P<0.05);on the 21st and 42nd days after modeling,the maxi-mum body surface temperature of the rats in the bilateral ovariectomy group,the 17β-estradiol group and the Erxian Decoction group decreased significantly(P<0.01),and on the 42nd day after modeling,the tail/body temperature ratio of the rats in the bilateral ovari-ectomy group increased significantly(P<0.05);the number of sweat points in the bilateral ovariectomy group increased significantly(P<0.01);the uterine index of the bilateral ovariectomy group,the 17β-estradiol group and the Erxian Decoction group decreased sig-nificantly(P<0.01);the serum E2 in the bilateral ovariectomy group decreased significantly(P<0.05);the number of ER-positive cells in the hypothalamus of the rats in the bilateral ovariectomy group decreased significantly(P<0.01),while the number of TRPV3 positive cells increased significantly(P<0.05);the number of ER and TRPV3 positive cells decreased in the 17β-estradiol group(P<0.05),and the number of TRPV4 positive cells increased(P<0.01);17β-estradiol inhibited the expression of PAC1R and PKA pro-teins(P<0.05),and Erxian Decoction significantly inhibited the expression of PAC1R,PKA and ERβ proteins(P<0.01).Compared with the bilateral ovariectomy group,the rectal temperature of the Erxian Decoction group decreased significantly on the 21st day(P<0.01);the number of sweat spots in the 17β-estradiol group and the Erxian Decoction group decreased significantly(P<0.01);the E2 level in the Erxian Decoction group increased significantly(P<0.05),the number of ER positive cells in the hypothalamus increased significantly(P<0.01),and the expression of ERβ and PAC1R proteins decreased significantly(P<0.01).CONCLUSION Bilater-al oophorectomy rat model is associated with hot flashes,and its symptom characteristics are yin deficiency and internal heat,as well as insufficient yang qi,resulting in a yin-yang imbalance;Erxian Decoction affects the sensitivity of temperature changes by promoting es-trogen secretion and its receptor expression.

Objective:To establish an HPLC method to simultaneously determine the contents of 7 components, including Cardol triene, Cardol diene, (8'Z,11'Z,14'Z)-5-(Heptadeca-8',11',14'-trienyl)benzene-1,3-diol, Alkylresorcinol B, 5-(8'Z,11'Z-heptadecadienyl)-1,3-benzenediol, Adipostatin A, and 5-(11'Z-heptadecenyl)-resorcinol in Embelia laeta (L.) Mez. Methods:Chromatographic column was Arcus EP-C18(4.6 mm×250 mm, 5 μm); mobile phase was methanol-water (90∶10); column temperature was 25 ℃; flow rate was 1 ml/min; detection wavelength was 220 nm; the injection volume was 10 μl.Results:The 7 compounds in Embelia laeta (L.) Mez showed good linear relationships, which sample recovery rate ranges from 97.69%- 100.62%. The average contents of the 7 components from 9 origins were 3.099 9, 6.246 3, 9.942 8, 4.093 7, 2.180 3, 0.960 2, 1.855 9 mg/g. Conclusion:The established HPLC method for simultaneous determination of the contents of 7 components in Embelia laeta (L.) Mez is feasible, which can provide references for further development and utilization of Embelia laeta (L.) Mez.

BACKGROUND:Current treatment strategies for chronic non-healing wounds have shown unsatisfactory results,necessitating the exploration of novel therapeutic approaches.Concentrated growth factors,rich in high-concentration growth factors and possessing a stable natural three-dimensional structure,have demonstrated significant application value in the treatment of chronic non-healing wounds.OBJECTIVE:To review the current status of concentrated growth factor application in chronic non-healing wounds,analyze the shortcomings of concentrated growth factor in clinical applications,and propose constructive suggestions and prospects.METHODS:CNKI,WanFang,and VIP databases were searched with the key words of"concentrated growth factor,platelet concentrate products,chronic wound,chronic ulcer,wound healing,platelet-rich plasma,platelet-rich fibrin"in Chinese.PubMed was searched with the key words of"CGF,concentrated growth factor,platelet concentrate products,chronic wound,chronic ulcer,wound healing,PRP,PRF,platelet-rich plasma,platelet-rich fibrin"in English.The articles published from 2000 to 2024 were searched and further analyzed and summarized after screening.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Concentrated growth factor,with its diverse application forms,high concentration of growth factors,natural three-dimensional structure,compatibility with various material technologies,relatively low cost,and ease of operation,has demonstrated significant clinical value in the treatment of chronic wounds.Numerous researchers have validated its positive effects in chronic wound therapy through clinical applications.However,there is currently no clear consensus on standardized concentrated growth factor application protocols,and certain deficiencies have been revealed in practical applications,including issues with dosage,centrifugation settngs,identification schemes,and preparation methods for different forms of concentrated growth factor.There is substantial room for research on concentrated growth factor,and it is believed that with a clear consensus on its application in the future,concentrated growth factor could play a significant role in clinical practice.

Objective To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of endoscopic total thyroidectomy performed via a combined transoral and submental approach in patients with thyroid cancer Methods This study enrolled 227 patients diagnosed with papillary thyroid carcinoma(PTC)who underwent total thyroidectomy combined with unilateral central lymph node dissection at the Department of Thyroid and Hernia Surgery,the First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University,between October 2019 and March 2024.Of these patients,68 were treated using the fully endoscopic combined transoral and submental approach(endoscopic group),whereas 159 underwent the conventional open anterior cervical approach(open group).A retrospective analysis was performed to evaluate and compare the therapeutic outcomes between the two groups.Results Surgical procedures were successfully completed in both groups without complications,and no additional incisions were required in the endoscopic group.Compared with the open surgery group,the endoscopic group had a longer operative duration,reduced intraoperative blood loss,and greater total postoperative drainage volume.Furthermore,on the first postoperative day,patients in the endoscopic surgery group exhibited lower levels of serum calcium and intact parathyroid hormone(iPTH).The incidence of temporary parathyroid dysfunction was significantly higher in the endoscopic group(51.47%)than in the open surgery group(30.82%),and this difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).No significant differences were found between the two groups regarding preoperative serum iPTH levels,preoperative serum calcium levels,number of dissected lymph nodes,incidence of temporary recurrent laryngeal nerve injury,postoperative hemorrhage,incision infection,or submental sensory loss(P>0.05).Conclusions Compared with traditional open surgery,total thyroidectomy via TOETSMVA under full endoscopy demonstrates comparable efficacy and favorable long-term safety.However,it is associated with a higher risk of transient hypoparathyroidism in the short term,highlighting the necessity for enhanced intraoperative protection of the parathyroid glands.