OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of acupuncture at Hegu (LI4), Taichong (LR3) and Sanyinjiao (SP6) on pain, anxiety, intrapartum blood loss, labor stage, and neonatal outcomes in primiparas. METHODS: One hundred primiparas were randomly divided into an acupuncture group (50 cases, 1 case was eliminated) and a control group (50 cases). The conventional obstetrical nursing was given in the control group. On the basis of the intervention in the control group, acupuncture was applied at bilateral Hegu (LI4), Taichong (LR3) and Sanyinjiao (SP6) in the acupuncture group. The delivery mode and labor stage, the scores of visual analogue scale (VAS) for uterine contraction pain and Hamilton anxiety scale (HAMA) before and after acupuncture, the intrapartum/postpartum blood loss and massive hemorrhage, as well as the neonatal Apgar score after 1, 5, and 10 min of birth, were compared in the two groups. RESULTS: The cesarean section rate was 4.1% (2/49) in the acupuncture group, which was superior to 10.0% (5/50) in the control group (P<0.05). In the acupuncture group, the time of latent phase of 2-cm cervical dilation, active phase, first and second stages of labor, and total labor stage was shorter than that in the control group (P<0.001), the intrapartum blood loss and massive hemorrhage rate were lower than those in the control group (P<0.001, P<0.05). After acupuncture, the VAS and HAMA scores were decreased compared with those before acupuncture in the acupuncture group (P<0.001), the VAS and HAMA scores were increased compared with those before acupuncture in the control group (P<0.001). In the acupuncture group, the VAS and HAMA scores after acupuncture were lower than those in the control group (P<0.001), the changes of the VAS and HAMA scores before and after acupuncture were larger than those in the control group (P<0.001). There were no statistical differences in neonatal Apgar scores between the two groups (P>0.05). CONCLUSION Acupuncture at Hegu (LI4), Taichong (LR3) and Sanyinjiao (SP6) can effectively alleviate the pain and anxiety, shorten the labor stage, reduce the intrapartum blood loss and incidence rate of massive hemorrhage, and promote spontaneous delivery, thereby enhancing maternal comfort and safety in primiparas.
Humans ; Female ; Pregnancy ; Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Young Adult ; Labor, Obstetric ; Parity

Objective:To investigate the changes in retinal structure and microcirculation in the patients with high myopia(HM)and the non-HM individuals,and to elucidate the correlations between axial length(AL)and the related parameters.Methods:A total of 80 eyes from 40 patients with simple HM(non-pathological myopia)were enrolled as case group,while 80 eyes from 40 age-and sex-matched non-HM subjects were selected as control group.The best-corrected visual acuity(BCVA),AL,spherical equivalent(SE),and optical coherence tomography angiography(OCT A)examination were performed in all the subjects.OCTA examination was used to measure the vascular density of the superficial retinal capillary plexus(SCP),deep retinal capillary plexus(DCP),and radial peripapillary capillary(RPC),as well as central macular thickness(CMT),and the area and volume of the foveal avascular zone(FAZ)of the subjects in two groups.The differences in these parameters of the subjects between two groups were analyzed.The AL of the subjects in two groups was measured using a biometer,and its correlations with the parameters mentioned above were evaluated.Results:No statistically significant differences were observed in age or sex distribution between two groups(P＞0.05).Compared with control group,both SCP and DCP vessel densities acrossing the whole(excluding the foveal),parafoveal,and perifoveal regions of the macular retina of the patients in case group were significantly decreased(P＜0.05).Compared with control group,the RPC vessel densities in the optic disc region of the patients in case group were significantly decreased in the whole,peripapillary,peripapillary superior,and peripapillary inferior sectors(P＜0.001),while the RPC vessel density was increased inside the disc(P＜0.01).Compared with control group,the whole FAZ volume of the patients in case group was increased(P＜0.01),while the parafoveal and perifoveal CMT were decreased(P＜0.001).In case group,AL was negatively correlated with SCP vessel density(r=-0.642,P＜0.001),DCP vessel density(r=-0.388,P＜0.001),RPC vessel density(r=-0.639,P＜0.001),and CMT(r=-0.495,P＜0.001),but positively correlated with FAZ volume(r=0.580,P＜0.001);no significant correlation was found between AL and FAZ area(r=-0.062,P=0.587).Conclusion:The patients with HM may exhibit early reductions in SCP,DCP,and RPC vessel densities,thinning of the central retina,and increased FAZ volume.Furthermore,as AL increases,SCP,DCP,and RPC vessel densitiesas as well as CMT decreases,while FAZ volume increases,suggesting significant associations between AL and the parameters mentioned above.

Objective To investigate the value of serum tumor markers in the diagnosis of lung cancer.Methods A total of 138 patients with newly diagnosed lung cancer patient(lung cancer group)and 52 patients with benign lung diseases(control group)in Anhui NO.2 Provincial People's Hospital from June 2020 to March 2024 were selected as the research objects.The clinical data and serum tumor markers[neuron-specific enolase(NSE),cytokeratin 19 fragment(CYFRA21-1),carcinoembryonic antigen(CEA),Pro-gastrin-relea-sing peptide(ProGRP)and squamous cell carcinoma antigen(SCC)]of all groups were compared.Results There were significant differences in age and smoking history between the two groups(P＜0.05).The serum levels of NSE,CYFRA21-1,CEA,ProGRP and SCC in lung cancer group were significantly higher than those in control group,and the differences were statistically significant(P＜0.05).The results of binary Logistic regression analysis showed that smoking history,age,CYFRA21-1 and CEA levels were all influen-cing factors for the occurrence of lung cancer(P＜0.05).Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve analy-sis results showed that the area under the curve(AUC)of smoking history,age,CEA and CYFRA21-1 in the combined diagnosis of lung cancer was 0.906(95％CI:0.865-0.947),which was higher than the AUC for the individual diagnosis of each index.The levels of serum CYFR21-1 and CEA in the stage Ⅰ—Ⅱ group were significantly lower than those in the stage Ⅲ-Ⅳ group,and the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05).The results of binary Logistic regression analysis showed that CYFRA21-1 and CEA levels were influ-ential factors in the occurrence of lung cancer stage Ⅲ-Ⅳ(P＜0.05).ROC curve analysis showed that the AUC of CEA and CYFRA21-1 for the diagnosis of lung cancer stage Ⅲ-Ⅳ were 0.750(95％CI:0.667-0.832)and 0.771(95％CI:0.691-0.852),respectively.The AUC of combined diagnosis was 0.834(95％CI:0.765-0.902),the sensitivity was 58.9％,and the specificity was 95.3％.Conclusion Smoking history,age,CEA,and CYFRA21-1 may be potential biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of lung cancer,espe-cially CEA and CYFRA21-1,which are also of great significance for the staging of lung cancer from stage Ⅲ to stage Ⅳ.

AIM:To study whether glycyrrhizic acid(GL)can resist the ototoxicity of cisplatin(CDDP)in mice and its molecular mechanism.METHODS:Male C57BL/6J mice were divided into 5 groups:control group,DMSO(5%)group,CDDP(4 mg/kg)group,CDDP+low-dose(50 mg/kg)GL group,and CDDP+high-dose(100 mg/kg)GL group(n=14).Auditory brainstem response(ABR)was used to detect hearing changes of mice.HE staining was used to observe the morphological change of cochlear stria vascular in mice.Evans blue(EB)staining was used to observe the per-meability change of the blood-labyrinth barrier(BLB).Immunohistochemical technique was used to detect the expression and distribution of adhesion protein VE-cadherin and tight junction protein ZO-1 on the cochlear stria.ELISA assay and immunofluorescence technology were employed to detect the expression of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)and interleu-kin-1β(1L-1β).RESULTS:In CDDP group,ABR waveforms of all frequencies were disturbed,the hearing threshold was significantly increased,and I wave latency was prolonged(P＜0.05).In CDDP+GL group,ABR waveforms of various frequencies were well differentiated,the hearing threshold was significantly decreased,and the latency of I-wave was shortened(P＜0.01).The disordered morphology and more vacuoles in the stria vascularis were observed by HE staining in CDDP group.The GL alleviated CDDP-induced damage in the stria vascularis.In EB staining,CDDP caused an increase in per-meability of BLB(P＜0.01),which was improved by GL treatment(P＜0.01).Immunohistochemical results showed that the expression of VE-cadherin and ZO-1 in CDDP group were decreased(P＜0.01),which was restored in CDDP+GL group(P＜0.01).The ELISA and immunofluorescence results showed that the expression of IL-1β and TNF-α was in-creased after CDDP treatment(P＜0.01),which was restored in CDDP+GL group(P＜0.01).CONCLUSION:The GL alleviates CDDP-induced hearing loss in mice by inhibiting CDDP-induced inflammation and reducing the permeability of BLB.

BACKGROUND:The osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells is regulated by a variety of molecules.Long non-coding RNA(lncRNA)has attracted much attention because they can participate in regulating a variety of biological processes,but the regulatory role of lncRNA on osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells has not been fully explored. OBJECTIVE:To explore the effect of lncRNA Gm16104 on osteogenic differentiation of C3H10T1/2 mesenchymal stem cells. METHODS:The C3H10T1/2 mesenchymal stem cells were induced into osteogenic differentiation by bone morphogenetic protein-2.Alkaline phosphatase staining was performed to identify the osteogenic differentiation of the cells 5 days after osteogenic induction.Expression levels of alkaline phosphatase and lncRNA Gm16104 were detected by qRT-PCR after 0,1,3,and 5 days of osteogenic differentiation.After transfection of the overexpression plasmid of pcDNA-Gm16104,the osteogenic differentiation was identified by alkaline phosphatase staining and qRT-PCR 4 days after osteogenic induction.The expression levels of osteogenesis-related signalling pathway proteins were detected by western blot assay. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)After 5 days of osteogenic induction,alkaline phosphatase activity was significantly increased.(2)Compared with 0 days,expression levels of the osteogenic marker gene alkaline phosphatase increased and expression levels of Gm16104 decreased after 1,3,and 5 days of osteogenic induction.(3)Transfection of C3H10T1/2 cells with pcDNA-Gm16104 plasmid significantly increased the expression level of Gm16104.(4)Overexpression of Gm16104 inhibited alkaline phosphatase activity,the expression levels of the osteogenic marker gene alkaline phosphatase and the osteogenesis-related transcription factor Osterix.(5)Overexpression of Gm16104 inhibited phosphorylated protein expression of PI3K and Akt.(6)The above results suggest that overexpression of Gm16104 may inhibit osteogenic differentiation of C3H10T1/2 mesenchymal stem cells through the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

OBJECTIVE To study the effect of different doses of aspirin on clinical efficacy in acute stage of Kawasaki’s disease, and to explore the optimal dose of aspirin. METHODS A total of 150 patients suffered from Kawasaki’s disease were randomly selected by hospital information system from March to May 2022 for retrospective analysis. According to different doses of aspirin, they were divided into three groups: high dose group(>50 mg·kg−1·d−1), medium dose group(30−50 mg·kg−1·d−1) and low dose group(<30 mg·kg−1·d−1). The antipyretic time, the incidence of non-response to intravenous human immunoglobulin, the improvement of laboratory indexes and prevalence of adverse drug reaction were compared among the three groups. RESULTS There was no significant difference in body temperature recovery among the three groups under different doses of aspirin. There was no significant difference in patients with non-response to intravenous human immunoglobulin among the three groups. Before treatment, there were no significant differences in white blood cell(WBC) count, blood platelet(PLT) count and C-reactive protein(CRP) concentration among the three groups. After treatment, the count of WBC, PLT and CRP in the three groups was significantly improved compared with that before treatment, and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05). However, there was no significant difference in the above indexes among the three groups after treatment. There was a higher incidence of adverse reactions in children treated with medium or high dose aspirin. CONCLUSION Different doses of aspirin combined with intravenous human immunoglobulin have good therapeutic effect on Kawasaki’s disease, but considering the safety and economy of aspirin, low dose administration is recommended.

Lung cancer, one of the most prevalent cancer types globally, underscores the critical importance of early detection and precise diagnosis in its management. However, conventional pathological diagnostic methods encounter various limitations, including the intricacies of the diagnostic process and the challenges in achieving uniform results. In contrast to traditional pathology, digital pathology integrates digitized pathological information with artificial intelligence, and offers a pathway for rapid and accurate diagnostic assistance. It holds the potential to delve into the tumor characteristics and microenvironment information, thereby supporting precision diagnosis and treatment for lung cancer. This article elucidates the recent applications of digital pathology in lung cancer diagnosis, staging, treatment, and prognosis. Additionally, it addresses the challenges currently faced by digital pathology.

Lipid Droplets/metabolism* ; Bacteria ; Lipid Metabolism

Objective:To establish and validate a reliable and sensitive liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method for the detection of 12 ceramides in human plasma.Methods:From October 2021 to October 2022, 438 apparently healthy individuals were enrolled in the Affiliated Hospitals of Zunyi Medical University for reference intervals of 12 ceramides in this population. Plasma samples were collected, and separated using the ACQUITY UPLC BEH C18 (2.1×50 mm, 1.7 μm) column, deuterated isotopes were used as internal standards. The mobile phase is water (containing 0.1% formic acid) and isopropanol: acetonitrile (1∶1, v/v, containing 0.1% formic acid) at a flow rate of 0.4 ml/min with gradient elution. The detection method was established using the Qlife Lab 9000 Plus triple quadrupole mass spectrometer. The performance of the method was evaluated in terms of linearity, the lower limit of quantification, precision, recovery, and stability.Results:The method passed the performance evaluation in terms of linearity, the lower limit of quantification, recovery, precision, and stability. The intra-and inter-batch precision of the 12 ceramides ranged from 1.3% to 14.3%, the correctness was verified by spiked recovery experiments, and the recoveries ranged from 91.9% to 111.0%. The lower limit of quantification ranged from 0.001 to 0.100 μmol/L. Standard curve showed good linearity (correlation coefficient r>0.990). Stability tests showed that the 12 ceramides were stable in the biological matrix and after processing under different conditions for a specified period of time. The corresponding biological reference intervals were established for each of the 12 ceramides: 0.103-0.326 μmol/L for Cer(d18∶1/16∶0), 0.018-0.098 μmol/L for Cer(d18∶1/18∶0), 0.933-3.919 μmol/L for Cer(d18∶1/24∶0), 0.243-1.072 μmol/L for Cer(d18∶1/24∶1), 0.001-0.007 μmol/L for Cer(d18∶1/14∶0), 0.022-0.095 μmol/L for Cer(d18∶1/20∶0), 0.185-0.835 μmol/L for Cer(d18∶1/22∶0), 0.003-0.022 μmol/L for Cer(d18∶0/16∶0), 0.001-0.016 μmol/L for Cer(d18∶0/18∶0), 0.017-0.156 μmol/L for Cer(d18∶0/24∶0), 0.008-0.074 μmol/L for Cer(d18∶0/24∶1), and 0.106-0.721 μmol/L for LacCer(d18∶1/24∶1). Conclusion:Our study shows that the newly established LC-MS/MS method for the determination of 12 ceramides in human plasma is reliable, and suitable for clinical application.

ObjectiveTo observe the recovery of proprioception of the affected ankle over time after lateral ankle sprain accepting routine rehabilitation. MethodsFrom June, 2020 to June, 2022, 18 patients with lateral ankle sprain in Kunshan Rehabilitation Hospital underwent routine rehabilitation for twelve weeks. They were measured active and passive position sense of bilateral ankles using an isokinetic dynamometer before treatment, and four, eight and twelve weeks after treatment, respectively. ResultsThe active presentation difference of affected ankle reduced after treatment (F = 22.533, P < 0.001), but it was more than that of the healthy ankle at the same time (t > 4.419, P < 0.001). No significant improvement was found in passive presentation difference of affected ankle after treatment (F = 1.175, P > 0.05), and it was not significantly different from those of the healthy ankle at the same time (|t| < 0.646, P > 0.05). ConclusionProprioception of affected ankle has been impaired after lateral ankle sprain, and it can be recovered after rehabilitation, but cannot achieve the healthy level even after three months of training. Passive position sense as an index of proprioception needs more researches.