Objective To investigate the effect of activating the N-type acetylcholine receptor(nAChR)on interleukin-18(IL-18)and PD-1 in mice with acute respiratory distress syndrome(ARDS).Methods Sixty healthy male BALB/c mice(6 weeks of age)were divided into six groups:normal(N),normal saline control(NS),normal saline+bilateral vagectomy(NS+D),ARDS+segmentation of the vagus nerve on both sides of the neck(A+D),ARDS(A),ARDS+vagal amputation,and administration of an acetylcholine receptor agonist(A+J)groups.Each group included ten mice that were fed and housed under normal conditions.Structural changes in the right lower lung were observed using fluorescence microscopy;phosphorylated nuclear factor-KB protein 65(p-NF-κBP65)levels were assessed using Western blotting;serum IL-18 and PD-1 levels were assessed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)and the double antibody sandwich method;and the percentages of CD3+and CD25+Foxp3+T lymphocytes in the middle lobe of right lung were determined using flow cytometry.Results No inflammatory cell infiltration was observed in groups N and NS.The interstitial lobes in groups A and A+D showed severe inflammatory infiltration,thickening of the alveolar wall,destruction of the alveolar structure,and loss of the alveolar cavity.Serum IL-18 and PD-1 levels in groups A and A+D were significantly higher than those in the other four groups(P＜0.05).p-NF-κBP65 and PD-1 levels in groups A and A+D were significantly higher than those in groups N,NS,and A+J(P＜0.05).CD3+and CD25+Foxp3+T cells in groups A and A+D were significantly higher than those in the other four groups(P＜0.05).Conclusion Active nAChR can inhibit IL-18 and p-NF-κBP65 through the negative regulation of T lymphocytes,decrease PD-1 expression in lung tissues,and alleviate the pathological changes of ARDS.

Objective Based on the propensity score matching(PSM),the effect of flexible ureteroscopy combined with flexible negative pressure suction sheath in the treatment of infectious renal calculus lithotomy was analyzed.Methods From April 2022 to April 2024,87 patients with infectious renal calculus in our hospital were selected retrospectively.All patients were treated with flexible ureteroscopic lithotripsy(FURL).According to the different choice of ureteral access sheath(UAS)during operation,they were divided into negative pressure sheath group(n=43)and conventional sheath group(n=44).In the negative pressure sheath group,the flexible negative pressure suction sheath was used for FURL,and in the conventional sheath group,the conventional sheath was used for FURL.The general data of patients with infectious renal calculus between groups were compared,and the indicators were balanced by PSM.The clinical efficacy,perioperative indicators,levels of procalcitonin(PCT)and white blood cell count(WBC)and postoperative complications of patients with infectious renal calculus were compared between the two groups.Results After 1∶1 ratio matching by PSM,42 pairs of patients with infectious renal calculus were obtained,.The stone clearance rate of negative pressure sheath group[90.48%(38/42)]was significantly higher than that of conventional sheath group[71.43%(30/42)](P<0.05).The minimum intrapelvic pressure,average intrapelvic pressure and maximum intrapelvic pressure in the negative pressure sheath group were lower than those in the conventional sheath group,operation time and hospitalization time in the negative pressure sheath group were shorter than those in the conventional sheath group(P<0.05).The levels of PCT and WBC in the negative pressure sheath group were lower than those in the conventional sheath group at 2 h after operation,and the time for PCT and WBC to recover to the normal level were shorter than those in the conventional sheath group(P<0.05).The total incidence of postoperative complications in negative pressure sheath group[9.52%(4/42)]was significantly lower than that in conventional sheath group[28.57%(12/42)](P<0.05).Conclusion Flexible ureteroscopy combined with flexible negative pressure suction sheath is effective in the treatment of renal calculus,which is helpful to reduce intra-operative renal pelvis pressure,shorten operation time,reduce PCT and WBC levels after operation,and promote patients'early recovery with good safety.

Objective:By comparing the effects of installing 3d-printed bolus with or without positioning holes on the skin fit and patient dose distribution,the advantages and disadvantages of the two installation methods in the application of radiotherapy after radical breast cancer surgery were evaluated,and the reference was provided for clinical application.Methods:A total of 48 patients(34 patients with and 14 patients without positioning holes)who received radiotherapy for breast cancer in Suining Central Hospital from December 2022 to Au-gust 2024 were randomly selected.Three dimensional reconstruction of the air gap between the patient body surface and the 3d-printed bolus was conducted,and the tissue dose distribution of each case was analyzed.Comparative analysis was conducted using t-test to ana-lyze the differences of the skin fit and the key dosimetric indexes of target areas and organs at risk between the two bolus installation meth-ods.Results:The mean values of the maximum air gap height,air gap area and air gap volume of the group with positioning holes were lower than those of the group without positioning holes(P<0.05),and the skin fit showed better consistency.The target area conformity in-dex(CI),homogeneity index(HI),and affected lung radiation acceptance(V20,V5)of patients with positioning holes were better than those of patients without positioning holes(P<0.05).There was no significant difference in target area coverage of prescription dose,cardiac dose Dmean and spinal cord dose Dmax between two groups(P>0.05).Conclusions:The skin fit,dosimetric indexes of patient target area and or-gans at risk of 3d-printed bolus with positioning holes were superior to those without positioning holes,showing significant advantages in clinical applications.

Objective To investigate the effect of activating the N-type acetylcholine receptor(nAChR)on interleukin-18(IL-18)and PD-1 in mice with acute respiratory distress syndrome(ARDS).Methods Sixty healthy male BALB/c mice(6 weeks of age)were divided into six groups:normal(N),normal saline control(NS),normal saline+bilateral vagectomy(NS+D),ARDS+segmentation of the vagus nerve on both sides of the neck(A+D),ARDS(A),ARDS+vagal amputation,and administration of an acetylcholine receptor agonist(A+J)groups.Each group included ten mice that were fed and housed under normal conditions.Structural changes in the right lower lung were observed using fluorescence microscopy;phosphorylated nuclear factor-KB protein 65(p-NF-κBP65)levels were assessed using Western blotting;serum IL-18 and PD-1 levels were assessed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)and the double antibody sandwich method;and the percentages of CD3+and CD25+Foxp3+T lymphocytes in the middle lobe of right lung were determined using flow cytometry.Results No inflammatory cell infiltration was observed in groups N and NS.The interstitial lobes in groups A and A+D showed severe inflammatory infiltration,thickening of the alveolar wall,destruction of the alveolar structure,and loss of the alveolar cavity.Serum IL-18 and PD-1 levels in groups A and A+D were significantly higher than those in the other four groups(P＜0.05).p-NF-κBP65 and PD-1 levels in groups A and A+D were significantly higher than those in groups N,NS,and A+J(P＜0.05).CD3+and CD25+Foxp3+T cells in groups A and A+D were significantly higher than those in the other four groups(P＜0.05).Conclusion Active nAChR can inhibit IL-18 and p-NF-κBP65 through the negative regulation of T lymphocytes,decrease PD-1 expression in lung tissues,and alleviate the pathological changes of ARDS.

Objective Based on the propensity score matching(PSM),the effect of flexible ureteroscopy combined with flexible negative pressure suction sheath in the treatment of infectious renal calculus lithotomy was analyzed.Methods From April 2022 to April 2024,87 patients with infectious renal calculus in our hospital were selected retrospectively.All patients were treated with flexible ureteroscopic lithotripsy(FURL).According to the different choice of ureteral access sheath(UAS)during operation,they were divided into negative pressure sheath group(n=43)and conventional sheath group(n=44).In the negative pressure sheath group,the flexible negative pressure suction sheath was used for FURL,and in the conventional sheath group,the conventional sheath was used for FURL.The general data of patients with infectious renal calculus between groups were compared,and the indicators were balanced by PSM.The clinical efficacy,perioperative indicators,levels of procalcitonin(PCT)and white blood cell count(WBC)and postoperative complications of patients with infectious renal calculus were compared between the two groups.Results After 1∶1 ratio matching by PSM,42 pairs of patients with infectious renal calculus were obtained,.The stone clearance rate of negative pressure sheath group[90.48%(38/42)]was significantly higher than that of conventional sheath group[71.43%(30/42)](P<0.05).The minimum intrapelvic pressure,average intrapelvic pressure and maximum intrapelvic pressure in the negative pressure sheath group were lower than those in the conventional sheath group,operation time and hospitalization time in the negative pressure sheath group were shorter than those in the conventional sheath group(P<0.05).The levels of PCT and WBC in the negative pressure sheath group were lower than those in the conventional sheath group at 2 h after operation,and the time for PCT and WBC to recover to the normal level were shorter than those in the conventional sheath group(P<0.05).The total incidence of postoperative complications in negative pressure sheath group[9.52%(4/42)]was significantly lower than that in conventional sheath group[28.57%(12/42)](P<0.05).Conclusion Flexible ureteroscopy combined with flexible negative pressure suction sheath is effective in the treatment of renal calculus,which is helpful to reduce intra-operative renal pelvis pressure,shorten operation time,reduce PCT and WBC levels after operation,and promote patients'early recovery with good safety.

Objective:By comparing the effects of installing 3d-printed bolus with or without positioning holes on the skin fit and patient dose distribution,the advantages and disadvantages of the two installation methods in the application of radiotherapy after radical breast cancer surgery were evaluated,and the reference was provided for clinical application.Methods:A total of 48 patients(34 patients with and 14 patients without positioning holes)who received radiotherapy for breast cancer in Suining Central Hospital from December 2022 to Au-gust 2024 were randomly selected.Three dimensional reconstruction of the air gap between the patient body surface and the 3d-printed bolus was conducted,and the tissue dose distribution of each case was analyzed.Comparative analysis was conducted using t-test to ana-lyze the differences of the skin fit and the key dosimetric indexes of target areas and organs at risk between the two bolus installation meth-ods.Results:The mean values of the maximum air gap height,air gap area and air gap volume of the group with positioning holes were lower than those of the group without positioning holes(P<0.05),and the skin fit showed better consistency.The target area conformity in-dex(CI),homogeneity index(HI),and affected lung radiation acceptance(V20,V5)of patients with positioning holes were better than those of patients without positioning holes(P<0.05).There was no significant difference in target area coverage of prescription dose,cardiac dose Dmean and spinal cord dose Dmax between two groups(P>0.05).Conclusions:The skin fit,dosimetric indexes of patient target area and or-gans at risk of 3d-printed bolus with positioning holes were superior to those without positioning holes,showing significant advantages in clinical applications.

Objective:To observe the effects of electroacupuncture(EA)on gut microbiota and serum inflammatory factors interleukin(IL)-1β and tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α in Crohn disease(CD)model rats. Methods:Thirty-six Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into a normal control(NC)group with 10 rats and a modeling group with 26 rats.In the modeling group,the CD rat model was prepared with 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid(TNBS)enema.After successful modeling,the rats were randomly divided into a CD model(CD)group,an EA group,and a Western medicine(WM)group.The NC and CD groups received no treatment;the EA group was treated with EA for 20 min each time,with 7 consecutive days'intervention;the WM group received mesalazine enteric-coated tablet solution by gavage once a day for 7 d.The changes in body mass and disease activity index(DAI)were observed.Serum IL-1β and TNF-α were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.Hematoxylin-eosin staining was used to observe the pathological changes of colon tissues,and 16S rDNA sequencing was used to analyze the structural changes of gut microbiota. Results:Compared with the NC group,the body mass of rats in the CD group decreased(P<0.01),and the DAI score increased(P<0.01);the colon tissue structure was disordered,and many inflammatory cells were present;also,IL-1β and TNF-α increased significantly(P<0.01).As a result,the diversity of gut microbiota decreased,and the abundance of some conditional pathogenic bacteria(such as Prevotella)increased,while the abundance of beneficial bacteria(such as Lactobacillus,Rochella,and Spirillum)decreased.After the intervention,compared with the CD group,the body mass of rats in the EA group and WM group increased(P<0.01);the DAI score decreased(P<0.01),the colon tissue structure improved,and the IL-1β and TNF-α levels decreased(P<0.01);the diversity of gut microbiota increased(P<0.05),and the abundance of some conditional pathogenic bacteria decreased while the abundance of beneficial bacteria increased in the EA group;whereas the diversity of gut microbiota in the WM group was not statistically different(P>0.05). Conclusion:EA can reduce the damage of colon mucosa,regulate the imbalance of gut microbiota,and inhibit the serum inflammatory factor IL-1β and TNF-α expression in CD rats.

Objective To investigate the effects of α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR) on CD11b, IL-1β, IL-18 and TNF-α in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) mice. Methods A total of 40 healthy and clean male Balb/C mice (6 weeks old) were randomly divided into normal group (N group), normal saline control group (NS group), ARDS group (A group), and ARDS mice treated with nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonist after bilateral cervical vagotomy group (J group), with 10 mice in each group. The right lung structure of mice in each group was observed by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, the lung tissue wet weight/body weight ratio (LWW/DW ratio) was detected, and the percentage of CD11b in the alveolar lavage fluid of mice was detected by flow cytometry. Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was used to detect the expression of IL-1β mRNA, IL-18 mRNA and TNF-α mRNA in left lung tissue. Serum IL-18 was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and double antibody sandwich method. Results HE staining of the right lung of mice in group N and NS showed normal structure, while the lung interstitial of mice in group A showed a large number of inflammatory cells infiltrated, alveolar wall thickened, alveolar structure destroyed and alveolar cavity fused. The alveolar structure of mice in group J was intact, with a little damage and alveolar cavity. The percentage of CD11b in alveolar lavage fluid in group A was higher than that in the other three groups, and the difference was statistically significant compared with group N, NS and J, respectively (P<0.05). The expressions of IL-1β mRNA, IL-18 mRNA and TNF-α mRNA in the left lung of mice in group J were statistically significant compared with those in group N, NS and A (P<0.05), and the serum IL-18 level of mice in group A was higher than that in the other three groups, and the differences were statistically significant compared with groups N, NS and J, respectively (P<0.05). Conclusions Activation of α7nAChR can directly inhibit the release of CD11b in lung tissue and reduce the accumulation of inflammatory factors. Simultaneously, it can also directly inhibit the expression of IL-β1 mRNA, IL-18 mRNA and TNF-α mRNA in lung tissue and the release of IL-18, thus inhibiting the inflammatory response of ARDS and alleviating the pathological changes of ARDS.

Objective: To explore the potential mechanism of acupuncture and moxibustion in treating Crohn disease (CD) by evaluating the changes in histamine and inflammatory factors in the skin tissue at Tianshu (ST25) of rats.Methods: Fifty-eight Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into a normal group (n=14) and a CD-modeling group (n=44). Rats in the CD-modeling group received enema with 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid plus ethanol to establish CD models. The enema was repeated once every 7 d for a total of 4 times. After modeling, four modeled rats and four normal rats were randomly selected for model identification. After the CD model was successfully established, the remaining rats in the CD-modeling group were randomly divided into a model group, an acupuncture group, a moxibustion group, and a Western medication group, with ten rats in each group. The rats in the acupuncture and moxibustion groups were treated with acupuncture or moxibustion at Tianshu (ST25) and Shangjuxu (ST37); the rats in the Western medication group were treated with mesalazine enteric-coated tablets by gavage for continuous 7 d. After the intervention, the colon tissue of rats in each group was collected. After gross observation, hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was performed to further observe the pathological changes. The expression of histamine in the skin tissue at Tianshu (ST25) was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The expression of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-18, IL-10, and IL-6 in the skin tissue at Tianshu (ST25) was detected by Western blotting. Results: Compared with the normal group, the colonic wall of rats in the model group showed cobblestone-like changes, local ulcers, and polyps in dark red and thickening and hardening. HE staining showed local loss of mucosal epithelial layer and formation of slit-like ulcers, destruction of mucosal glands, edema, and infiltration of inflammatory cells in lamina propria and submucosa, and occasional formation of sarcoid-like granuloma. The levels of histamine and IL-6 were significantly up-regulated (P<0.01, P<0.05), and the levels of TNF-α, IL-18, and IL-10 were significantly down- regulated (P<0.01 or P<0.05) in the skin tissue at Tianshu (ST25) of rats in the model group. Compared with the model group, the pathomorphological damage of the colon tissue of rats in the acupuncture group, moxibustion group, and Western medication group was significantly improved. The levels of histamine and IL-6 were significantly down- regulated (P<0.01, P<0.05), and the level of IL-10 was significantly up-regulated (P<0.01) in the skin at Tianshu (ST25) of rats in the acupuncture group. The levels of histamine and IL-6 were significantly down-regulated (P<0.01, P<0.05), and the levels of TNF-α, IL-18, and IL-10 were significantly up-regulated (P<0.01 or P<0.05) in the skin tissue at Tianshu (ST25) of rats in the moxibustion group. The level of histamine was significantly down-regulated (P<0.01), and the levels of IL-18 and IL-10 were significantly up-regulated (P<0.05, P<0.01) in the skin tissue of rats in the Western medication group. Compared with the acupuncture group, the level of IL-10 in the skin tissue at Tianshu (ST25) of rats in the moxibustion group was significantly up-regulated (P<0.01). Conclusion: The inflammatory responses in the skin tissue at Tianshu (ST25) may be the external manifestation of CD. Significant differences in the regulation of inflammatory responses in the skin tissue at Tianshu (ST25) between acupuncture and moxibustion exist, which may be caused by the differences in the stimulation characteristics between acupuncture and moxibustion.

OBJECTIVETo dynamically observe the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) on repair of gastric mucosal lesion in rats with gastric ulcer, and to explore the time-effect relationship and molecular mechanism of EA for gastric ulcer.

METHODSA total of 72 SD rats were randomly assigned to a normal group, a model group, a acupoint group and a sham acupoint group, and each group were further divided into a 1-day subgroup, a 4-day subgroup and a 7-day subgroup, 6 rats in each subgroup. The rat model of gastric ulcer was established by using intragastric administration of ethyl alcohol. The rats in the acupoint group were treated with EA at"Zusanli"(ST 36) and"Liangmen"(ST 21); the rats in the sham acupoint group were treated with EA at points 5 mm next to"Zusanli"(ST 36) and"Liangmen"(ST 21); the EA was given 30 min per treatment, once a day. The rats in the normal group and model group were treated with immobilization for 30 min per day, and no EA was given. PR-PCR method was applied to test the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and substance P (SP); Western blot method was applied to test the expression of neurotensin (NT).

RESULTSAfter 1-day treatment, the ulcer index in the model group was higher than that in the normal group (<0.01), and the expression of PCNA, SP and NT was decreased (<0.01, <0.05); compared with the model group and sham acupoint group, the ulcer index was decreased in the acupoint group (both <0.05), and the expression of PCNA and SP was up-regulated (all <0.05) while that of NT was up-regulated (both <0.01). After 4-day treatment, the ulcer index in the model group was reduced but still higher than that in the normal group (<0.05), and the expression of PCNA, SP and NT was up-regulated and higher than that in the normal group (all <0.01); the ulcer index in the acupoint group was similar to that in the normal group (>0.05), and the expression of PCNA and SP was lower than that in the model group (<0.01, <0.05), and the expression of NT was not significantly different from that in the model group (>0.05). After 7-day treatment, the differences of indexes above were not significant among the four groups (all >0.05).

CONCLUSIONEA at acupoints of stomach meridian has two-way regulation on PCNA and SP and improve the expression of NT in different pathological state of gastric ulcer, which could further improve the repair of gastric ulcer.