Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) in differentiating tumor deposits (TDs) from metastatic lymph nodes (MLNs) in rectal cancer. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 70 patients with rectal cancer, including 168 lesions (70 TDs and 98 MLNs confirmed by histopathology), who underwent pretreatment MRI and subsequent surgery between March 2019 and December 2022. The morphological characteristics of TDs and MLNs, along with quantitative parameters derived from DCE-MRI (K trans , kep, and v e) and DWI (ADCmin, ADCmax, and ADCmean), were analyzed and compared between the two groups.Multivariable binary logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were performed to assess the diagnostic performance of significant individual quantitative parameters and combined parameters in distinguishing TDs from MLNs. Results: All morphological features, including size, shape, border, and signal intensity, as well as all DCE-MRI parameters showed significant differences between TDs and MLNs (all P < 0.05). However, ADC values did not demonstrate significant differences (all P > 0.05). Among the single quantitative parameters, v e had the highest diagnostic accuracy, with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.772 for distinguishing TDs from MLNs. A multivariable logistic regression model incorporating short axis, border, v e, and ADC mean improved diagnostic performance, achieving an AUC of 0.833 (P = 0.027). Conclusion The combination of morphological features, DCE-MRI parameters, and ADC values can effectively aid in the preoperative differentiation of TDs from MLNs in rectal cancer.

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) in differentiating tumor deposits (TDs) from metastatic lymph nodes (MLNs) in rectal cancer. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 70 patients with rectal cancer, including 168 lesions (70 TDs and 98 MLNs confirmed by histopathology), who underwent pretreatment MRI and subsequent surgery between March 2019 and December 2022. The morphological characteristics of TDs and MLNs, along with quantitative parameters derived from DCE-MRI (K trans , kep, and v e) and DWI (ADCmin, ADCmax, and ADCmean), were analyzed and compared between the two groups.Multivariable binary logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were performed to assess the diagnostic performance of significant individual quantitative parameters and combined parameters in distinguishing TDs from MLNs. Results: All morphological features, including size, shape, border, and signal intensity, as well as all DCE-MRI parameters showed significant differences between TDs and MLNs (all P < 0.05). However, ADC values did not demonstrate significant differences (all P > 0.05). Among the single quantitative parameters, v e had the highest diagnostic accuracy, with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.772 for distinguishing TDs from MLNs. A multivariable logistic regression model incorporating short axis, border, v e, and ADC mean improved diagnostic performance, achieving an AUC of 0.833 (P = 0.027). Conclusion The combination of morphological features, DCE-MRI parameters, and ADC values can effectively aid in the preoperative differentiation of TDs from MLNs in rectal cancer.

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) in differentiating tumor deposits (TDs) from metastatic lymph nodes (MLNs) in rectal cancer. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 70 patients with rectal cancer, including 168 lesions (70 TDs and 98 MLNs confirmed by histopathology), who underwent pretreatment MRI and subsequent surgery between March 2019 and December 2022. The morphological characteristics of TDs and MLNs, along with quantitative parameters derived from DCE-MRI (K trans , kep, and v e) and DWI (ADCmin, ADCmax, and ADCmean), were analyzed and compared between the two groups.Multivariable binary logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were performed to assess the diagnostic performance of significant individual quantitative parameters and combined parameters in distinguishing TDs from MLNs. Results: All morphological features, including size, shape, border, and signal intensity, as well as all DCE-MRI parameters showed significant differences between TDs and MLNs (all P < 0.05). However, ADC values did not demonstrate significant differences (all P > 0.05). Among the single quantitative parameters, v e had the highest diagnostic accuracy, with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.772 for distinguishing TDs from MLNs. A multivariable logistic regression model incorporating short axis, border, v e, and ADC mean improved diagnostic performance, achieving an AUC of 0.833 (P = 0.027). Conclusion The combination of morphological features, DCE-MRI parameters, and ADC values can effectively aid in the preoperative differentiation of TDs from MLNs in rectal cancer.

BackgroundInvasive vagus nerve stimulation therapy has been approved for the adjunctive treatment of treatment-resistant depression， which may contribute to the anti-inflammatory properties of vagus nerve stimulation （VNS）， whereas the efficacy of non-invasive transcutaneous cervical vagus nerve stimulation （tcVNS） in treating major depressive disorder （MDD） and its impact on plasma inflammatory factors remain unclear. ObjectiveTo observe the effect of escitaloprom combined with tcVNS on the status of depression， anxiety and sleep quality as well as the plasma levels of interleukin-6 （IL-6） and interleukin-10 （IL-10） in MDD patients， in order to provide references for the recovery and treatment of MDD patients. MethodsFrom August 21， 2019 to April 17， 2024， 45 patients who met the diagnostic criteria for MDD in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders， fifth edition （DSM-5） were recruited from the psychosomatic outpatient clinic of the First Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Military Medical University. Subjects were divided into study group （n=23） and control group （n=22） using random number table method. All patients were treated with escitalopram. On this basis， study group added a 30-minute tcVNS therapy once a day for 4 weeks. While control group was given corresponding sham stimulation， and the duration of each stimulation lasted 30 seconds. Before and after 4 weeks of treatment， Hamilton Depression Scale-17 item （HAMD-17） was used to assess depressive symptoms， and HAMD-17 anxiety/somatization subfactor and insomnia subfactor were used to assess patients' anxiety/somatization symptoms and sleep quality. Levels of plasma IL-6 and IL-10 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. ResultsThe generalized estimating equation model yielded a significant time effect for HAMD-17 total score， anxiety/somatization subfactor score and insomnia subfactor score in both groups （Wald χ²=315.226， 495.481， 82.420， P<0.01）. After 4 weeks of treatment， HAMD-17 total score and anxiety/somatization subfactor score of study group were lower than those of control group， with statistically significant differences （Wald χ²=4.967， 32.543， P<0.05 or 0.01）， while no statistically significant difference was found in the insomnia subfactor score between two groups （Wald χ²=0.819， P=0.366）. Significant time effects were reported on plasma IL-6 and IL-10 levels in both groups （Wald χ²=21.792， 5.242， P<0.05 or 0.01）. Compared with baseline data， a reduction in plasma IL-6 levels was detected in both groups （Wald χ²=22.015， 6.803， P<0.01）， and an increase in plasma IL-10 levels was reported in study group （Wald χ²=5.118， P=0.024） after 4 weeks of treatment. ConclusionEscitalopram combined with tcVNS therapy is effective in improving depressive symptoms， anxiety/somatization symptoms and sleep quality in patients with MDD. Additionally， it helps reduce plasma IL-6 levels and increase IL-10 levels. ［Funded by Shaanxi Provincial Key Research and Development Program-General Project （number， 2023-YBSF-185）， www.clinicaltrials.gov number， NCT04037111］

After continuous development and improvement, lung transplantation has become the preferred means to treat a variety of benign end-stage lung diseases. However, the field of lung transplantation still faces many challenges, including shortage of donor resources, preservation and maintenance of donor lungs, and postoperative complications. Lung tissue samples removed after lung transplantation are excellent clinical resources for the study of benign end-stage lung disease and perioperative complications of lung transplantation. However, at present, the collection, storage and utilization of tissue samples after lung transplantation are limited to a single study, and unified technical specifications have not been formed. Based on the construction plan of the biobank for lung transplantation in the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, this study reviewed the practical experience in the collection, storage and utilization of lung transplant tissue samples in the aspects of ethical review, staffing, collection process, storage method, quality control and efficient utilization, in order to provide references for lung transplant related research.

ObjectiveTo carry out a health technology assessment （HTA） of acupuncture for secondary dysmenorrhea （SD） caused by adenomyosis and endometriosis， in order to provide a reference for relevant medical decision-making. MethodsFrom the perspective of the health system， the assessment covers seven areas， including the technical characteristics， safety， effectiveness， economics， ethical fairness， organizational adaptability， and impact on patients and society. The results are reported accordingly. ResultsThe operational specifications of acupuncture are standardized， and the conditions for its use are clearly defined. Acupuncture has a lower overall incidence of adverse events. The main adverse events are localized pain， subcutaneous bleeding， and dizziness， with most symptoms being mild， all of which have corresponding standard treatments. No reports on occupational or environmental safety were found， and the safety operation specifications are available for reference. Compared with conventional Western medicine， acupuncture demonstrates higher effectiveness. Acupuncture may improve the quality of life scores of patients， though no significant difference was observed. The cost of acupuncture is higher than that of conventional Western medicine， but its overall economic value is greater. The informed consent information is relatively comprehensive. Most patients are aware of the potential benefits and risks of acupuncture and voluntarily opt for it. The treatment process fully respects patient privacy and human rights. The clinical application of acupuncture follows the current acupuncture medical service model， with no special requirements for the level of medical institutions. Patient accessibility and affordability are suitable. Patient satisfaction is high. Most patients indicated they would choose acupuncture again for SD. The main barriers to choosing acupuncture are psychological factors （such as fear of acupuncture）， cost， and transportation issues. Nearly 70% of patients receiving acupuncture treatment benefit from medical insurance reimbursement， with reimbursement rates generally above 50%， indicating strong social security support. ConclusionThe implementation of HTA for acupuncture in the treatment of SD， using the standards for traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）， is feasible. The implementation steps are clear， the data sources for each evaluation domain are adequate， the analysis methods are practical， and the evaluation results are comprehensive. Experts recommend that the findings be used as a reference for relevant medical decision-making.

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) in differentiating tumor deposits (TDs) from metastatic lymph nodes (MLNs) in rectal cancer. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 70 patients with rectal cancer, including 168 lesions (70 TDs and 98 MLNs confirmed by histopathology), who underwent pretreatment MRI and subsequent surgery between March 2019 and December 2022. The morphological characteristics of TDs and MLNs, along with quantitative parameters derived from DCE-MRI (K trans , kep, and v e) and DWI (ADCmin, ADCmax, and ADCmean), were analyzed and compared between the two groups.Multivariable binary logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were performed to assess the diagnostic performance of significant individual quantitative parameters and combined parameters in distinguishing TDs from MLNs. Results: All morphological features, including size, shape, border, and signal intensity, as well as all DCE-MRI parameters showed significant differences between TDs and MLNs (all P < 0.05). However, ADC values did not demonstrate significant differences (all P > 0.05). Among the single quantitative parameters, v e had the highest diagnostic accuracy, with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.772 for distinguishing TDs from MLNs. A multivariable logistic regression model incorporating short axis, border, v e, and ADC mean improved diagnostic performance, achieving an AUC of 0.833 (P = 0.027). Conclusion The combination of morphological features, DCE-MRI parameters, and ADC values can effectively aid in the preoperative differentiation of TDs from MLNs in rectal cancer.

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) in differentiating tumor deposits (TDs) from metastatic lymph nodes (MLNs) in rectal cancer. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 70 patients with rectal cancer, including 168 lesions (70 TDs and 98 MLNs confirmed by histopathology), who underwent pretreatment MRI and subsequent surgery between March 2019 and December 2022. The morphological characteristics of TDs and MLNs, along with quantitative parameters derived from DCE-MRI (K trans , kep, and v e) and DWI (ADCmin, ADCmax, and ADCmean), were analyzed and compared between the two groups.Multivariable binary logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were performed to assess the diagnostic performance of significant individual quantitative parameters and combined parameters in distinguishing TDs from MLNs. Results: All morphological features, including size, shape, border, and signal intensity, as well as all DCE-MRI parameters showed significant differences between TDs and MLNs (all P < 0.05). However, ADC values did not demonstrate significant differences (all P > 0.05). Among the single quantitative parameters, v e had the highest diagnostic accuracy, with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.772 for distinguishing TDs from MLNs. A multivariable logistic regression model incorporating short axis, border, v e, and ADC mean improved diagnostic performance, achieving an AUC of 0.833 (P = 0.027). Conclusion The combination of morphological features, DCE-MRI parameters, and ADC values can effectively aid in the preoperative differentiation of TDs from MLNs in rectal cancer.

Objective:To investigate the prognostic value of the combined preoperative albumin-globulin score (AGS) and skeletal muscle index (SMI), referred to as the CAS classification, in predicting postoperative outcomes in patients with pancreatic cancer.Methods:The clinical data from 265 patients who underwent surgical treatment and were pathologically confirmed to have pancreatic cancer at the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University between January 2012 and December 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were randomly divided into a training group ( n=184) and a validation group ( n=81) in a 7∶3 ratio. Patients' age, gender, body mass index (BMI), smoking history, alcohol consumption history, previous history of metabolic diseases, AGS, SMI, and CAS classifications within 7 days before surgery, preoperative upper abdominal CT imaging features, presence of vascular and neural invasion, and lymph node metastasis were recorded. Patients with AGS grade 0 were classified into the low AGS group ( n=48), while those with AGS grades 1 and 2 were classified into the high AGS group ( n=136). The optimal cutoff value for SMI was determined using X-tile software: male patients with SMI>42.6 cm 2/m 2 or female patients with SMI>37.8 cm 2/m 2 were categorized into the high SMI group ( n=125), while those below these thresholds were categorized into the low SMI group ( n=59). Patients with AGS grade 0 and SMI>42.6 cm 2/m 2 for males or >37.8 cm 2/m 2 for females were classified into the CAS grade 1 group (n=32). Patients with AGS grades 1 or 2 and SMI ≤42.6 cm 2/m 2 for males or ≤37.8 cm 2/m 2 for females were classified into the CAS grade 3 group ( n=43). The remaining patients were classified into the CAS grade 2 group ( n=109). Clinical characteristics were compared across these groups. Cumulative survival rates were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and survival curves were plotted to analyze the relationship between AGS, SMI, and CAS classifications and overall survival after pancreatic cancer surgery. Differences among groups were assessed using the Log-Rank test. Receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC) were plotted, and the area under the curve (AUC) was calculated to evaluate the predictive efficacy of AGS, SMI, and CAS on postoperative survival. Results:Compared to the high AGS group, the low AGS group exhibited higher SMI values [(46.17±9.63) cm 2/m 2vs (44.11±7.43) cm 2/m 2], and a lower incidence of lymph node metastasis (16 vs 66, 33.3% vs 48.5%). The mortality rate in the low AGS group was 50.0%(24/48), significantly lower than the 70.6% (96/136) observed in the high AGS group, with a median overall survival of 22.08 months (95% CI 16.87-29.62) longer than 13.1 months (95% CI 8.84-18.82) in high AGS group. Compared to the low SMI group, the high SMI group had a lower prevalence of metabolic diseases (26.4% vs 44.1%). The mortality rate in the low SMI group was 78.0% (46/59), higher than the 58.4% (73/125) in the high SMI group, with a median overall survival of 12.97 months (95% CI 9.37-18.20) obviously shorter than 16.20 months (95% CI 10.7-24.12) in high SMI group. Lymph node metastasis rate for CAS grade 1, 2, and 3 was 34.4% ( n=11), 44.0% ( n=48), and 62.8% ( n=27), respectively, with corresponding mortality rate of 34.3% (11/32), 67.9% (74/109), and 79.1% (34/43), and median overall survival time of 25.55 months (95% CI 19.49-30.07), 14.10 months (95% CI 10.22-19.14), and 12.5 months (95% CI 8.53-18.00), respectively. All the differences were statistically significant (all P value <0.05). Kaplan-Meier survival analyses demonstrated that patients in the low AGS group had significantly longer overall survival than those in the high AGS group in both the training and validation cohorts. Similarly, patients in the high SMI group had longer overall survival compared to those in the low SMI group. Notably, patients in CAS grade 1 exhibited the longest overall survival, whereas those in CAS grade 3 had the shortest. ROC curve analysis revealed that the AUC for CAS classification was superior in the training cohort (0.649) compared to AGS (0.588) and SMI (0.593), and in the validation cohort (0.644) compared to AGS (0.587) and SMI (0.577). Conclusions:CAS classification could effectively predict postoperative prognosis in pancreatic cancer patients, with higher CAS grades correlating with poorer outcomes.

Objective:To study the effects of applying the think-pair-share (TPS) method combined with the microlecture teaching model in nursing teaching of general surgery.Methods:We assigned 48 nursing students interning in the department of general surgery of The First Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Medical University from August 2020 to August 2021 into control group to receive traditional teaching and 48 nursing students who interned from September 2021 to August 2022 into observation group to receive TPS+microlecture teaching. The two groups were compared in terms of test results, critical thinking abilities, post competencies, and satisfaction with teaching. SPSS 22.0 was used to perform the t test and chi-square test. Results:The observation group showed a significantly higher theoretical score [(93.21±4.34) vs. (88.65±3.69)], a significantly higher basic nursing skills score [(94.21±3.85) vs. (89.45±5.47)], and a significantly higher specialized skills score [(90.76±4.59) vs. (88.96±3.63)] than the control group ( P<0.05). The total score of the critical thinking ability scale and the scores of individual dimensions were significantly increased after training for both groups, and all the scores were significantly higher in the observation group than in the control group ( P<0.05). Both groups had significant improvements in the total and individual scores of post competencies after training, and the observation group had significantly higher scores than the control group ( P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the observation group had significantly higher proportions of students feeling satisfied with teaching, in terms of all evaluation items and also overall ( P<0.05). Conclusions:Applying the TPS+microlecture teaching model in general surgery nursing teaching can help nursing students improve theoretical and practical levels, critical thinking abilities, and post competencies, also with a high level of satisfaction with teaching.