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.

ObjectiveTo explore the impacts of material type and loading volume of rigid containers on the hydrogen peroxide low temperature plasma sterilization of thoracoscopic instruments, to identify the best rigid containers and loading volume of thoracoscopic instruments. MethodsThoracoscopic instruments sterilized by STERRAD^® 100NX hydrogen peroxide low temperature plasma in Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital affiliated to Tongji University from August to September 2024 were selected as the research items. According to the material of rigid containers, the instruments were divided into polyethylene case group (A), stainless steel case group (B) and silicone resin case group (C). In terms of the loading volume, the rigid containers were divided into (loading capacity <80%) groups of 8, 10 and 12 instruments. The results of physical monitoring, the first type of chemical indicator card monitoring, and the five types of card luminal chemical process challenge device (PCD) monitoring of the 9 groups of A8, A10, A12, B8, B10, B12, C8, C10 and C12 were compared and evaluated. ResultsCompared to A8, A10 A12, C8, C10 or C12 groups, the thoracoscope instruments in the stainless steel containers in B8, B10 or B12 group had higher hydrogen peroxide concentrations and shorter elapsed time in the pressure check phases 1 and phases 2, with the differences statistically significant (P<0.05), followed by the silicone resin case group and the polyethylene case group. The nine groups of physical parameter monitoring, the first type of chemical indicator monitoring, and the five types of chemical PCD monitoring for lumen sterilization achieved 100% qualification rates, and there were no significant differences in the qualified rates of sterilization among the 9 groups (P>0.05). ConclusionWhen using hydrogen peroxide low temperature plasma to sterilize thoracoscopic instruments, it is recommended to use stainless steel or silicone resin rigid containers with a controlled loading capacity (≤12) to ensure optimal sterilization quality.

Objective:To investigate the correlations of urinary adverse reactions with dose to the bladder and urethra during external pelvic irradiation for locally advanced cervical cancer.Methods:This study retrospectively collected relevant dosimetric parameters and urinary symptoms, such as frequent, urgent, and painful urination, from locally advanced cervical cancer patients treated with external pelvic irradiation in the Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University. The dosimetric parameters examined in this study included the maximum, minimum, and mean doses to bladder and urethra (i.e., Dmax, Dmin and Dmean), mean doses received in an area of 0.1, 1, and 2 cm 3 around the planning target volume, D0.1 cm 3, D1 cm 3, D2 cm 3, and percentages of irradiated volumes in the whole organ volume under doses of 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50 Gy, V5 Gy, V10 Gy, V15 Gy, V20 Gy, V25 Gy, V30 Gy, V35 Gy, V40 Gy, V45 Gy, V50 Gy. Then the correlations between urinary symptoms and these dosimetric parameters were analyzed using the independent-sample t-test and the Logistic regression model. Results:The median volumes of bladder and urethra were 294.8 and 4.71 cm 3, respectively. Patients were divided into two groups based on the median division. The univariate analysis showed that urethral Dmax, Dmin, Dmean, V5 Gy, V10 Gy, V15Gy, V20 Gy, V25 Gy, V30 Gy, V35 Gy, V40 Gy, V45 Gy and V50 Gy correlated with urinary complications ( t = 14.30, 21.65, 32.19, 33.36, 16.62, 17.91, 21.52, 20.11, 12.27, 37.25, 30.18, 36.24 and 21.98, P<0.05). The multivariate analysis further indicates that urethral D2 cm 3, V20 Gy, V40 Gy and Bladder V40 Gy, D1 cm 3, D2 cm 3 were independent predictors of grade 2 urinary adverse reactions ( P<0.05). Conclusions:This study reported the correlations of relevant dosimetric parameters of urethra with urinary toxicity during external pelvic irradiation. It holds that urethral D2 cm 3, V20 Gy and V40 Gy should be restricted to minimize the risks of grade 2 urinary complications.

Objective To investigate the clinical application value of transrectal real-time tissue elastography(TRTE)guided targeted puncture in the diagnosis of prostate cancer.Methods A total of 52 patients with suspected prostate cancer who were treated in the First People's Hospital of Zhengzhou from January 2020 to December 2022 were selected as the study objects.Preoperative routine transrectal ultrasound and TRTE examination were performed to evaluate the benign and malignant prostates.For the 28 patients with suspected lesions found in TRTE,TRTE-guided targeted puncture(2 needles)+ systematic puncture(8 needles)were performed,for the 24 patients with no suspicious lesions found in TRTE,routine ultrasound-guided systematic puncture(12 needles)was performed.The efficacy of TRTE in the diagnosis of prostate cancer was analyzed and the positive rate of targeted puncture and systematic puncture was compared.Results In this study,25 cases of prostate cancer and 27 cases of benign lesions were ultimately pathologically diagnosed,while a total of 28 cases of prostate cancer and 24 cases of benign lesions were diagnosed with TRTE.The positive predictive value and negative predictive value of the diagnosis were 75.0%(21/28)and 83.3%(20/24),respectively.In 28 patients with suspected lesions found by TRTE,a total of 56 needles were targeted puncture,36 needles were diagnosed with prostate cancer,positive rate was 64.29%(36/56),and a total of 224 needles were systematic puncture,89 needles were diagnosed with prostate cancer,with a positive rate of 39.73%(89/224).The positive rate of prostate cancer by targeted puncture was significantly higher than that by systematic puncture(P<0.05).Conclusion TRTE can better diagnose prostate cancer,and its guided targeted puncture has a higher positive rate in the diagnosis of prostate cancer,which can maximize the positive rate of puncture while reducing the number of puncture needles.

Bile reflux gastritis is a common and frequently occurring disease of the digestive system,and the pathology is diverse.Professor Zhou Xinyou emphasized that the disease primarily affects the gallbladder,liver and stomach,advocating for a comprehensive differentiation of its etiology and pathogenesis across three distinct stages.In the early stage,the gallbladder is dysfunctional,which then affects the stomach;In the intermediate stage,there is congestion in the liver and gallbladder,leading to excessive wood element suppressing the earth element;in the late stage,gastric collaterals damage,with qi deficiency and blood stasis.Professor Zhou Xinyou follows the diagnosis and treatment ideas of"multiple compound methods,comprehensive application,and overall adjustment".For typical clinical symptoms,he has formulated the treatment principles and treatment methods of pain separation,general use,oral bitterness and upset,purging heat and stomach,treating gallbladder and stomach,regulating qi and resolving depression,so as to achieve both symptoms and root causes of treatment,gallbladder and stomach regulation.

Objective:To evaluate the pin-bone interface surface culture in the diagnosis of pin tract infection in external fixation.Methods:A prospective observational study was conducted to enroll the patients who underwent either partial or complete removal of external fixators after external fixation at Department of Orthopaedic Trauma, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University from June 2023 to September 2023. The secretions from the pin track (pin-soft tissue interface) were plated for bacterial culture. Additionally, the surface of the pins placed within the bone (pin-bone interface) was cultured directly with tryptic soy agar (TSA). Positive cases were subjected to additional analysis using qualitative microbial culture and antibiotic susceptibility testing. Comparisons were made between the cultural results derived from both interfaces.Results:The present study enrolled 23 patients [18 males and 5 females with an age of (37.3±17.6) years] and a duration of bearing external fixation of 8.1 (4.0, 11.3) months. A total of 212 samples were cultured. The positive rate of bacterial culture at the pin-soft tissue interface was 53.8% (57/106), significantly higher than that at the pin-bone interface [17.9% (19/106)] ( P<0.05). No correlation was found in the results of bacterial culture between the pin-bone interface and the pin-soft tissue interface ( r=-0.011, P=0.913). In terms of bacterial strains, single pathogenic bacteria were found in all the 19 positive samples cultured at the pin-bone interface, with Staphylococcus aureus as the most common pathogenic bacteria (7); of the 57 positive samples cultured at the pin-soft tissue interface, single pathogen infection was found in 51 and mixed bacterial infection in 6. Positive culture was found at both interfaces in 10 samples, of which identical bacterial strains were found in 4 and partially identical bacterial strains in 1. A total of 82 bacterial samples were subjected to drug sensitivity testing, of which 74.4% (61/82) were infected with Staphylococcus. The drug sensitivity test of Staphylococcus showed that the top 3 resistant drugs were ampicillin, oxacillin, and penicillin. The top 3 sensitive drugs were vancomycin, teicoplanin, and linezolid, all of which showed little resistance. Conclusions:Pin-bone interface culture of external fixators is a necessary evaluation of the infection of deep bone tissue. Simultaneous culture of pin-bone interface and pin-soft tissue interface can provide more comprehensive basis for the treatment of pin tract infection.

With the widespread application of immunotherapy, the overall survival rate of lung cancer patients continues to improve, and the accompanying immune-related adverse events are increasingly valued, with cardiac toxicity being the most severe. Early identification and prevention of immunotherapy-related cardiac toxicity in lung cancer patients significantly improves their quality of life. This paper summarizes the early identification (risk factors, evaluation tools, and prediction models) and preventive measures of immunotherapy-related cardiac toxicity in lung cancer patients so as to provide a reference for the early identification, prevention, and management of immunotherapy-related cardiac toxicity in lung cancer patients.

Objective:To investigate the effects of ovarian cancer domain containing protease-1 (OTUD1) gene on the typeⅠ interferon signaling pathway, and its impact on the antiviral effects of IFN-α.Methods:Dual-luciferase reporter assay was performed to detect the effects of OTUD1 gene on the transcriptional activity of interferon-stimulated response element (ISRE) promoter. Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) was used to detect the effects of OTUD1 on IFN-α-induced expression of interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs). The effects of OTUD1 gene on the expression of key proteins in the IFN-α signal transduction pathway were analyzed by Western blot, and its effects on IFN-α-mediated inhibition of hepatitis B virus replication were detected by qPCR and ELISA.Results:In HEK293T and Huh7.0 cells, OTUD1 down-regulated the transcriptional activity of ISRE promoter in the interferon signaling pathway and the expression of antiviral genes such as ISG15 and ISG56. In HEK293T cells, OTUD1 reduced the expression of phospho-Jak1 (p-JAK1) at protein level, but the catalytic inactive mutant of OTUD1 (C320S) could not regulate the expression of ISGs or p-JAK1. In Huh7.0 cells, OTUD1 antagonized the inhibitory effect of IFN-α on hepatitis B virus replication.Conclusions:OTUD1 with the ubiquitination activity can inhibit the interferon JAK-STAT signaling pathway and the expression of ISGs by down-regulating the expression of p-JAK1 protein. OTUD1 antagonizes the effect of IFN-α on viral replication and that may be related to the interferon-induced JAK-STAT signaling pathway.

Objective: To compare the efficacy and safety of neoadjuvant chemotherapy combined with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (NACT+CCRT) vs. concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) in locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC) patients with large tumor masses. Methods: LACC patients with localized tumor diameter >4 cm, were randomly allocated in an unblinded 1:1 ratio to NACT+CCRT or CCRT groups. Patients in the NACT+CCRT group were given paclitaxel combined with cisplatin (TP) NACT every 3 weeks for 2 cycles, followed by CCRT, with the chemotherapy regimen the same as for NACT. CCRT group were given CCRT with the same as for NACT. Results: From March 1, 2019, to June 30, 2021, 146 patients were included in the final analysis. Sixty-eight (93.2%) patients in the NACT+CCRT group and 66 (90.4%) patients in the CCRT group completed the expected treatment course. The complete response (CR) rate in the NACT+CCRT group was significantly higher than in the CCRT group (87.7% vs.67.6%, χ2 =54.540, p=0.000). In the NACT+CCRT group, the 1- and 2-year overall survival (OS) rates were significantly higher than those in the CCRT group (96% vs. 89% and 89% vs. 79%, χ2 =5.737, p=0.017). Additionally, the rate of recurrences and distant metastases was significantly lower in the NACT+CCRT group than in the CCRT group (4.11% vs. 7.35%, χ2 =4.059, p=0.021). Most treatment-related adverse events in both groups were grade 3. Conclusion Compared to CCRT, NACT+CCRT might improve the treatment completion rate, increase CR rate and 1- and 2-year OS rates, and reduce distant metastases rate for LACC patients with large tumor masses.

Objective: To compare the efficacy and safety of neoadjuvant chemotherapy combined with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (NACT+CCRT) vs. concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) in locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC) patients with large tumor masses. Methods: LACC patients with localized tumor diameter >4 cm, were randomly allocated in an unblinded 1:1 ratio to NACT+CCRT or CCRT groups. Patients in the NACT+CCRT group were given paclitaxel combined with cisplatin (TP) NACT every 3 weeks for 2 cycles, followed by CCRT, with the chemotherapy regimen the same as for NACT. CCRT group were given CCRT with the same as for NACT. Results: From March 1, 2019, to June 30, 2021, 146 patients were included in the final analysis. Sixty-eight (93.2%) patients in the NACT+CCRT group and 66 (90.4%) patients in the CCRT group completed the expected treatment course. The complete response (CR) rate in the NACT+CCRT group was significantly higher than in the CCRT group (87.7% vs.67.6%, χ2 =54.540, p=0.000). In the NACT+CCRT group, the 1- and 2-year overall survival (OS) rates were significantly higher than those in the CCRT group (96% vs. 89% and 89% vs. 79%, χ2 =5.737, p=0.017). Additionally, the rate of recurrences and distant metastases was significantly lower in the NACT+CCRT group than in the CCRT group (4.11% vs. 7.35%, χ2 =4.059, p=0.021). Most treatment-related adverse events in both groups were grade 3. Conclusion Compared to CCRT, NACT+CCRT might improve the treatment completion rate, increase CR rate and 1- and 2-year OS rates, and reduce distant metastases rate for LACC patients with large tumor masses.