Objective To explore the clinical effect and mechanism of Xianhecao-Baizhu in treatment of diarrhea irritable bowel syndrome with spleen deficiency and dampness type. Methods A total of 120 patients were randomly divided into treatment group and control group, with 60 cases in each group. The treatment group was given Xianhecao-Baizhu Decoction orally, and the control group was given pefican combined with montmorillonite powder orally. The course of treatment lasted for 1 month. The improvement of main symptoms, comprehensive efficacy, serum levels of 5-HT and IL-1β before and after treatment in two groups were observed. Results The improvement rate of abdominal distension or abdominal pain in the treatment group was higher than that in the control group (P < 0.05). The total effective rate of the treatment group was higher than that of the control group (P < 0.05). After treatment, serum 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and interleukin -1β(IL-1β) levels were decreased in both groups, but the decrease was more obvious in the treatment group than in the control group (P < 0.05). After treatment, abdominal pain scores and diarrhea scores in the two groups decreased, and the decrease in the treatment group was more obvious than that in the control group (P < 0.05). The scores of Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA) and IBS Quality of Life Scale (IBS-QOL) in the two groups after treatment were decreased compared with those before treatment, and the HAMA and IBS-QOL scores in the treatment group were lower than those in the control group (P < 0.01). Conclusion Xianhecao-Baizhu can treat diarrhea irritable bowel syndrome with spleen deficiency and dampness type by reducing the secretion levels of 5-HT and IL-1β.

Objectives:To verify the reliability and validity of the frailty assessment scale for elderly patients with inguinal hernia and to evaluate the value of its clinical application.Methods:A convenience sampling method was used to collect 129 geriatric patients who underwent inguinal hernia surgery from January 2018 to January 2023 in nine hospitals in Liaoning Province. There were 120 males and 9 females, of whom 89 patients were 60 to <75 years old, 33 patients were 75 to <85 years old and 7 patients were ≥85 years old. The 129 patients included 11 elderly patients with inguinal hernia who had recovered from preoperative infection with COVID-19. Statistical methods such as Cronbach′s coefficient, Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin test, Bartlett′s test, Pearson′s correlation analysis, etc. were calculated to verify the reliability indexes such as feasibility, content validity, structural validity, criterion-related validity, internal consistency reliability, and re-test reliability. Taking the 5-item modified frailty index (5-mFI) as the gold standard, the area under the curve was used to analyze the ability of the two scales to predict the occurrence of postoperative acute urinary retention, postoperative delirium, poor incision healing, operative hematoma seroma, and postoperative complications.Results:The frailty assessment scale for elderly patients with inguinal hernia showed good reliability and validity (valid completion rate of 99.2%; item content validity index of 1.000, and the scale content validity index of 1.000; exploratory factor analysis extracted a total of 1 principal component, and factor loadings of each item of 0.565 to 0.873; the AUC for frailty diagnosis using 5-mFI as the gold standard of 0.795 ( P<0.01) Cronbach′s coefficient of 0.916, retest reliability coefficient of 0.926), it could effectively predict postoperative acute urinary retention, delirium, hematoma seroma in the operative area and total complications (AUC of 0.746, 0.870, 0.806, and 0.738, respectively; all P<0.05), and prediction efficiency was higher than that of 5-mFI (AUC of 0.694, 0.838, 0.626 and 0.641, P<0.05 for delirium only), but both scales were inaccurate in predicting poor incision healing (AUC of 0.519, P=0.913 for the frailty assessment scale and 0.455, P=0.791 for the 5-mFI). Conclusions:The frailty assessment scale for elderly patients with inguinal hernia is reliable and significantly predicts the occurrence of postoperative adverse events in elderly inguinal hernia patients. The scale can also be used for preoperative frailty assessment in elderly patients with inguinal hernia after rehabilitation from COVID-19 infection.

Objectives:To verify the reliability and validity of the frailty assessment scale for elderly patients with inguinal hernia and to evaluate the value of its clinical application.Methods:A convenience sampling method was used to collect 129 geriatric patients who underwent inguinal hernia surgery from January 2018 to January 2023 in nine hospitals in Liaoning Province. There were 120 males and 9 females, of whom 89 patients were 60 to <75 years old, 33 patients were 75 to <85 years old and 7 patients were ≥85 years old. The 129 patients included 11 elderly patients with inguinal hernia who had recovered from preoperative infection with COVID-19. Statistical methods such as Cronbach′s coefficient, Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin test, Bartlett′s test, Pearson′s correlation analysis, etc. were calculated to verify the reliability indexes such as feasibility, content validity, structural validity, criterion-related validity, internal consistency reliability, and re-test reliability. Taking the 5-item modified frailty index (5-mFI) as the gold standard, the area under the curve was used to analyze the ability of the two scales to predict the occurrence of postoperative acute urinary retention, postoperative delirium, poor incision healing, operative hematoma seroma, and postoperative complications.Results:The frailty assessment scale for elderly patients with inguinal hernia showed good reliability and validity (valid completion rate of 99.2%; item content validity index of 1.000, and the scale content validity index of 1.000; exploratory factor analysis extracted a total of 1 principal component, and factor loadings of each item of 0.565 to 0.873; the AUC for frailty diagnosis using 5-mFI as the gold standard of 0.795 ( P<0.01) Cronbach′s coefficient of 0.916, retest reliability coefficient of 0.926), it could effectively predict postoperative acute urinary retention, delirium, hematoma seroma in the operative area and total complications (AUC of 0.746, 0.870, 0.806, and 0.738, respectively; all P<0.05), and prediction efficiency was higher than that of 5-mFI (AUC of 0.694, 0.838, 0.626 and 0.641, P<0.05 for delirium only), but both scales were inaccurate in predicting poor incision healing (AUC of 0.519, P=0.913 for the frailty assessment scale and 0.455, P=0.791 for the 5-mFI). Conclusions:The frailty assessment scale for elderly patients with inguinal hernia is reliable and significantly predicts the occurrence of postoperative adverse events in elderly inguinal hernia patients. The scale can also be used for preoperative frailty assessment in elderly patients with inguinal hernia after rehabilitation from COVID-19 infection.

Objective:To investigate the anatomical basis for the preparation of the profunda artery perforator flap (PAPF) in the posteromedial femoral region and its application in the reconstruction of oral and maxillofacial defects.Methods:Six lower limbs of Chinese adult cadavers were micro-surgically dissected. CT angiography (CTA) data of bilateral lower limbs of 6 patients was also collected retrospectively. The number, external diameter, pedicle length, and distribution of perforators in the posteromedial femoral region were recorded from the specimens and CTA data. Meanwhile, 10 patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Stomatology, Nanjing Medical University from August 2018 to June 2021 were treated with the PAPF. At each follow-up, contour and function of recipient and donor site, as well as swallowing and speech function were evaluated.Results:A total of 19 profunda artery perforator were identified in 6 lower limb specimens. The outer diameter at the beginning of the source artery was (2.34±0.25) mm and the total length of the pedicle was (11.12±1.06) cm. CTA data analysis of 12 legs identified 15 perforators of profunda artery in the posteromedial region. Eleven perforators were septocutaneous, including 2 perforators with a common trunk, while the remaining 4 perforators were musculocutaneous. As for different patterns of perforators (septocutaneous perforators, musculocutaneous perforators and perforators with a common trunk), the longitudinal distance to the pubic tubercle was (19.95±2.43), (21.84±2.54) and (19.48±0.55) cm respectively. The horizontal distance to the posterior edge of gracilis was (3.54±1.10), (3.72±0.30) and (3.85±1.48) cm, respectively. The initial diameters of perforators was (2.4±0.4), (2.6±0.6) and 1.9 mm respectively. Ten cases of the profunda artery perforator flaps survived successfully after operation. The flap sizes ranged from 8 cm×6 cm to 12 cm×7 cm. The patients were evaluated at 1, 3 and 6 months, and with 6 months interval ever since. During the follow-up, the shape of the recipient site was ideal, and the swallowing and language functions were not significantly affected. There was only linear scar in the donor area, and the function of the thigh was basically normal.Conclusions:PAPF possessed a good anatomic stability, suitable vascular pedicle length and diameter, minor influence to the donor area, sufficient amount tissue with good quality. It is an ideal choice for head and neck reconstruction.

Objective To investigate the relationship of obesity and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)and the clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of breast cancer.Methods From Jan.2013 to Dec.2015,147 breast cancer patients were treated at the Department of Breast Surgery in Jiangsu University Affiliated People's Hospital.The clinical factors such as BMI,clinicopathological data and survival prognosis were collected.The chi-square test was used to analyze the association between factors and obesity.Log-rank test and COX regression analysis were performed to make univariate and multivariate analysis.The Oncomine and Kaplan Meier plotter were employed to assess the expression of VEGF in breast cancer and its association with survival prognosis of breast cancer patients.Results The median follow-up time was 40 (ranging from 12 to 58) months.Obesity was associated with tumor size(x2=11.009,P=0.001),and there was no significant correlation between axillary lymph node status,hormone receptor and Her-2 expression.The results of single factor analysis suggested that obesity and axillary lymph node status significantly affected the breast cancer patients OS (P=0.035,P=0.038)and RFS (P=0.035,P=0.036)).Cox multivariate regression analysis results suggested that obesity could be considered as an independent prognostic factor of breast cancer:P=0.051,HR=3.849 (95％ CI:0.995-14.895);Oncomine database analysis found that VEGF was relatively high in breast cancer tissue compared to that in adjacent tissues.Kaplan Meier plotter analysis results showed better overall survival (OS)and recurrence free survival (RFS)in patients with low expression of VEGF in breast cancer tissues.Conclusions Obesity is an adverse prognostic factor in breast cancer patients,and may be associated with elevated VEGF.Weight control may improve the prognosis of breast cancer patients.

Objective To investigate the surgical methods and the differences of postoperative complications in esophageal canccr patients aged 60 years and over undergoing different operation models.Methods A total of 542 elderly esophageal cancer patients who underwent thoracic surgery at our hospital between January 2010 and December 2016 were enrolled.Patients were divided into 4 groups:left thoracic incision operation group (n =202),lvor-Lewis two incisions operation group (right chest posterolateral and upper abdomen median) (n=251),three incision operation group (left neckright chest-abdominal midian (n =29),and McKneown under-endoscope minimally invasive operation group (n=60).Clinical data,including the postoperative days,numbers of lymph nodes dissection,pulmonary infection,serous membrane fluid,arrhythmia,chylous fistula,gastric emptying dysfunction and anastomotic leakage,were retrospectively compared between the four groups.Results There was no significant difference in the postoperative days,serous membrane fluid,arrhythmia,chylous fistula,gastric emptying dysfunction and anastomotic leakage (P ＞ 0.05).The number of lymph nodes dissection in Sweet group,Ivor-Lewis group,Mckeown operation group and minimally invasive Mckneown group were (12.9±7.4)、(19.3±8.6)、(14.3±6.9)and(15.4±7.3)respectively.The number of lymph nodes dissection was more in the Ivor-Lewis group than in the other three groups (F =23.915,P =0.000).Sweet group,Ivor-Lewis group,Mckeown group and minimally invasive Mckneown group were 31.7％、40.2％、24.1％ and 50.0％ respectively.The incidence of pulmonary infection was higher in the minimally invasive surgery group than in the other three groups (x2 =9.941,P =0.019).Conclusions Ivor-Lewis surgery is more effective in lymph nodes dissection and has a lower incidence of complications in elderly esophageal cancer patients.The minimally invasive surgery group has a higher incidence of pulmonary infection than in the other surgical groups,which may be related with the immaturity of endoscopic technique.

Objective To investigate the effects of Xuebijing combined with probiotics on levels of inflammatory indexes of procalcitonin (PCT), C-reactive protein (CRP) and microcirculation index D-Dimer in patients with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). Methods Ninety-two SAP patients admitted to the Affiliated Wujiang Hospital of Nantong University from June 2014 to July 2017 were enrolled, according to the difference in treatment, they were divided into three groups: Xuebijing group (n = 31) using 50 mL Xuebijing injection added into 100 mL 0.9% normal saline, intravenously dripped, each time lasting for 30-40 minutes, twice a day; probiotics group (n = 30) applying lactobacillus complex capsules (each capsule weight 0.33 g), 2 capsules once, 3 times a day; Xuebijing combined with probiotics group (n = 31) using the same as above two methods in combination. The routine therapies were given to the patients in the three groups, including anti-acid agents, anti-infection, anti-secretion of pancreas, fluid resuscitation, etc. The venous blood was collected before and after treatment for 5 days and 7 days, the serum PCT, CRP and plasma D-Dimer were detected and the differences in the above indexes among the three groups were compared. Results The serum PCT, CRP and plasma D-Dimer levels were significantly reduced in the three groups after treatment, and with the prolongation of therapeutic time, the reduction in the above index levels was more obvious, the amplitudes of descent in levels of indicators were mostly pronounced in Xuebijing combined with probiotics group on the 7th day of treatment, being significantly greater than those of single Xuebijing group or single probiotics group [PCT (μg/L): 1.21±1.05 vs. 2.37±0.84, 2.43±0.69, CRP (mg/L): 12.57±1.39 vs. 25.24±3.06, 27.32±2.74, D-Dimer (mg/L): 0.61±0.17 vs. 1.02±0.34, 0.94±0.39], however , the levels of PCT, CRP and D-Dimer were of no significant differences between Xuebijing group and probiotics group (all P > 0.05). Conclusions The Xuebijing injection combined with probiotics for treatment of patients with SAP can significantly reduce the levels of PCT, CRP and D-Dimer, ameliorate the inflammatory response, and the therapeutic effect was more evident compared with Xuebijing or probiotics treatment alone. Moreover, this combination therapy can provide early protection for SAP patients.

China has become an aging society,and the incidence and mortality of breast cancer in the elderly continue to rise.Controversies remain on a number of diagnosis and treatment issues.Therefore,it's urgent to standardize the diagnosis and treatment of elderly patients with breast cancer.This article reviews recent advances in the diagnosis,surgery,radiotherapy,chemotherapy and endocrine therapy of breast cancer in elderly patients.

Objective To evaluate the efficacy of interventional MRI in radiofrequency ablation (RFA)of breast cancer.Methods 12 patients with breast carcinoma proven by core-needle biopsy-were enrolled in this study.Among them, 7 patients were in phase Ⅳ(6 with lung metastasis, 1 with bone metastasis),and 5 patients were in phase Ⅲ(all of them rejected the surgical operation because of various contraindications,including severe hypertension,diabetes mellitus,liver or kidney dysfunction,and advanced age).Moreover, all of the tumor size could not be further shrunk after medical treatment (such as 4-6 cycles chemotherapy, endocrine therapy or targeted therapy).Additionally,breast lesions were still remained to be confirmed by imaging examination and biopsy pathology.Then the tumor and surrounding breast tissue were ablated with radiofrequency,followed by clinical follow-up and imaging examination after 1, 3, 6 and 12 months.Results All the patients completed 18 times RFA treatment.MRI showed that all the tumor lesions were necrotic, blood supply was disappeared and therewas no enhancement.Radiographic examination showed the original breast lesions were fuzzy or disappeared.All the tumors were achieved complete remission (CR) examined by imaging,and the effective rate was 100%.All the postoperative patients survived 1 year according to the follow-up data.Conclusion Interventional MRI is safe and effective method in the radiofrequency ablation of breast cancer.

Objective To establish docetaxel (Doc) resistant MDA‐MB‐231/Doc model and epirubicin (Epi) resistant MDA‐MB‐231/Epi mode from triple negative breast cancer cell line MDA‐MB‐231 and to explore their biological characteristics .Methods The MDA‐MB‐231/Doc and MDA‐MB‐231/Epi drug‐resistant cell lines were respectively established by gradually increasing Doc or Epi concentrations induction method in 12 months .The biological characteristics of the cell lines were compared by the cell mor‐phological observation ,MTT and flow cytometry ;the real‐time fluorescent quantitative PCR was used to detect multi‐drug resist‐ance gene (MDR1) mRNA expression;the expression of P glycoprotein(P‐gp) ,estrogen receptor (ER) ,progesterone receptor (PR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (Her‐2) was detected by Western Blot .Results After the 12‐month induction ,the established MDA‐MB‐231/Doc could grow stably in the medium containing 12 nmol/L Doc ,and MDA‐MB‐231/Epi could grow stably in the medium containing 800 nmol/L Epi;in the same drug concentration ,the growth proliferation rate of the drug resistant cell line was significantly higher than that of the parental generation cells ,their drug resistance indexes were 8 .32 times and 64 .93 rimes of parental generation sensitive cells ,moreover which showed the mutual cross drug resistant status .Compared to the parental generation cells ,the cells of stage G1 and G2 in two cell lines were increased and the cells of stage S were decreased ,with the prolon‐gation of drug withdrawal time ,the cell proliferation speed was accelerated .The expression level of MDR1 gene was increased in the two drug‐resistant cell lines ,which were 4 .05 times and 5 .96 times of parental generation cells respectively ,P‐gp protein expression was positive .Compared with the MCF‐7 cell line ,ER ,PR and Her2 expression in the MDA‐MB‐231 cell line was negative and typi‐cal triple negative breast cancer cell line .Conclusion The drug resistance cell lines of MDA‐MB‐231/Doc and MDA‐MB‐231/Epi are successfully established with stable growth and drug resistance .