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.

Objective The study aimed to investigate the impact of rare earth elements(REEs)exposure on pregnancy outcomes of in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer(IVF-ET)by analyzing samples from spouses. Methods A total of 141 couples were included.Blood and follicular fluid from the wives and semen plasma from the husbands,were analyzed for REEs using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry(ICP-MS).Spearman's correlation coefficients and the Mann-Whitney U test were used to assess correlations and compare REE concentrations among three types of samples,respectively.Logistic models were utilized to estimate the individual REE effect on IVF-ET outcomes,while BKMR and WQS models explored the mixture of REE interaction effects on IVF-ET outcomes. Results Higher La concentration in semen(median 0.089 ng/mL,P=0.03)was associated with a lower fertilization rate.However,this effect was not observed after artificial selection intervention through intracytoplasmic sperm injection(ICSI)(P=0.27).In semen,the REEs mixture did not exhibit any significant association with clinical pregnancy. Conclusion Our study revealed a potential association between high La exposure in semen and a decline in fertilization rate,but not clinical pregnancy rate.This is the first to report REEs concentrations in follicular fluid with La,Ce,Pr,and Nd found at significantly lower concentrations than in serum,suggesting that these four REEs may not accumulate in the female reproductive system.However,at the current exposure levels,mixed REEs exposure did not exhibit reproductive toxicity.

Objective:To investigate the clinicopathological characteristics of acidophil stem cell pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (PitNET)/adenoma.Methods:Five cases of acidophil stem cell PitNET/adenoma were diagnosed between May 2022 and July 2023 at the Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China. The clinicopathological features of the tumor were analyzed by using histology, immunohistochemistry, and electron microscopy. The relevant literature was reviewed.Results:There were 1 male and 4 females, aged from 23 to 69 years. Patient 3 was 55 years old at the time of diagnosis and first surgery, and relapsed 5 years later. The patients′ median age was 32 years. Patients 1 and 5 showed elevated blood prolactin, with various degrees of hormonal symptoms except Patient 3, who showed only tumor compression symptoms. Imaging studies showed that all cases involved the sellar floor. The tumors of Patients 1, 2 and 5 were closely related to the cavernous sinus segment of the internal carotid artery. The tumors exhibited a diffuse growth pattern with chromophobic to slightly acidophilic cytoplasm. A few of tumor cells showed chromophobic cytoplasm. The nucleoli were conspicuous. Intranuclear inclusion bodies and variably-sized clear vacuoles were observed occasionally. Under electron microscope, marked mitochondrial abnormalities were observed, including increased mitochondria number, expanded hypertrophy, and absence of mitochondrial ridge fracture. Some mitochondrial matrices were dense, while some were vacuolated.Conclusions:Acidophil stem cell PitNET/adenoma is a rare type of pituitary adenomas/PitNETs. It often has a more clinically aggressive manner with immature cells, diffuse expression of PIT1, prolactin, and varying degrees of growth hormone expression. Because of the obvious diversity of their clinical hormone status and hormone immune expression, the diagnosis of this type tumor is still a challenge.

Objective To investigate and analyze the level of homocysteine(Hcy)in Tibet and to analyze the differences of Hcy level in different altitude regions,genders and ages,and thus to provide the prevalence profile of hyperhomocysteine and the differences in relevant tests between HHcy(hyperhomocysteinemia)and non-HHcy pop-ulations.Methods Totally 1 615(male n＝585)subjects were selected from Ngari,Lhasa,Shigatse and Nyingchi plat-eau areas of Tibet by stratified cluster sampling.Serum Hcy level was analyzed and the difference of Hcy level in pop-ulations located at different altitude plateau areas,gender groups were found.The prevalence of hyperhomocysteine and related test were analyzed.Kruskal Wallis test was used to compare Hcy levels in different altitudes,genders and age groups,and Pearson Chi-square test was used to compare HHcy prevalence.Variance analysis was used for the differences of different test indicators between non-HHcy and HHcy populations.Results The level of Hcy in differ-ent regions and different genders were statistically significant,which was higher in males than that in females,and higher in Lhasa and Shigatse than in Nyingchi and Ngari.There was difference in serum HHcy prevalence among dif-ferent genders,regions and age groups.Males showed a higher level than females,people from Lhasa and Shigatse showed a higher level than those from Nyingchi and Ngari.Conclusions The incidence of hyperhomocysteinemia in Tibet is statistically significant in different areas,different genders and different age groups.So this study provides a scientific basis for the rational use of Hcy as an indicator in clinical practice of prevention and treatment of related diseases in plateau areas.

Recent studies have found that the pathological changes of Tau proteinopathy, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), involve transmission or circulatory disturbance of synaptic vesicles. This article reviews the relations of AD/PSP with circulatory disturbance of synaptic vesicles and explore the pathogenesis of these diseases, aiming to provide a new perspective for new therapeutic drugs.

The unique characteristics of the tumor microenvironment (TME) could be exploited to develop antitumor nanomedicine strategies. However, in many cases, the actual therapeutic effect is far from reaching our expectations due to the notable tumor heterogeneity. Given the amplified characteristics of TME regulated by vascular disrupting agents (VDAs), nanomedicines may achieve unexpected improved efficacy. Herein, we fabricate platelet membrane-fusogenic liposomes (PML/DP&PPa), namely "platesomes", which actively load the hypoxia-activated pro-prodrug DMG-PR104A (DP) and physically encapsulate the photosensitizer pyropheophorbide a (PPa). Considering the different stages of tumor vascular collapse and shutdown induced by a VDA combretastatin-A4 phosphate (CA4P), PML/DP&PPa is injected 3 h after intraperitoneal administration of CA4P. First, CA4P-mediated tumor hemorrhage amplifies the enhanced permeation and retention (EPR) effect, and the platesome-biological targeting further promotes the tumor accumulation of PML/DP&PPa. Besides, CA4P-induced vascular occlusion inhibits oxygen supply, followed by photodynamic therapy-caused acute tumor hypoxia. This prolonged extreme hypoxia contributes to the complete activation of DP and then high inhibitory effect on tumor growth and metastasis. Thus, such a combining strategy of artificially-regulated TME and bio-inspired platesomes pronouncedly improves tumor drug delivery and boosts tumor hypoxia-selective activation, and provides a preferable solution to high-efficiency cancer therapy.

Objective:To observe the ratio of helper T cells 17 (Th17)/regulatory T cells (Treg) in peripheral blood of patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) and the expression changes of related cytokines in serum, and to explore their role in the occurrence and development of HT.Methods:Using the case-control study method, 35 HT patients examined in the General Hospital of Heilongjiang Beidahuang Group from February to November 2019 were selected as HT group, and 39 healthy people in the same period were selected as control group. Early morning fasting venous blood samples of the two groups were collected to test the levels of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxine (FT 4), thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb) and thyroglobulin antibody (TgAb). The expressions of serum interleukin (IL)-6, IL-17 and transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) were tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA); the number of Th17, Treg in peripheral blood were determined by flow cytometry. Results:The levels of TPOAb, TgAb and TSH in HT group [130.60 (43.37, 714.40), 368.10 (136.90, 1 103.00) U/ml, 9.05 (6.62, 15.23) μU/ml] were significantly higher than those in control group [2.66 (1.52, 4.69), 12.63 (11.43, 14.60) U/ml, 1.87 (1.36, 2.23) μU/ml, U = 6.87, 6.62, 4.85, P < 0.001], and the FT 4 level [0.76 (0.63, 1.04) ng/dl] was lower than that in control group [1.14 (1.02, 1.26) ng/dl, U = 7.39, P < 0.001]. The expressions of IL-6, IL-17 and TGF-β in HT group were higher than those in control group ( t = 2.41, 9.04, 2.44, P < 0.05). The number of Th17 and the ratio of Th17/Treg in HT group were higher than those in control group ( t = 4.20, 3.50, P < 0.05), and the number of Treg was lower than that in control group ( t = 4.45, P = 0.001). Conclusion:In HT patients, Th17 are increased, Treg decreased, Th17/Treg ratio increased, and the expressions of IL-6, IL-17 and TGF-β are increased.

Objective:To investigate the current situation of emergency medical service (EMS) system and its effect on treatment of the acute stage and short- and long-term prognosis in patients with acute myocardial infarction in Hebei province.Methods:Totally 2 961 patients with acute myocardial infarction who were admitted to major tertiary and some representative secondary hospitals in Hebei province from January 2016 to December 2016 were collected. According to the pattern of arriving hospital, all the patients were divided into the EMS group and self-transport group. The general conditions, time from onset to treatment, treatment methods, in-hospital mortality rate and 3-year mortality rate were compared between the two groups.Results:Of the included 2 961 patients, 33.13% of them were transported through EMS and 66.87% of them by private transport. Patients with a history of hypertension and ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction were more likely to choose EMS, and the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.05). Moreover, patients in the EMS group were more likely to go to tertiary hospitals for treatment (88.58% vs 85.76%, P=0.033). The time from onset to treatment of the EMS group was significantly shorter than that of the self-transport group (160 min vs 185 min, P<0.01), and the proportion of patients in the EMS group from onset-to-door time in <3 h and 3-6 h was higher than that of the self-transport group (55.76% vs 49.14%, 21.41% vs 19.09%, P<0.01). Compared with the self-transport group, the EMS group has a higher rate of reperfusion therapy (67.48% vs 61.67%, P=0.002). Patients in the EMS group had a higher in-hospital mortality rate in the acute stage (7.03% vs 4.44%, P=0.003), but its 3-year mortality rate was lower than that of the self-transport group (17.31% vs 20.77%, P<0.05). Conclusions:EMS can shorten symptom-onset-to-arrival time, increase the rate of reperfusion therapy and improve long-term prognosis of patients with acute myocardial infarction.

Objective This article reviews the curriculum framework, teaching content, teaching method and application effects of stimulation teaching of hospice care for nursing undergraduates and reveals its inspirations to China, in order to provide a reference for the further development of China's hospice education.

Objective To explore the correlation between arterial total compliance indices, stroke volume/pulse pressure (SV/PP), SV adjusted by body surface area/PP (SV′/PP) and carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV), and investigate the value of SV/PP, SV′/PP in the evaluation of clinical arterial stiffness (AS). Methods Forty-five hospitalized patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) in Tangdu Hospital of Fourth Military Medical University from March to December 2016 were included in this study (CHD group). Forty-five healthy volunteers who took a health checkup in Tangdu Hospital at the same period were also included as healthy controls. SV was measured by echocardiography, and the PP was calculated through traditional blood pressure measurement. Body surface area was calculated by Du Bois formula. Carotid-femoral PWV was measured by Doppler ultrasonography. Unpaired t test was used to compare the AS indices between CHD group and healthy controls. Spearman correlation analysis was used to evaluate the correlation between SV/PP, SV′/PP and carotid-femoral PWV.Results SV/PP, SV′/PP were decreased [(1.23±0.26) ml/mmHg vs(1.37±0.27) ml/mmHg, (0.66±0.13) ml/m2?mmHg vs(0.74±0.15) ml/m2?mmHg, 1 mmHg=0.133 kPa], carotid-femoral PWV was increased [(9.49±2.05) m/s vs(8.16±1.07) m/s] in CHD patients when compared with control group with statistical significance (t=2.0971,P<0.05;t=2.1643,P<0.05;t=2.8321,P<0.01, respectively). Both SV/PP and SV′/PP in healthy controls and CHD group inversely correlated with the corresponding Carotid-femoral PWV (healthy controls:r=-0.64,-0.56, bothP<0.001; CHD group:r=-0.53, P=0.0002,r=0.61,P<0.001). While SV′/PP showed a stronger correlation with carotid-femoral PWV. Conclusions Arterial total compliance decreases and AS increases in CHD patients compared with healthy controls. SV/PP, derived from echocardiography and blood pressure measurement, correlates with carotid-femoral PWV, the″golden standard″ index of AS. After adjusted by body surface area, SV′/PP correlates more strongly with carotid-femoral PWV. SV/PP and SV′/PP are expected to provide a simple and convenient way for clinical noninvasive AS evaluation.