Objective To observe the value of serum soluble receptor of advanced glycation endproducts (sRAGE) combined with lung function and high resolution lung CT (HRCT) in predicting the risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) developing non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods From January 2019 to June 2021, 140 patients with COPD combined with NSCLC, 137 patients with COPD, and 133 patients with NSCLC were enrolled in the study from the People's Hospital of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. General data, clinical symptoms, pulmonary function indexes and HRCT emphysema indexes (EI) were collected. Serum sRAGE levels of these patients were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Clinical characteristics of patients with COPD complicated with NSCLC were analyzed. Serum sRAGE, lung function and lung HRCT were combined to evaluate the correlation between the degree of emphysema and the occurrence of NSCLC in COPD, and receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed for diagnostic efficiency. Results Compared with NSCLC group, COPD combined with NSCLC group had higher proportion of male patients, higher proportion of elderly patients, higher smoking index, and higher proportion of squamous cell carcinoma (P<0.05). FEV1 and FEV1%pred in COPD combined with NSCLC group were significantly lower than those in COPD group and NSCLC group. The Goddard score and EI values of emphysema were significantly increased (P<0.05). Serum sRAGE was significantly lower than that of COPD group and NSCLC group (P<0.05). Serum sRAGE level was positively correlated with FEV1%pred (r=0.366, P<0.001) and FEV1/FVC (r=0.419, P<0.001), and negatively correlated with Goddard score (r=–0.710, P=0.001) and EI value (r=–0.515, P<0.001). Binary multi-factor logistic regression analysis showed that age, smoking index, EI, Goddard score, RV/TLC were positively correlated with the risk of COPD developing NSCLC, while FEV1%pred, FVC, FEV1/FVC and serum sRAGE were negatively correlated with the risk of COPD developing NSCLC. ROC curve results showed that the area under the curve (AUC) of single diagnosis of sRAGE was 0.990, and the optimal cut-off value of 391.98 pg/mL with sensitivity of 93.3% and specificity of 89.7%. The AUC of sRAGE combined with age, smoking index, EI, Goddard score, FEV1%pred, FVC, FEV1/FVC, RV/TLC was 1.000 with sensitivity of 96.7%, specificity of 96.6%, and Yoden index of 0.933. Conclusion The combination of serum sRAGE, lung function and HRCT emphysema score can improve prediction of NSCLC occurrence in COPD.
Electroencephalogram (EEG) has been an important tool for scientists to study epilepsy and evaluate the treatment of epilepsy for half a century, since epilepsy seizures are caused by the diffusion of excessive discharge of brain neurons. This paper reviews the clinical application of scalp EEG in the treatment of intractable epilepsy with vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) in the past 30 years. It mainly introduces the prediction of the therapeutic effect of VNS on intractable epilepsy based on EEG characteristics and the effect of VNS on EEG of patients with intractable epilepsy, and expounds some therapeutic mechanisms of VNS. For predicting the efficacy of VNS based on EEG characteristics, EEG characteristics such as epileptiform discharge, polarity of slow cortical potential changes, changes of EEG symmetry level and changes of EEG power spectrum are described. In view of the influence of VNS treatment on patients’ EEG characteristics, the change of epileptiform discharge, power spectrum, synchrony, brain network and amplitude of event-related potential P300 are described. Although no representative EEG markers have been identified for clinical promotion, this review paves the way for prospective studies of larger patient populations in the future to better apply EEG to the clinical treatment of VNS, and provides ideas for predicting VNS efficacy, assessing VNS efficacy, and understanding VNS treatment mechanisms, with broad medical and scientific implications.
Objective To investigate the differences in biomechanical properties between fresh and chemically extracted acellular peri pheral nerve. Methods Thirty-six sciatic nerves were harvested from 18 adult male Wistar rats of 3 months old and randomly assigned into 3 groups (n=12 per group): normal control group (group A), the nerve segments received no treatment; Sondell method group (group B), the nerve segments were chemically extracted with the detergents of Triton X-100 and sodium deoxycholate; and improved method group (group C), chemically extracted acellular treatment of nerve was done with the detergents of Triton X-200, Sulfobetaine-10 (SB-10), and SB-16. After the acellularization, the structural changes of nerves in each group were observed by HE staining and field emission scanning electron microscope,then the biomechanical properties of nerves were tested using mechanical apparatus (Endura TEC ELF 3200). Results HE staining and field emission scanning electron microscope showed that the effect of acellularization of group C was similar to that of group B, but the effects of demyel ination and integrity of nerve fiber tube of group C were better than those of group B; the structure of broken nerves was more chaotic than before biomechanical test. The biomechanical test showed that the ultimate load, ultimate stress, ultimate strain, mechanical work to fracture in group A were the largest, the next was group C, the least was group B; the tenacity and elastic modulus in group C were the largest, the next was group B, the least was group A; but the differences were not significant (P gt; 0.05). Conclusion Compared with Sondell method, the nerve treated by improved method is more appropriate for use in vivo.
Objective To analyze the screening effect and tuberculosis detection characteristics of close contacts with pathogen-positive tuberculosis in Baoding city, and build an infection risk prediction model based on risk factors, so as to provide reference for accurate screening and intervention. Methods A retrospective observational study design was used to collect the data of screening of tuberculosis patients and close contacts of pathogen-positive tuberculosis patients in Baoding "Tuberculosis Information Management System" from March 2023 to March 2025, and a retrospective analysis was conducted. A total of 83 cases of registered pathogen-positive pulmonary tuberculosis patients were enrolled, and 1208 cases of close contacts were identified, among which 1136 cases were actually screened, and the screening completion rate was 94.04%. According to the screening of suspicious symptoms and the detection of tuberculosis, they were divided into a positive group (n=102) and a negative group (n=1034). The general clinical data and clinical characteristics of the two groups were compared, and the risk factors of positive results of close contacts were analyzed by multivariate logistic regression analysis. At the same time, a prediction model was constructed, and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of subjects was drawn to analyze the value of predicting positive results of close contacts. Results The proportion of patients with body mass index (BMI), family annual income<50000 yuan, high-intensity contact, average daily contact time ≥ 4 hours, cumulative contact time ≥6 months, persistent cough time ≥2 weeks, weight loss ≥5% in the last three months, combined with immune system diseases, smoking history and no BCG vaccination in positive group was higher than that in negative group (all P<0.05). The results of multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that BMI (OR=0.832, 95%CI 0.738～0.938) was the protective factor for the positive results of close contacts, and the annual household income was less than 50,000 (OR=1.770, 95%CI 1.030～3.040), high-intensity contact (OR=1.940, 95%CI 1.071～3.624), cumulative contact time ≥6 months (OR=2.210, 95%CI 1.26～4.050), persistent cough time ≥2 weeks (OR=2.380, 95%CI 1.424～3.977) and non-BCG vaccination (OR=2.208, 95%CI 1.163～4.191) were the risk factors (P<0.05). The regression equation model was established: logit(P)= –2.931 + BMI×–0.184 + annual family income<50 000 × 0.571+high-intensity contact×0.678 + cumulative contact time ≥6 months × 0.793 + persistent cough time ≥2 weeks × 0.867 + combined immune system diseases × 1.264. ROC curve showed that when logit(P)>12.84, the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.789. Conclusions High BMI is a protective factor for screening positive close contacts of pathogen-positive pulmonary tuberculosis patients, and low annual family income, high intensity and long-term exposure, persistent cough, immune system diseases, smoking history and non-BCG vaccination are risk factors. Logistic regression prediction model based on the above factors has good discrimination ability and clinical practical value, which can provide reference for grading screening and individualized intervention of close contacts of tuberculosis. However, it should be noted that the protective effect of BCG vaccination on adult pulmonary tuberculosis is still controversial, and the relevant conclusions of this study should be carefully explained in combination with the specific population background and immune status.