The application of transbronchial lung cryobiopsy guided by endobronchial ultrasound sheath in diagnosis of nonresolving pneumonias / 中国医师进修杂志

Objective:To explore the application of transbronchial lung cryobiopsy guided by endobronchial ultrasound sheath (EBUS-GS-TBCB) in diagnosis of nonresolving pneumonias.Methods:Sixty patients with nonresolving pneumonias from March 2019 to July 2020 in Dalian Municipal Central Hospital were selected. The patients were divided into EBUS-GS-TBCB group (31 cases) and transbronchial forcep lung biopsy guided by endobronchial ultrasound sheath(EBUS-GS-TBLB) group (29 cases) by random digits table method.Results:The diagnostic rate of nonresolving pneumonias in EBUS-GS-TBCB group was significantly higher than that in EBUS-GS-TBLB group: 87.10% (27/31) vs. 65.52% (19/29), and there was statistical difference ( χ2 = 3.90, P = 0.048). There were no statistical difference in sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value and negative predictive value between 2 groups ( P>0.05). There were no statistical difference inthe shortest distance from lesions to pleura, incidence of pneumothorax and incidence of bleeding between EBUS-GS-TBCB group and EBUS-GS-TBLB group: (27.42 ± 2.88) mm vs. (27.01 ± 2.37) mm, 6.45%(2/31) vs. 3.45%(1/29) and 22.58%(7/31) vs. 13.79% (4/29), P>0.05. Among the causes of nonresolving pneumonias, infectious factors accounted for 21.67% (13/60), non infectious factors accounted for 66.67% (40/60), and uncertain causes accounted for 11.67% (7/60). Conclusions:The diagnostic rate of EBUS-GS-TBCB in nonresolving pneumonias is significantly higher than EBUS-GS-TBLB, and the complications such as bleeding and pneumothorax do not increase significantly.

Research advances in the molecular mechanism of long non-coding RNA in invasion and metastasis of pancreatic cancer / 临床肝胆病杂志

As a highly malignant gastrointestinal tumor, pancreatic cancer is highly invasive and metastatic, which leads to the low overall survival rate of patients with pancreatic cancer. Studies have shown that long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) is involved in the development, progression, invasion, and metastasis of pancreatic cancer through epigenetic, transcriptional or post-transcriptional regulation. Dysregulated expression of lncRNA is observed in pancreatic cancer and induces epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) through specific regulatory mechanisms, thereby causing the changes in the biological behavior of tumor cells. This article reviews the mechanisms of lncRNA in promoting EMT, regulating tumor biological function as competing endogenous RNA, and affecting the development, invasion, and metastasis of pancreatic cancer via multiple pathways by regulating the ferroptosis, autophagy, and exosome of tumor cells, in order to provide a theoretical basis and new targets for the early diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic cancer.

Research progress on the role of STING signal pathway in ischemia-reperfusion injury / 器官移植

Ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) is a pathophysiological process, which widely exists in organ transplantation and surgery. IRI is mainly manifested with hypoxia injury of organs or tissues during the ischemia period, which could be further aggravated after reperfusion. Ischemia-reperfusion induces tissue cell injury, releases damage-associated molecular pattern and further activates multiple immune cells via pattern recognition receptor, leading to aseptic inflammation and aggravating tissue injury. Cyclic guanosine monophosphate-adenosine monophosphate synthase (cGAS), as a critical member of pattern recognition receptor, could activate the stimulator of interferon genes (STING) signal pathway and play an important regulatory role in innate immune response. At present, increasing evidences have shown that cGAS-STING signal pathway plays a significant role in organ IRI. In this article, STING signaling pathway, its role and mechanism in IRI of different organs were reviewed, aiming to provide novel ideas for clinical interventions.

Recommendations of diagnosis and treatment of relapsing polychondritis in China / 中华内科杂志

Relapsing polychondritis is an immune mediated systemic inflammatory disease, involving the cartilaginous and proteoglycan rich structures. The characteristic manifestations were inflammation and deformity of ear and nasal cartilage. Here, Chinese Rheumatology Association summarized manifestations, diagnosis and disease activity index evaluation of relapsing polychondritis, standardized treatment regimens, to improve disease prognosis.

Clinical application value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound in hepatic artery thrombosis after pediatric liver transplantation / 器官移植

Objective To investigate the clinical application value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in hepatic artery thrombosis (HAT) after pediatric liver transplantation. Methods Clinical data of 126 pediatric recipients undergoing liver transplantation were retrospectively analyzed. The incidence of HAT after pediatric liver transplantation was summarized. Color Doppler ultrasound and CEUS manifestations of HAT were compared. Results According to color Doppler ultrasound, 17 cases were highly suspected with HAT. Nine cases were highly suspected with HAT by CEUS, who were subsequently confirmed by CT angiography (CTA) or surgery. CEUS manifestations of HAT showed that hepatic artery was not seen surrounding the portal vein during the arterial phase or even portal venous phase. Hepatocyte necrosis occurred in 4 patients with HAT, and no perfusion of intrahepatic contrast agent was observed on CEUS. Conclusions CEUS yields high clinical application value in the diagnosis of HAT after pediatric liver transplantation. It has significant advantages compared with traditional CTA, which could be widely applied in clinical practice.

Protective effect and mechanism of Artemisia argyi extract on vancomycin-induced acute kidney injury / 中国药科大学学报

@#The goal of the study was to investigate the protective effect and mechanism of Artemisia argyi ethanol extract on chemotherapeutic vancomycin (VAN)-induced acute kidney injury (AKI).The acute kidney injury model of male ICR mice was induced by intraperitoneal injection (ip) of VAN.Thirty mice were divided into the blank group, model group, high dose group, middle dose group and low dose group, which were given medicine by gastric perfusion (ig).Serum levels of cystain C (Cys C), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine (Scr) were measured, which could reflect renal function of mice.Serum oxidative stress and inflammation indices were also determined, including muscular dystrophy association (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), Interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and high-sensitive c-reactive protein (hs-CRP).In addition, hematoxylin-eosin staining (HE) was employed for measuring the damage of renal tissues and the content of apoptosis b-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2), Bcl-2 assaciated X protein (Bax) and caspase-3 were measured too.All results showed that Artemisia argyi extract exhibits protective effect on chemotherapeutic VAN-induced AKI, whose mechanism could be related to the oxidative stress, inflammatory reaction and apoptosis.

Effect of Artemisia Argyi Folium ethanolic extract on blood glucose and blood lipids in diabetic mice / 中国药科大学学报

@#To investigate the effect of ethanolic extract from Artemisia Argyi Folium on blood glucose and blood lipids in diabetic mice, ICR mice were induced by intraperitoneal injection of 35 mg/kg streptozotocin (STZ) and a high-carbohydrate/high-fat diet to construct type 2 diabetes mellitus model. Diabetic mice were randomly divided into three groups: the model group (5 mL/kg 0.5% CMC-Na), the Artemisia Argyi Folium ethanolic extract low-dose group (100 mg/kg ) and high-dose group (400 mg/kg ). During the treatment for 6 weeks, the amount of drinking water and food intake of mice were recorded every day. Blood glucose and body weight were recorded every week. After treatment for 6 weeks, serum total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C),and oral glucose tolerance (OGTT) were measured. The results showed that the amount of drinking water and food intake of mice significantly decreased (P < 0.01) in the Artemisia Argyi Folium ethanolic extract high-dose group; oral glucose tolerance was significantly improved (P < 0.01) and the contents of TC, TG and LDL-C were significantly decreased in the Artemisia Argyi Folium ethanolic extract low-dose group (P < 0.01). The ethanolic extract from Artemisia Argyi Folium could significantly improve the glucose and lipid metabolic disorder in T2DM mice in a dose-dependent manner.

Clinical characteristics of infection-induced central nervous system complications in renal transplant recipients / 中华器官移植杂志

Objective:To summarize the clinical characteristics of central nerve system (CNS) infection and grasp the necessity and possibility of early diagnosis and precise intervention of CNS infection after renal transplantation.Methods:This retrospective study enrolled consecutive recipients of renal transplantation with CNS infection after transplant between January 2000 and December 2020. Correlative factors for CNS infection after renal transplant were determined by comparing the clinical data between recipients with and without CNS infection. After screening 3, 199 consecutive renal transplant recipients, 12 patients with CNS infection post-transplant were identified and recruited. The median age-of-onset was 48.5 (23-65) years. And the median time to disease onset after transplant was 50.5(1-204) months. The most common symptoms of CNS infection after renal transplant included fever (75.00%), consciousness disorder (58.33%), headache (58.33%) and neck rigidity (41.67%).Results:Hepatitis B virus carrier and pulmonary infection were correlated with CNS infection after transplantation ( P<0.05). Nine patients failed to identify the pathogen and only received empirical anti-infective regimen. The outcomes were curing ( n=3) and death ( n=6). Metagenomic sequencing was performed for identifying the pathogen in three recipients and actively adjusting the anti-infective regimen. As a result, 2 were cured and 1 died. The overall mortality was 58.33%. The median time to death or curing from disease onset were 20(2-19) and 25(16-35) days respectively in surviving and non-surviving recipients. Conclusions:The progress of CNS infection after transplantation is rapid with a high mortality. HBV carrier and pulmonary infection are possible risk factors of CNS infection after renal transplantation. Early pathogenic identification and precise etiological intervention are vital for better clinical outcomes.

High-resolution MRI features in patients with ischemic stroke caused by vertebral artery dissection / 中华放射学杂志

Objective:To explore high-resolution MRI (HR-MRI) characteristics in patients with ischemic stroke caused by vertebral artery dissection.Methods:A total of 47 patients with suspected vertebral artery dissection in the First People′s Hospital of Lianyungang, Kangda College, Nanjing Medical University from June 2015 to June 2020 were consecutively enrolled. All patients underwent routine MRI before HR-MRI, and three-dimensional arterial spin labeling (3D-ASL) was performed in those with negative MR. Patients with posterior circulation infarction on MRI and ischemic hypoperfusion on 3D-ASL were included in the ischemic stroke group, while patients with negative plain MRI and normal 3D-ASL were included in the normal group. The clinical characteristics and HR-MRI imaging characteristics between the two groups were compared using t-test or χ 2 test, while the correlations of quantitative data or ranked data were analyzed by Pearson or Spearman test. Results:There were 27 patients in the ischemic stroke group and 20 patients in the normal group, and there were no significant differences in clinical characteristics such as gender, age, site of onset, history of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and history of diabetes between the two groups ( P>0.05). Basilar artery lateral deviation classification (χ2 =7.013, P=0.030), basilar lateral bend angle (140°±19° vs. 137°±15°, t=2.231, P<0.026), minimum bending angle of vertebral basilar artery (131°±27° vs. 90°±13°, t=42.630, P<0.001), the minimum bending angle of vertebrobasilar artery ≤ 90° distribution (3 cases vs. 21 cases, χ2=15.240, P<0.001) and effective lumen index (0.33±0.10 vs. 0.17±0.09, t=35.934, P<0.001) of normal group and ischemic stroke group showed statistically significant differences. Among them, the minimum bending angle of the vertebrobasilar artery was negatively correlated with posterior circulation ischemic hypoperfusion ( r=-0.621, P<0.001), and the effective lumen index was negatively correlated with posterior circulation ischemic stroke ( r =-0.713, P<0.001). However, the location of the dissection, the distribution of hematoma, the shape of the lumen and the enhancement type were not statistically significant between the normal group and ischemic stroke group ( P>0.05). Conclusion:HR-MRI shows that the lateral deviation of the basilar artery of grade 3, the minimum bending angle of the vertebrobasilar artery less than 90°, and small effective lumen index are related to posterior circulation stroke caused by vertebral artery dissection, which may help for the proper formulation of clinical treatment plan.

Observation on the practical effect of multi-disciplinary treatment learning combined with PBL and CBL on clinical clerkship of neurosurgery / 中华医学教育探索杂志

Objective:To explore the practical effect of multi-disciplinary treatment learning (MDT-L) combined with PBL+CBL teaching on the clinical clerkship of neurosurgery.Methods:In the study, 30 neurosurgery clinical interns accepted by Wuhan Third Hospital from January 2019 to December 2019 were set as the control group, and 30 neurosurgery clinical interns from January 2020 to December 2020 were set as the research group. The control group implemented conventional teaching, and the research group used MDT-L combined with PBL+CBL teaching. After the clerkship, the two groups' clinical clerkship results, changes of comprehensive abilities before and after clerkship, professional quality after clerkship, and satisfaction with teaching methods were compared. SPSS 26.0 was used for t test and chi-square test. Results:After the clerkship, the theoretical knowledge and operational skills assessment scores of the research group were significantly higher than those of the control group ( P<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the scores of the two groups in learning interest, analytical ability, communication skills, innovation ability and file management ability before the clerkship ( P>0.05). While, after the clerkship, the comprehensive ability scores of the above dimensions of the two groups increased, and the comprehensive ability scores of the study group were all higher than those of the control group ( P<0.05). After the clerkship, the scores of professional ability, problem analysis and solving ability, mastery of diagnosis and treatment procedures, scoring of medical documents writing and total scoring of professional quality in the study group were all higher than those in the control group ( P<0.05). The satisfaction scores of the study group on the attractiveness, effectiveness and practicality of the teaching method were higher than those of the control group ( P<0.05). Conclusion:The application of MDT-L combined with PBL+CBL teaching in neurosurgery clinical clerkship can not only improve the performance of internship, but also enhance the comprehensive ability of interns and improve their professional quality and satisfaction.

Impact of long-acting somatostatin analogues on glycolipid metabolism in postoperative patients with acromegaly / 中国医师进修杂志

Objective:To analyze the effect of long-acting somatostatin treatment on blood glucose, blood lipid, insulin resistance and islet function in patients with acromegaly after surgical treatment.Methods:Self-control study before and after treatment was used. A total of 30 subjects who were diagnosed as acromegalyand received surgical treatment in Beijing Tiantan Hospital from January 2016 to January 2018 were enrolled in this study. Because patients′ growth hormone (GH) level was notc ompletely controlled after surgery, all the patients were treated with long-acting octreotide for more than 1 year. Before and 1 year after treatment, oral glucose tolerance testing (OGTT) was performed at pretreatment and 1 year after initiation of treatment with long-acting octreotide. Homeostatic model assessment (HOMA) was used to estimate insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and β-cell function (HOMA-β). The HOMA-IR and HOMA-β were detected by 75 g glucose, insulin, C peptide release test and growth hormone suppression test to evaluate the therapy effects on insulin resistance and islet function.Results:The levels of GH, insulin-like growth factor 1(IGF-1), HOMA-IR, HOMA-β, and triacylglycerol(TG) were all decreased after 1 year of octreotide treatment compared with that before treatment: (2.8 ± 2.5) μg/L vs. (12.1 ± 10.5) μg/L, (356.8 ± 209.2) μg/L vs. (698.1 ± 207.3) μg/L, 1.56 ± 1.08 vs. 2.71 ± 1.52, 1.01 ± 0.97 vs. 4.87 ± 3.57, (1.12 ± 0.49) mmol/L vs. (1.76 ± 0.92) mmol/L, and the differences were statistically significant ( P<0.05). After treatment, the level of fasting blood glucose was increased compared with that before treatment: (5.83 ± 1.19) mmol/L vs.(5.11 ± 1.73) mmol/L, and the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.05). While there were no significant changes in postprandial 2 h blood glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin (GHb), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels before and after treatment ( P>0.05). Conclusions:Long-acting somatostatin therapy can effectively improve the insulin sensitivity of acromegaly patients, reduce β cell function, and slightly increase fasting blood glucose. It has no adverse effect on GHb, and can reduce the level of TG of the patients.

Clinical characteristics and outcomes of preoperactive short-acting octreotide treatment in patients with thyrotropin-secreting pituitary adenomas / 中华内科杂志

Objective:To explore the clinical characteristics of patients with pituitary thyrotropin-secreting adenoma and evaluate the effect of preoperative short-acting octreotide treatment on hyperthyroidism.Methods:A retrospective analysis was performed in 40 patients with pituitary thyrotropin adenoma diagnosed in Beijing Tiantan Hospital from January 2008 to January 2018. The general data, laboratory examinations and imaging findings were reviewed and analyzed. The clinical effect of preoperative octreotide on hyperthyroidism was evaluated.Results:The age of onset year of the 40 patients (male: female = 24∶16) was (30.5±5.1) years. Among them, 35 patients (87.5%) were with macroadenoma. The most common symptoms were thyroid hypermetabolism syndrome, followed by headache, dizziness, visual field damage and hypogonadism. The thyroid function of 30 patients (75%) recovered to normal within 3-5 days after the octreotide treatment. The total effective rate of the octreotide was 90.0%. The level of free thyroxine (FT 4) before treatment in patients with more than 10 times of effective cumulative dose was significantly higher than that in patients with less than 10 doses. Conclusions:Thyroid hypermetabolism syndrome and pituitary occupying effect are the most common clinical manifestations of thyrotropin-secreting adenoma. Preoperative octreotide treatment can effectively control hyperthyroidism. The level of FT 4 is a crucial factor affecting the efficacy of octreotide.

Methylation status and expression of TWEAK gene promoter region in peripheral blood of patients with rheumatoid arthritis / 北京大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the relationship between tumor necrosis factor like weak inducer of apoptosis (TWEAK) gene and the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by detecting the DNA methylation level, mRNA expression level and serum protein concentration of TWEAK gene in peripheral blood.@*METHODS@#The MassARRAY method was used to detect the DNA methylation level of the TWEAK gene in the peripheral blood of 112 RA patients and 86 matched healthy volunteers. The real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction method was used to detect the mRNA expression level of the TWEAK gene in the peripheral blood of the subjects. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method was used to detect the serum TWEAK protein concentration of the subjects. The TWEAK gene DNA methylation level, mRNA expression level and serum protein concentration between the RA group and the healthy control group were compared, and the relationship between it and the degree of disease activity analyzed.@*RESULTS@#The overall DNA methylation level of TWEAK gene and the DNA methylation levels of CpG_11, CpG_17.18.19.20, CpG_40.41.42 site in the RA group were higher than those in the healthy control group (P=0.002, P=0.01, P=0.006, P=0.002, respectively). The DNA methylation level of CpG_55.56 site in the high disease activity group was higher than that in the medium and low disease activity group (P=0.041). The expression level of TWEAK gene mRNA in the peripheral blood of the RA group was lower than that of the healthy control group (P=0.023). The expression level of TWEAK gene mRNA in the high disease activity group was lower than that in the medium and low disease activity group (P=0.035). The serum TWEAK protein concentration of the RA group was not significantly different from that of the healthy control group (P=0.508), but it was positively correlated with the mRNA expression level (r=0.482, P < 0.001).@*CONCLUSION@#The TWEAK gene is closely related to the onset and progression of RA, and its hypermethylation state may be one of the epigenetic mechanisms regulating its low mRNA expression, and it can be used as one of the important indicators for clinical monitoring and evaluation of RA.

Advances and challenges in the treatment of esophageal cancer

Esophageal cancer (EC) is one of the most common cancers with high morbidity and mortality rates. EC includes two histological subtypes, namely esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). ESCC primarily occurs in East Asia, whereas EAC occurs in Western countries. The currently available treatment strategies for EC include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, molecular targeted therapy, and combinations thereof. However, the prognosis remains poor, and the overall five-year survival rate is very low. Therefore, achieving the goal of effective treatment remains challenging. In this review, we discuss the latest developments in chemotherapy and molecular targeted therapy for EC, and comprehensively analyze the application prospects and existing problems of immunotherapy. Collectively, this review aims to provide a better understanding of the currently available drugs through in-depth analysis, promote the development of new therapeutic agents, and eventually improve the treatment outcomes of patients with EC.

Preparation of triptolide-loaded dissolving microneedles and its transdermal penetration / 中国中药杂志

Triptolide(TP), the main active and toxic component of Tripterygium wilfordii, has the limitations of low bioavailability, poor absorption, low concentration in plasma, and small lethal dose. Microneedle(MN), the hybrid of hypodermic needle and transdermal patch, is a physical penetration-enhancing system. Dissolving microneedles(DMNs) can be tailored to specific needs of degradation rate. In this study, the TP-loaded DMNs(DMNs-TP) were prepared with the two-step centrifugation method. The optimal ratio of PVA to PVP K30, water content in matrix solution, demoulding method, and plasticizer for preparing DMNs were investigated with the indexes of formability and mechanical strength. The drug loading capacity was determined by HPLC and morphological characteristics were observed under an optical microscope. The mechanical properties were investigated by H&E staining and Franz diffusion cell was used to detect the in vitro skin permeation characteristics. Through the experiment, we confirmed that the optimal backing material should be PVA and PVP K30(3∶1) and the optimal ratio of matrix material to water should be 3∶4. The prepared DMNs-TP were pyramidal with smooth surface and length of approximately 550 μm. Each patch(2.75 cm~2) had the drug loading capacity of(153.41±2.29) μg, and TP was located in the upper part of the needle. The results of in vitro skin permeation assay demonstrated that the cumulative penetration of TP in DMNs-TP reached 80% in 24 h, while little TP solution penetrated the skin, which proved that DMNs promoted the transdermal delivery of TP.

Glucose metabolism: A link between traumatic brain injury and Alzheimer's disease / 中华创伤杂志(英文版)

Traumatic brain injury (TBI), a growing public health problem, is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide, although its prevention measures and clinical cares are substantially improved. Increasing evidence shows that TBI may increase the risk of mood disorders and neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the complex relationship between TBI and AD remains elusive. Metabolic dysfunction has been the common pathology in both TBI and AD. On the one hand, TBI perturbs the glucose metabolism of the brain, and causes energy crisis and subsequent hyperglycolysis. On the other hand, glucose deprivation promotes amyloidogenesis via β-site APP cleaving enzyme-1 dependent mechanism, and triggers tau pathology and synaptic function. Recent findings suggest that TBI might facilitate Alzheimer's pathogenesis by altering metabolism, which provides clues to metabolic link between TBI and AD. In this review, we will explore how TBI-induced metabolic changes contribute to the development of AD.

Treatment strategy and curative effect analysis of os odontoideum complicated with atlantoaxial joint dislocation / 中国骨伤

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the treatment strategy and clinical efficacy for os odontoideum complicated with atlantoaxial dislocation.@*METHODS@#The clinical data of 17 patients with os odontoideum complicated with atlantoaxial dislocation surgically treated from January 2006 to January 2015 were retrospectively analyzed, including 7 males and 10 females, aged 17 to 53 (43.1±11.3) years old;course of disease was 3 to 27(10.2±6.9) months. All patients received cranial traction before operation, 12 of 14 patients with reducible dislocation were treated by posterior atlantoaxial fixation and fusion, and 2 patients with atlantooccipital deformity were treated by posterior occipitocervical fixation and fusion;3 patients with irreducible alantoaxial dislocation were treated by transoral approach decompression combined with posterior atlantoaxial fixation and fusion. The operation time, intraoperative blood loss and perioperative complications were recorded. Visual analogue scale (VAS) and Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score were used to evaluate the change of neck pain and neurological function. Atlantoaxial joint fusion rate was evaluated by CT scan.@*RESULTS@#The operation time of posterior fixation and fusion ranged from 86 to 170 (92.2±27.5) min, and the intraoperative blood loss was 200-350 (250.7±65.2) ml. No vertebral artery injury and spinal cord injury were recorded. Among the patients underwent atlantoaxial fixation and fusion, 1 patient with reducible dislocation fixed by C@*CONCLUSION@#Surgical treatment of os odontoideum complicated with atlantoaxial dislocation can achieve satisfactory results, improve the patient's neurological function and improve the quality of life, however the surgical options needs to be individualized.

Minimally invasive direct lateral approach debridement, interbody bone grafting, and interbody fusion combined with posterior percutaneous pedicle screw fixation for lumbar spinal tuberculosis / 中国骨伤

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the clinical efficacy and superiority of direct lateral interbody fusion combined with posterior percutaneous screw fixation in the treatment of lumbar tuberculosis.@*METHODS@#From June 2013 to August 2016, the clinical data of 83 patients with lumbar tuberculosis were retrospectively analyzed, including 55 males and 28 females, aged from 27 to 72 (49.5±13.5) years. These 83 patients were divided into two groups according to different operation methods, 35 cases in group A were treated with direct lateral interbody fusion combined with posterior percutaneous screw fixation;48 cases in group B were treated with anterior traditional extraperitoneal debridement combined with posterior internal fixation. After operation, regular quadruple antituberculosis drugs were continued for 18 months. The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, hospital stay, bone graft fusion time and complications were compared between the two groups. Visual analogue score (VAS) of lumbar pain, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), sagittal Cobb angle, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein(CRP) values before and after operation were analyzed.@*RESULTS@#The operation was successfully completed in both groups, and the operation mode was not changed during operation. The operation time, intraoperative blood loss and hospital stay were (149.4±13.3) min, (354.3±69.0) ml, (9.4±1.6) d in group A and(116.8±10.0) min, (721.9±172.3) ml, (11.8±1.7) d in group B, respectively, with significant difference between the two groups (@*CONCLUSION@#The two kinds of operation can obtain satisfactory clinical effect. Direct lateral interbody fusion combined with posterior percutaneous screw fixation can reduce intraoperative blood loss and hospital stay, which is conducive to early rehabilitation of patients.

Correlation between cold pain of knee joint and subchondral bone marrow edema in patients with knee osteoarthritis / 中国骨伤

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate relationship between cold pain of knee joint and subchondral bone marrow edema (BME).@*METHODS@#From May 2018 to August 2019, 92 patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) associated with cold pain of knee were admitted, all patients were underwent MRI examination. The patients were divided into observation group (47 patients with BME) and control group(45 patients without BME). In observation group, there were 6 males and 41 females aged from 36 to 87 years old with an average of (63.2±12.3) years old. In control group, there were 10 males and 35 females, aged from 48 to 84 years old with an average of (62.7±8.3) years old. All patientswere treated with drugs. The degree of joint degeneration was evaluated by Kellgren-Lawrence (K-L) grading. Degree of cold pain of knee was evaluated by knee cold pain score, and degree of BME was evaluated according to WORMS. The correlation between cold pain of knee and K-L grading and BME was analyzed.@*RESULTS@#Score of cold pain in observation group (15.55±7.68) was higher than that of control group (9.42± 5.50), which had significant difference (@*CONCLUSION@#The cold pain of KOA patients is not related to K-L grading, but corelate with BME grading. The Cold pain of knee was more pronounced in KOA patients with BME, and the severity of BME is often related to degree of cold pain. It seemed to be a tendency:the more serious BME, the heavier coldpain.

VEGF-C/VEGFR-3/iNOS Signaling in Osteosarcoma MG63 Cells Mediates Stimulatory Effects on Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cell Proliferation / 中国医学科学杂志(英文版)

Objective To assess the effects of vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C)/vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-3 (VEGFR-3) signaling on nitric oxide (NO) production and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression in human osteosarcoma MG63 cells and the subsequent impact on the proliferation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). MethodsMG63 cells were treated with VEGF-C alone (VEGF-C group), VEGF-C + iNOS inhibitor aminoguanidine (AG; AG group), and VEGF-C + VEGFR-3 inhibitor MAZ51 (MAZ51 group); untreated MG63 cells were used as controls. NO production was evaluated by a colorimetric method involving nitrate reductase. Meanwhile, mRNA and protein levels of iNOS were examined by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot. To explore the effect of VEGF-C/VEGFR-3/iNOS signaling of MG63 cells on proliferation of HUVECs, we set up six groups: HUVECs, HUVECs+MG63, HUVECs+VEGF-C, HUVECs+MG63+VEGF-C, HUVECs+MG63+VEGF-C+AG, and HUVECs+MG63+VEGF-C+MAZ51 groups. The proliferation of HUVEC cells was assessed by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) incorporation assay, and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) expression quantitation. ResultsVEGF-C treatment enhanced iNOS expression at both gene and protein levels (mRNA: LSD-