Objective:To investigate the clinical effects of adjustable external fixation traction combined with arthroscopic microfracture in the treatment of osteochondral lesions of the talus (OLT).Methods:A retrospective study was conducted to analyze the data of 27 OLT patients who had been treated at Department of Orthopedics, Beijing Rehabilitation Hospital from May 2017 to March 2022. There were 16 males and 11 females, aged (32.4±7.2) years. Lesion site: 23 medial and 4 lateral cases; Hepple staging: 7 cases at stage Ⅰ, 15 cases at stage Ⅱ, and 5 cases at stage Ⅲ; disease duration: (10.6±3.3) months. All the patients were treated by adjustable external fixation traction combined with arthroscopic microfracture. Recorded were the patients' visual analogue scale (VAS) pain scores and American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle-hindfoot scores at 6 months and 12 months after surgery, levels of interleukin-1 (IL-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumour necrosis factor- α (TNF- α) at 1 month after surgery, lesion area at 12 months after surgery, and incidence of complications. Results:The follow-up time for this cohort was (16.2±6.7) months. The AOFAS score was (61.52±6.75) points before surgery, (84.15±5.56) points at 6 months after surgery and (95.67±4.30) points at 12 months after surgery. The VAS score was (5.88±1.02) points before surgery, (2.12±0.48) points at 6 months after surgery and (0.66±0.36) points at 12 months after surgery. The two-by-two comparisons between the 3 time points for the above items were statistically significant ( P<0.05). IL-1 was (32.37±6.64) pg/mL, IL-6 (34.04±7.12) pg/mL, and TNF- α (17.89±4.96) ng/L at 1 month after surgery in the 27 patients, all of which were significantly lower than their preoperative levels [(96.63±14.80) pg/mL, (102.33±20.42) pg/mL, and (54.48±9.33) ng/L] ( P<0.05). The lesion area was (28.66±6.52) mm 2 at 12 months after surgery, significantly smaller than the value before surgery [(128.52±11.32) mm 2] ( P<0.05). Infection at the adjustable external fixation needle track occurred in 1 patient and lower limb thrombosis in 2 patients. Conclusion:In the treatment of OLT, adjustable external fixation and traction combined with arthroscopic microfracture can achieve satisfactory results and improve symptoms for the patients.

Objective:To investigate the clinical effects of tibial transverse bone transport assisted by nose ring drainage (NRD) in the treatment of foot and ankle chronic osteomyelitis.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted to analyze the data of 32 patients with foot and ankle chronic osteomyelitis who had been treated at Department of Orthopedics, Beijing Rehabilitation Hospital from March 2013 to February 2022. The patients were assigned into a study group and a control group. In the control group, there were 12 males and 3 females, aged (39.5±8.8) years. The osteomyelitis was located at the distal tibia in 4 cases, at the talus in 1 case, at the calcaneus in 2 cases, at the midfoot in 4 cases and at the forefoot in 4 cases. According to the Crerny-Mader classification, there were 5 cases of type Ⅰ and 10 cases of type Ⅱ. The control group was treated with Ilizarov transverse tibial bone transport in combination with thorough debridement and anti-infection therapy. In the study group, there were 12 males and 5 females, aged (42.3±13.4) years. The osteomyelitis was located at the distal tibia in 4 cases, at the talus in 1 case, at the calcaneus in 3 cases, at the midfoot in 5 cases and at the forefoot in 4 cases. According to the Crerny-Mader classification, there were 7 cases of type Ⅰ and 10 cases of type Ⅱ. The study group was treated with NRD drainage in addition to the procedures in the control group. The curative effects were evaluated by comparing the cure, recurrence, amputation (toe amputation), antibiotic use time, wound healing time, relevant inflammatory indicators [WBC, neutrophil percentage (NEU), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), procalcitonin, interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP)], and postoperative functional recovery between the 2 groups.Results:The 2 groups were comparable because there was no statistically significant difference in the general data between them ( P>0.05). The follow-up period was (36.0±9.8) months. There was no significant difference between the 2 groups in the cure or amputation (toe amputation) ( P>0.05), but the recurrence rate in the study group was significantly lower than that in the control group ( P<0.05). The antibiotic use time [(20.7±3.6) d] and wound healing time [(88.3±17.1) d] in the study group were significantly shorter than those [(37.9±6.5) d and (102.2±22.6) d] in the control group ( P<0.05). The ESR, IL-6 and CRP at 1 week after operation in the study group were significantly lower than those in the control group ( P<0.05), but there was no significant difference between the 2 groups in the WBC, NEU or PCT at 1 week after operation ( P>0.05). There was no significant difference either in the inflammatory indicators between the 2 groups at 1 month after operation ( P>0.05). In all patients, the inflammatory indicators like WBC, NEU, ESR, PCT, IL-6 and CRP at 1 week and 1 month after operation were significantly better than those before operation, and the Maryland foot functional score at 12 months after operation was significantly higher than the preoperative one ( P<0.05). There was no significant difference between the 2 groups in the Maryland foot functional score at 12 months after operation ( P>0.05). Conclusion:In the treatment of foot and ankle chronic osteomyelitis, compared with the Ilizarov transverse tibial bone transport, our tibial transverse bone transport assisted by NRD can achieve satisfactory therapeutic effects, shorten antibiotic use time and treatment cycle, and reduce recurrence rate.

Objective:To investigate the effects of aerobic exercise on blood glucose and insulin levels in chronic intermittent hypoxic(CIH)rats and the underlying mechanisms, and to provide new insights for the prevention and treatment of diabetes caused by CIH.Methods:SD rats were randomly divided into the blank control group, CIH control group and CIH exercise group.After adaptive feeding, a rat model of CIH was established.The CIH exercise group received non-weight bearing exercise training through swimming.After 4 weeks, all rats were sacrificed and levels of total antioxidant capacity(T-AOC), reactive oxygen species(ROS), malondialdehyde(MDA), fasting blood glucose(FPG)and fasting insulin(FINS)were measured.Results:Compared with the blank control group and CIH control group, levels of ROS, MDA, FPG, T-AOC, FINS and FPG were significantly different in the CIH exercise group( F=4.60, 5.03, 4.87, 4.52 and 6.42, P=0.021, 0.015, 0.017, 0.022 and 0.006). Compared with the blank control group, levels of ROS, MDA, FPG and FINS increased and levels of T-AOC declined in the CIH control and exercise groups(all P<0.05). Compared with the CIH control group, levels of ROS, MDA, FPG and FINS decreased and T-AOC levels increased in the CIH exercise group(all P<0.05). Conclusions:CIH increases blood glucose and insulin levels by activating the oxidative stress response.Aerobic exercise can reduce the impact of oxidative stress on blood glucose and insulin levels.

PURPOSE: Details of patients hospitalized for asthma exacerbation in mainland China are lacking. To improve disease control and reduce economic burden, a large sample survey among this patient population is indispensable. This study aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics and outcomes of such patients.METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted on patients hospitalized for asthma exacerbation in 29 hospitals of 29 regions in mainland China during the period 2013 to 2014. Demographic features, pre-admission conditions, exacerbation details, and outcomes were summarized. Risk factors for exacerbation severity were analyzed.RESULTS: There were 3,240 asthmatic patients included in this study (57.7% females, 42.3% males). Only 28.0% used daily controller medications; 1,287 (39.7%) patients were not currently on inhaled corticosteroids. Acute upper airway infection was the most common trigger of exacerbation (42.3%). Patients with severe to life-threatening exacerbation tended to have a longer disease course, a smoking history, and had comorbidities such as hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and food allergy. The multivariate analysis showed that smoking history, comorbidities of hypertension, COPD, and food allergy were independent risk factors for more severe exacerbation. The number of patients hospitalized for asthma exacerbation varied with seasons, peaking in March and September. Eight patients died during the study period (mortality 0.25%).CONCLUSIONS: Despite enhanced education on asthma self-management in China during recent years, few patients were using daily controller medications before the onset of their exacerbation, indicating that more educational efforts and considerations are needed. The findings of this study may improve our understanding of hospital admission for asthma exacerbation in mainland China and provide evidence for decision-making.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; Asthma ; China ; Comorbidity ; Disease Progression ; Education ; Female ; Food Hypersensitivity ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Inpatients ; Medication Adherence ; Mortality ; Multivariate Analysis ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Seasons ; Self Care ; Smoke ; Smoking

Since 2016, enrollment of students for optometry & ophthalmology specialty of five-year program has expanded in China, and China Medical university has become the pioneer to recruit students to this major in Northeast China. With reference to our national situation, this paper focuses on how to help students form good professional ethics, gain professional knowledge, professional skills and scientific research ability, so as to enable them not only grasp basic theories and skills of clinical medicine, but also be skilled at optometry & ophthalmology; the construction of systematic curriculum of optometry & ophthalmology should be actively explored with the aim of comprehensive medical education as the foundation, systematic education of optometry & ophthalmology as its unique feature and education of humanistic medicine as the concept". Therefore, we innovatively put forward a teaching model of "basic-core of clinical medicine-professional direction and characteristic development courses", thus to provide a reference for training applied and compound Optometrists and ophthalmologists who are urgently in need at present in China.

Objective:To develop Z-scores for the aortic arch in normal fetuses as a reference for fetuses with suspected coarctation of aorta(CoA).Methods:The aortic arch inner diameters of 610 normal fetuses and 59 CoA fetuses from May 2010 to March 2015 in the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University were measured at the long axis of the aortic arch view. Gestational age(GA), femur length(FL) as the independent variable, the aortic arch inner diameters as the dependent variable, Z-scores were created relating the aortic arch inner diameters to the GA and FL. Z-score=[ln(measured diameter)-ln(predicted diameter)]/root MSE. Z-scores of the CoA fetuses were calculated with the above regression, and compared with the Z-scores of the control group.Results:A simple linear regression model was the best description of the data in each case and correlations between FL and the aortic arch inner diameters were excellent ( P<0.001). There was no significant difference in Z-scores calculated with FL or GA as independent variables ( P>0.05). Z-scores of the control group was between -2 and + 2, Z-scores of the CoA group was significantly lower and below -2( P<0.001). Conclusions:Z-scores of fetal aortic arch are sensitive indicators of fetal coarctation, and are of clinical importance for the diagnosis and follow-up study of CoA.

Objective:To investigate the effects of microRNA(miR)-133b on epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EM)of human small airway epithelial cells induced by cigarette smoke extracts(CSE)and its regulatory mechanisms.Methods:The miR-expression profiles with microarray in airway epithelial cells of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were searched in the Gene Expression Omnibus(GEO)database, and the differentially expressed miRs were searched and verified by a real-time fluorescence quantitative method(qRT-PCR). Human small airway epithelial cells(HSAEpiC)were divided into the control group, the CSE group, the CSE+ miR-133b inhibitor transfection group(inhibitor group)and the CSE+ miR-133b inhibitor negative control transfection group(inhibitor control group)according to different intervention methods.Levels of miR-133b and mRNA levels of transforming growth factor(TGF)-β1, Smad2, E-cadherin and vimentin were detected by RT-PCR; Protein levels of E-cadherin and vimentin were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays(ELISA)and Western blotting.Results:Nine differentially expressed miRs were found in GSE53519, with miR-133b showing the most significant differential in thee HSAEpiC cell model after verification.CSE induced morphological changes in HSAEpiC cells, and miR-133b inhibitors could partially reverse the morphological changes in cell mode.mRNA and protein expressions of E-cadherin were decreased and expression of Vimentin mRNA and protein were increared in CSE induced HSAEpiC cells( F=9.09、12.35、7.57、101.87, P=0.015、0.007、0.023、0.000); miR-133b inhibitors partally reversed the mRNA and protein expressions of E-cadherin and Vimentin( F=40.59、27.74、15.87、20.42, P=0.000、0.001、0.004、0.002). CSE induced incresed expression of TGF-β1 mRNA and Smad mRNA in HSAEpiC cells, and miR-133b inhibitors partially reversed the changes in TGF-β1 mRNA and Smad mRNA( F=17.25、64.15, P=0.003、0.000). Conclusions:miR-133b may regulate CSE-related HSAEpiC cell EMT through the TGF-β1/Smad pathway.

Objective:To investigate the correlation between aneurysm wall enhancement (AWE) shown on high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (HR-MRI) and the risk of intracranial aneurysm rupture risk.Methods:Patients with unruptured intracranial aneurysm admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from October 2014 to October 2019 were enrolled retrospectively. Three-dimensional digital subtraction angiography was used to measure the morphological parameters of aneurysms. HR-MRI was used to evaluate the enhancement mode. Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to determine the independent influencing factors of AWE. The 5-year rupture risk of intracranial aneurysms was assessed based on the PHASES score. Spearman rank correlation analysis was used to determine the correlation between the enhancement mode and the risk of aneurysm rupture. Results:A total of 261 patients and 333 unruptured intracranial saccular aneurysms were included. There were significant differences in the proportion of multiple aneurysms, the size and location of aneurysms between the enhanced group and the non-enhanced group (all P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that after adjusting for confounding factors such as age and gender, multiple aneurysms (odds ratio [ OR] 0.446, 95% confidence interval [ CI] 0.251-0.791; P=0.006), aneurysm size ( OR 1.327, 95% CI 1.218-1.445; P<0.001) and location (anterior cerebral artery/posterior communication artery/posterior circulation: OR 2.058, 95% CI 1.217-3.482; P=0.007) were significantly independently related to AWE. Based on the PHASES score, the 5-year predicted rupture risk of the enhanced group was significantly higher than that of the non-enhanced group (5.2%±6.2% vs. 1.5%±2.0%; P<0.001). Spearman rank correlation analysis showed that there was a significant positive correlation between the extent of aneurysm enhancement and the risk of aneurysm rupture ( r=0.435, P<0.001). Conclusions:AWE shown on HR-MRI is associated with multiple aneurysms, aneurysm size, and location. Application of AWE might predict the risk of rupture of intracranial aneurysms.

Objective To investigate the clinicopathologic features of Chinese patients with early gastric cancer (EGC) according to the World Health Organization(WHO) diagnostic criteria,and to explore the risk factors of lymph node metastasis (LNM) in EGC.Methods From 2002 to 2017,at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University,and from 2014 to 2017,at the People's Hospital of Qidong City,the People's Hospital of Haimen City and the People's Hospital of Rugao City,315 EGC patients with complete clinicopathological data were enrolled.The clinicopathologic features were analyzed including gender,age,tumor location,tumor size,macroscopic type,histological type (WHO),differentiation degree,depth of tumor invasion,Lauren subtype,infiltration pattern,ulceration,lymphoid follicles,lymphovascular invasion and perineural invasion.Chi-square test and Fisher's exact test were performed for univariate analysis and the logistic regression was used for multivariate analysis.Results The ratio of EGC was 10.0％ (315/3 140) of patients with gastric cancer and received surgery during the same period.Among the 315 EGC,the ratio of well-differentiated tubular adenocarcinoma was 11.7％ (37/315),which was lower than 24.8％(2 752/11 104) in Japan and 19.9％(41/206) in South Korea,and the differences were statistically significant (x2 =28.208,P＜0.01;x2 =6.51 0,P =0.011),however there was no statistically significant difference when compared with Western countries (11.9 ％,8/67;x2 =0.002,P=0.964).Among the 276 patients who underwent radical gastrectomy,49 (17.8 ％) patients had with LNM.The results of univariate analysis showed that tumor size,macroscopic type,differentiation degree,depth of invasion,infiltration pattern,ulceration and lymphovascular invasion were related with LNM(x2=9.327,6.038,6.381,34.983,19.309,52.297 and 5.058;all P＜0.05).The results of multivariate analysis revealed that lymphovascular invasion and ulceration were the independent risk factors of LNM (odd ratio (OR)=7.028 and 2.566,both P＜0.05).Conclusions There is obvious difference in pathological diagnostic standard of well-differentiated tubular adenocarcinoma between China,Japan and South Korea,which may influence the therapeutic strategy of EGC.Lymphovascular invasion and ulceration are independent risk factors of LNM in EGC.

Objective To describe the diagnostic approach and clinical outcomes of fetal intraabdominal extralobar pulmonary sequestration (IEPS).Methods Three cases of IEPS were diagnosed prenatally by ultrasound in our center.The data of these 3 cases and 43 cases in prior studies from 1986 to 2016 were retrospectively reviewed.The prenatal sonographic features,treatment,and outcomes were collected.Results The gestational age of diagnosis IEPS was (24.5±5.9)weeks,the male-to-female ratio was 3-4∶1,78.3% (36/46) of IEPS masses located on the left side,47.8% (22/46) of lesions were homogenous and hyperechoic,8.7% (4/46) of cases associated anomalies,78.3% (36/46) of patients were preformed resection and postoperative recovery and subsequent course were uncomplicated.Feeding arteries were detected in 15.2% (7/46) cases and confirmed by surgery or autopsy.Conclusions Prenatal ultrasound has the diagnostic accuracy of IEPS.Feeding arteries noted on color Doppler are strongly indicators of IEPS.Postsurgical outcomes are favorable.