OBJECTIVE To analyze the correlation between styloid process related parameters and symptoms in patients with styloid process syndrome.METHODS A retrospective study was conducted on the 3D reconstruction CT results of the styloid process in 68 patients diagnosed with styloid process syndrome who visited the Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery,the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University from January 2010 to December 2024.The relationship between parameters such as styloid process length,angle,distance from styloid process tip to pharynx,and specific symptoms in patients with styloid process syndrome was analyzed.RESULTS Among 68 patients with styloid process syndrome,44 had unilateral symptoms and 24 had bilateral symptoms.The length of the styloid process on the symptomatic side of patients with unilateral symptoms(3.86±0.16)cm was significantly longer than that on the asymptomatic side(2.98±0.17)cm(Z=-2.191,P=0.028);The length of the styloid process on the side with severe symptoms in patients with bilateral symptoms(3.98±0.37)cm was also significantly longer than that in patients with mild symptoms(3.37±0.15)cm(t=2.448,P=0.024).Patients with styloid process syndrome mainly present with pharyngalgia(64.71%,44/68).There were no significant differences in the length,inclination angle,anteversion angle,and distance between the styloid process tip and the pharynx among those with unilateral pharyngalgia(n=29),bilateral pharyngalgia(n=15),and non pharyngalgia(n=24)(P>0.05).However,among the 68 patients with styloid syndrome,12 had calcification of the styloid hyoid ligament,while 56 did not.The incidence of unilateral pharyngalgia was significantly higher in patients with calcification of the styloid hyoid ligament than in patients without calcification(66.7%vs.35.7%,χ2=3.909,P=0.048).CONCLUSION The severity of symptoms in patients with styloid process syndrome is related to the length of the styloid process,and those with calcification of the styloid hyoid ligament are more likely to experience pharyngalgia.

On the basis of that the fluorescence wavelength of copper nanoclusters(CuNCs)could cover the entire visible region,multicolor fluorescent CuNCs/starch composites were prepared and applied in fingermark development.With L-glutathione as the reducing agent and protective ligand,blue emissive and orange emissive CuNCs solutions were obtained in alkaline solutions at 90℃and 25℃,respectively.With the aggregation-induced emission effect induced by ethanol as a poor solvent,the fluorescence of orange emissive CuNCs with a higher intensity was achieved in an ethanol-water solution.With ascorbic acid as the reducing agent and 3-mercaptopropionic acid as the protective agent,green emissive CuNCs solution was prepared in an acid solution.Particle morphologies,chemical compositions and optical properties of these three CuNCs above were investigated using physical characterization and spectroscopic analysis,indicating that well-dispersed CuNCs had excellent photoluminescent properties.These CuNCs solutions were combined with starch to form composite powders by simply drying.The influences of the type of CuNCs and the ratio of CuNCs to starch on the emission wavelength and fluorescence intensity of the products were studied.The obtained CuNCs/starch composites could emit blue,green and orange fluorescence under 365 nm ultraviolet light,respectively,which were suitable for fingermark development.Minutiae and partial level-3 features of latent fingermarks could be effectively developed.High-quality fluorescence fingermark images would be captured using appropriate optical filters to eliminate background interference of various substrates.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) expresses abundant glycolytic enzymes and displays comprehensive glucose metabolism reprogramming. Aldolase A (ALDOA) plays a prominent role in glycolysis; however, little is known about its role in HCC development. In the present study, we aim to explore how ALDOA is involved in HCC proliferation. HCC proliferation was markedly suppressed both in vitro and in vivo following ALDOA knockout, which is consistent with ALDOA overexpression encouraging HCC proliferation. Mechanistically, ALDOA knockout partially limits the glycolytic flux in HCC cells. Meanwhile, ALDOA translocated to nuclei and directly interacted with c-Jun to facilitate its Thr93 phosphorylation by P21-activated protein kinase; ALDOA knockout markedly diminished c-Jun Thr93 phosphorylation and then dampened c-Jun transcription function. A crucial site Y364 mutation in ALDOA disrupted its interaction with c-Jun, and Y364S ALDOA expression failed to rescue cell proliferation in ALDOA deletion cells. In HCC patients, the expression level of ALDOA was correlated with the phosphorylation level of c-Jun (Thr93) and poor prognosis. Remarkably, hepatic ALDOA was significantly upregulated in the promotion and progression stages of diethylnitrosamine-induced HCC models, and the knockdown of A ldoa strikingly decreased HCC development in vivo. Our study demonstrated that ALDOA is a vital driver for HCC development by activating c-Jun-mediated oncogene transcription, opening additional avenues for anti-cancer therapies.

BACKGROUND:The highest incidence of spinal fracture is in the thoracolumbar segment,and its symptoms are back pain,posterior convexity deformity,activity limitation,or with spinal cord nerve injury causing lower limb pain,numbness,and even paraplegia and other complications.The finite element method is a digital computer modeling technique,which can simulate the physical model and carry out force analysis realistically.OBJECTIVE:To review the application of finite element method in thoracolumbar spine fractures.METHODS:We searched the Chinese and English literature databases PubMed,Web of Science,and CNKI for relevant literature on the application of the finite element analysis method in spinal thoracolumbar fracture published before March 2024.The search terms in Chinese and English were:finite element analysis methods,biomechanical phenomena,stress analysis,thoracolumbar fractures,spinal fractures.Finally,55 papers were included.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The exploration of thoracolumbar fractures caused by different etiologies(osteoporotic,traumatic,and pathological)through the finite element method is conducive to a deeper understanding of the biomechanics of various types of thoracolumbar fractures,and to improve the individualized and fine-tuned treatment of thoracolumbar fractures.(2)The finite element analysis of a single sample or a small number of samples has the chance,and a larger number of samples are required for the future finite element analysis to reduce the chance caused by the sample.(3)The rigid structure of bones alone cannot meet the biomechanical working conditions of the integrity of the physical object,and future finite element models need to incorporate all the structures of the physical object(e.g.,soft tissues,such as muscles and ligaments)as far as possible.(4)The finite element method has been used in more studies on osteoporotic and traumatic thoracolumbar spine fractures,which will need to be more in-depth in the future,and less in the field of pathologic thoracolumbar fractures,which has a wider scope for future research.

Objective:To investigate the computed tomography (CT) imaging features of patients with chronic hydrocephalus after intracerebral hemorrhage surgery and the difference between endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) and ventricular peritoneal shunt (VPS).Methods:A total of 158 patients with intracerebral hemorrhage who received surgical treatment in the Department of Neurosurgery of the People′s Hospital of Jinan from January 2021 to June 2023 were retrospectively selected as the study objects, including 78 patients with chronic hydrocephalus after surgery as the hydrocephalus group, and 80 patients with no hydrocephalus after surgery as the non-hydrocephalus group, and the CT imaging data of the patients were statistically analyzed. Hydrocephalus group was divided into ETV group (42 cases) and VPS group (36 cases) according to different treatment methods. The efficacy and quality of life of the two groups were compared, and the incidence of complications in the two groups were counted.Results:There was no significant difference between hydrocephalus group and non-hydrocephalus group in the site of cerebral hemorrhage, hematoma morphology and the proportion of patients with mixed signs, lobular signs and black hole signs (all P>0.05). The proportion of patients with ventricular dilation and hematoma enlargement in hydrocephalus group was significantly higher than that in non-hydrocephalus group (all P<0.05). The National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores of hydrocephalus patients in the two groups were measured continuously at different time points, and there was no significant difference in NIHSS scores between the ETV group and the VPS group before treatment, at 2 weeks and 4 weeks of treatment (all P>0.05). There was no significant difference between the ETV group and the VPS group ( P>0.05). The recurrence rate of the ETV group was lower than that of the VPS group ( P<0.05). The quality of life scores of patients in ETV group were higher than those in the VPS group at 3 months and 6 months after surgery ( P<0.05). Conclusions:CT examination of patients with chronic hydrocephalus after intracerebral hemorrhage will show obvious characteristics of hematoma enlargement and ventricle enlargement. The efficacy of ETV and VPS in the treatment of chronic hydrocephalus after intracerebral hemorrhage surgery is similar, but the former has a lower recurrence rate and a higher postoperative quality of life.

Objective:To explore the effects of early electroacupuncture(EA)intervention on the high mobility group box 1(HMGB1)/Toll-like receptor 4(TLR4)signaling pathway-related protein expression and oligodendrocytes in mice with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis(ALS),and uncover the potential molecular mechanisms underlying the improvement of motor function in ALS mice by early EA intervention.Methods:ALS mice carrying the SOD1G93A gene were randomly divided into a model group and an EA group,with 10 mice in each group;10 littermate mice with a negative SOD1G93A genotype served as the control group.In the EA group,Baihui(GV20),Tianzhu(BL10),and Tianshu(ST25)were selected with needles retained for 10 min,5 consecutive days per week,with 2 days of rest.One week constituted a course of treatment,and a total of 3 consecutive courses were performed.The other groups were grasped and fixed similarly,but without intervention.Motor function was assessed using the open field test(OFT)and Morris water maze(MWM).Subsequently,hematoxylin-eosin staining was used to observe neuron morphology in the M1 region of the cerebral cortex.Immunofluorescence was performed to detect the positive cell rate of TAR DNA-binding protein 43(TDP-43),and double immunofluorescence staining was used to observe the positive cell rate and cell states of ionized calcium-binding adaptor molecule 1(Iba-1)and myelin basic protein(MBP)in the M1 region of the cerebral cortex.Western blotting was used to detect the relative expression levels of TDP-43,tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α,HMGB1,and TLR4 proteins.Results:Compared to the control group,the model group exhibited a reduced total movement distance in the OFT,and an increased escape latency,as well as fewer platform crossings in the MWM,with statistically significant differences(P<0.01).In the model group,the number of degenerated and necrotic neurons in the M1 region of the ALS mouse cerebral cortex increased,with significant nuclear shrinkage and cytoplasmic vacuolization;the percentage of TDP-43 immunofluorescence positive cells in the M1 region of the cerebral cortex increased(P<0.01),and the relative expression level of TDP-43 protein in the cerebral cortex showed a significant increase(P<0.01);the Iba-1 positive cell percentage increased,while the MBP positive cell percentage decreased(P<0.01);the relative expression levels of TNF-α,HMGB1,and TLR4 proteins increased(P<0.05).Compared to the model group,the EA group showed an increased total movement distance(P<0.01),and a reduced escape latency,and more platform crossings in the MWM,with statistically significant differences(P<0.05).In the EA group,neurons showed improvement,with reduced degeneration and necrosis,and larger,clearer nuclei;the percentage of TDP-43 immunofluorescence positive cells in the M1 region of the cerebral cortex decreased(P<0.05),and the relative expression level of TDP-43 protein also decreased(P<0.05);the percentage of Iba-1 positive cells in the M1 region of the cerebral cortex decreased,while the percentage of MBP positive cells increased(P<0.01);the relative expression levels of TNF-α,HMGB1,and TLR4 proteins decreased(P<0.05).Conclusion:EA intervention can suppress microglial activation,improve the state of oligodendrocytes,and reduce abnormal TDP-43 aggregation in the M1 region of the cerebral cortex in ALS model mice;its mechanism of action may be related to the HMGB1/TLR4 signaling pathway.

Objective:Analyze the risk factors for acute lung injury of postoperative acute lung injury(ALI)in patients with Stanford type A aortic dissection(STAAD),and construct a nomogram predictive model.Methods:A retrospective cohort study design was adopted.A total of 112 patients with STAAD who underwent surgical treatment in our hopital from January 2021 to August 2024 were included.They were divided into two groups according to the occurrence of ALI after the surgical:non-ALI group(73 cases)and ALI group(39 cases).Clinical data were collected from both groups of patients.The influencing factors of postoperative ALI in patients with STAAD were analyzed by multivariate logistic regression.Established nomogram prediction model based on influencing factors and validated.Results:Among 112 patients with STAAD who underwent surgical treatment,39 case postoperative ALI occurred,with an incidence rate of 34.82％.Age,preoperative creatinine,body mass index(BMI),preoperative white blood cell count,preoperative lactate and other aspects compared,The difference were statistically significant(P＜0.05).The length of stay in the intensive care unit(ICU)of the ALI group was longer than that of the non ALI group(P＜0.05).The intraoperative red blood cell transfusion volume and extracorporeal circulation time in the ALI group were higher than those in the non ALI group(P＜0.05).Long intraoperative cardiopulmonary bypass time,high BMI,high intraoperative red blood cell transfusion volume and high preoperative white blood cell count were risk factors for postoperative ALI(P＜0.05).The receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve analysis results show that,the Area under the curve(AUC)of the nomogram prediction model was 0.871.When the optimal critical value was 0.472,its sensitivity and specificity wew 0.887 and 0.776,respectively.The internal validation results of Bootstrap show that,the C-index of the column chart prediction model was 0.862,with an absolute error of 0.032.The calibration curve is close to the ideal curve and the original curve,with a slope close to 1.Conclusions:Long intraoperative cardiopulmonary bypass time,high BMI,high intraoperative red blood cell transfusion volume and high preoperative white blood cell count are independent risk factors for postoperative ALI in patients with STAAD.The nomogram model constructed based on the above risk factors can effectively evaluate the risk of postoperative ALI in patients with STAAD.

Objective:To investigate the diagnostic value of metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) for pyogenic spinal infections.Methods:A total of 255 patients diagnosed with pyogenic spinal infections were enrolled between September 2022 and September 2024 at Qingdao University Affiliated Hospital, Fuzhou Second General Hospital, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Shandong University Affiliated Public Health Clinical Center, and the Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine. Among them, 155 were male and 100 were female, with an average age of 62.5±14.2 years (ranging from 13 to 90 years). All patients had samples of infected tissue and/or pus collected for microbial culture and mNGS testing. The number, types, and positive rates of pathogens detected by microbial culture and mNGS were compared. Using culture results as the gold standard, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed for mNGS testing and the combined method of mNGS and microbial culture, calculating the area under the curve (AUC) and 95% CI. Results:All 255 cases were clinically diagnosed as pyogenic spinal infections, with 194 cases providing microbiological evidence. The most common Gram-positive bacterium was Staphylococcus aureus, while the most common Gram-negative bacterium was Escherichia coli. A total of 33 pathogenic microorganisms were detected by mNGS, while microbial culture detected 18 pathogenic microorganisms. The positive rate of mNGS was 72.2% (184 out of 255), which was significantly higher than that of 30.2% (77 out of 255) for microbial culture, showing a significant difference (χ 2=90.150, P<0.001); the positive rate of mNGS combined with microbial culture was 76.1% (194 out of 255) with significant difference compared to mNGS alone (χ 2=8.100, P<0.001). Among 178 culture-negative samples, the detection rate of mNGS was 65.7% (117 out of 178); among 77 culture-positive samples, the detection rate of mNGS was 87.0% (67 out of 77), and 97.0% (65 out of 67) of the detected pathogens matched the culture results at the species level. The AUCs of the ROC curves for mNGS testing and the combination of mNGS with microbial culture were 0.606 [95% CI (0.534, 0.678)] and 0.671 [95% CI (0.606, 0.736)], respectively, with significant differences compared to microbial culture ( P=0.007; P=0.007). Conclusions:mNGS demonstrates superior performance over conventional culture in identifying pathogens in pyogenic spinal infections. Moreover, combining mNGS with culture further improves diagnostic yield, supporting its integration into clinical practice.

Objective:To investigate the risk factors for complications following lateral lumbar interbody fusion (LLIF) surgery.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 196 patients who underwent LLIF surgery via the psoas major muscle approach in the Department of Spinal Surgery, Tianjin Hospital, Tianjin University, from October 2018 to July 2024. The age, gender, body mass index (BMI), presence of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis, history of lumbar surgery, history of abdominal surgery, history of abdominal inflammation, smoking status, operative time, surgical segments (whether the surgery was single-segment or multi-segments), and use of internal fixation or not were compared between patients with and without postoperative complications, the indicators with P<0.10 were included in the binary variable logistic regression analysis, and determine the independent risk factors for complications after LLIF surgery. Complications included anterior thigh symptoms (pain, numbness, weakness), cage subsidence, surgery-related complications (nerve injury, surgical site infection, postoperative buttock pain, urinary and fecal incontinence, etc.), and medical complications (cerebrovascular accident, deep vein thrombosis, urinary tract infection, etc.). Results:All 196 patients were followed up for 27.02 (12.6, 40.69) months. Postoperative complications occurred in 71 cases (96 times), and no complications occurred in 125 cases. In the complication group, there were 15 males and 56 females with a mean age of 61.82±7.57 years; in the non-complication group, there were 43 males and 82 females with a mean age of 62.00± 8.39 years. In the complication group, there were 43 cases of anterior thigh symptoms, 38 cases of cage subsidence, 11 cases of surgical operation-related complications, and 4 cases of medical complications. There were statistically significant differences in gender (χ 2=3.829, P=0.051), operation time ( t=2.391, P=0.018), and surgical segment (χ 2=4.245, P=0.039) between the complication group and the non-complication group. No statistically significant differences were found in age, gender, BMI, presence of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis, history of lumbar surgery, history of abdominal surgery, history of abdominal inflammation, smoking status, or use of internal fixation ( P>0.10). Binary variable logistic regression analysis indicated that prolonged operative time [ OR=1.007, 95% CI(1.001, 1.013), P=0.019] and multilevel surgery [ OR=2.099, 95% CI(1.095, 4.025), P=0.026] were independent risk factors for complications following LLIF. Conclusion:Prolonged operative time and multi-segments surgery are independent risk factors for complications following LLIF.

Objective To propose a low-dose CT image denoising method based on an improved Corediff model to recover the detailed features of the image and enhance the image quality.Methods An RS-Corediff model was established by modifying the key component U-Net network of the Corediff model.Firstly,the residual module was introduced in the network input stage for feature extraction;secondly,a new downsampling module was designed in the U-Net network encoder,which learned the semantic information of the feature map by convolution and maintained the learning state during the downsampling process so as to fully extract the image features;thirdly,the feature splicing processing was used to further enhance the learning effect during the upsampling process of the U-Net network decoder;finally,the convolutional kernel size was modified to adjust the sensory field during the convolutional process of the whole U-Net network structure so as to obtain rich features.The RS-Corediff model was compared with the residual encoder-decoder convolutional neural network(RED-CNN)model and the Corediff model on the public dataset AAPM 2016 in order to verify its effectiveness for low-dose CT image denoising.Results The RS-Corediff model gained advantages over the RED-CNN and Corediff models with a peak signal-to-noise ratio(PSNR)of 41.269 8,structural similarity(SSIM)of 0.953 4 and root mean square error(RMSE)of 17.568 7.Conclusion The proposed method effectively preserves the texture and details of low-dose CT images during the denoising process to improve the overall quality of the images.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2025,46(5):9-13]