ObjectiveTo delineate imaging findings using an imaging platform and investigate the correlation between MRI characteristics of spinal cord atrophy and clinical diagnosis in children with spinal cord injury (SCI). MethodsImaging data of 150 children with SCI admitted to Beijing Bo'ai Hospital, China Rehabilitation Research Center, from January, 2002 to March, 2024 were collected and imported into the imaging platform. The anteroposterior and transverse diameters of the middle part of the spinal cord at the cross-section with the most severe atrophy were measured, and the relevant indicators of the previous normal spinal cord segment were measured as controls; the radiomic features were extracted. Clinical data of the children including gender, age, cause of injury, sensory level, motor level, spinal cord injury level, injury severity and disease course were collected. ResultsSpinal cord atrophy was identified in 81 cases (54%), among which 78 cases (96%) were American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale (AIS) grade A and 3 cases (4%) were AIS grade C. The upper boundary of the spinal cord atrophy site strongly correlated with the injury level, motor level and sensory level (r > 0.8, P < 0.001). ConclusionMore than half of children with SCI may develop secondary spinal cord atrophy, the vast majority of whom suffer from complete spinal cord injury; the upper boundary of spinal cord atrophy is correlated with the injury level.

AIM: To explore the effect of dihydroquercetin on visual function in mice with form deprivation myopia based on the NOD-like receptor thermoprotein domain-related protein 3(NLRP3)inflammasome pathway.METHODS: The C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into control group and form deprivation myopia model group, and the form deprivation myopia model group was constructed by covering the right eye with a translucent eye patch. After successful modeling, the mice in the model group of form deprivation myopia were randomly divided into model group, low-, medium- and high-dose dihydroquercetin groups, and high-dose dihydroquercetin + NLRP3 agonist group. The diopter and axial length of mice in each group were detected. The kit was used to detect the levels of superoxide dismutase(SOD)and malondialdehyde(MDA)in retinal tissue. RT-qPCR was used to detect the mRNA expressions of NLRP3, apoptosis-associated spot-like protein(ASC), Caspase-1, IL-1β and IL-18 in retinal tissues. Western blot was used to detect the expression of NLRP3, ASC, cleaved Caspase-1, IL-1β and IL-18 proteins in retinal tissues. TUNEL staining was used to detect apoptosis in retinal tissue.RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the diopter of the mice in the model group decreased, and axial length increased, and the SOD decreased whereas MDA, NLRP3, ASC, Caspase-1, IL-1β, IL-18 increased, and the rate of apoptosis in retinal tissue increased(all P<0.05). Compared with the model group, the diopter of mice in the low-, medium- and high-dose dihydroquercetin groups increased, axial length shortened, the SOD increased, whereas MDA, NLRP3, ASC, Caspase-1, IL-1β, IL-18 decreased, and the rate of apoptosis in retinal tissue decreased(all P<0.05). Compared with the high-dose dihydroquercetin group, the high-dose dihydroquercetin+NLRP3 agonist group had reduced diopter, increased axial length, decreased SOD levels, elevated MDA, NLRP3, ASC, Caspase-1, IL-1β, and IL-18 levels, as well as increased apoptosis rate in retinal tissue(all P<0.05).CONCLUSION: Dihydroquercetin can improve visual function in mice with form deprivation myopia by inhibiting pyroptosis and oxidative stress responses, which may be related to the suppression of NLRP3 inflammasome. NLRP3 agonists can partially mitigate the effects of high-dose dihydroquercetin on form deprivation myopia in mice.

BACKGROUND:Pinoresinol diglucoside promotes bone formation and bone matrix synthesis and accelerates bone tissue repair.However,the mechanism of action and effects of this compound in osteoblasts need to be further explored. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effect and mechanism of action of pinoresinol diglucoside on dexamethasone-treated osteoblasts based on the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. METHODS:Different concentrations of dexamethasone groups and pinoresinol diglucoside groups were set to treat osteoblasts for 24 hours,and the optimal intervention concentrations were screened.Osteoblasts were treated with dexamethasone,pinoresinol diglucoside and inhibitor XAV-939.Then,control group,dexamethasone group,XVA-939 group,pinoresinol diglucoside group,pinoresinol diglucoside+XVA-939 group were set up.Cell counting kit-8 assay was used to detect cell activity.Alkaline phosphatase activity and caspase3/7 enzyme activity in cells were detected.Annexin V/PI staining and EdU assay were used to detect cell apoptosis and proliferation.Real-time qPCR and western blot were used to detect the mRNA and protein expression levels of Wnt3a,β-catenin,c-myc,osteocalcin,and type I collagen,respectively. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:After dexamethasone and pinoresinol diglucoside intervened in osteoblasts for 24 hours,10 μmol/L dexamethasone was found to be the optimal intervention concentration for cell inhibition,and cell proliferation was most pronounced at a concentration of pinoresinol diglucoside of 100 μmol/L.Compared with the dexamethasone group,alkaline phosphatase activity was significantly enhanced(P<0.05)and caspase3/7 enzyme activity was significantly reduced(P<0.05)in the pinoresinol diglucoside group.Annexin V/PI staining and cell proliferation assay by EdU method showed that pinoresinol diglucoside inhibited apoptosis and promoted proliferation of osteoblasts after dexamethasone intervention.The mRNA and protein expression levels of Wnt3a,β-catenin,c-myc,osteocalcin,and type I collagen were significantly higher in the pinoresinol diglucoside group and pinoresinol diglucoside+XVA-939 group compared with the dexamethasone and XVA-939 groups(P<0.05).To conclude,pinoresinol diglucoside can inhibit osteoblast apoptosis after dexamethasone intervention,protect osteoblast activity and promote osteoblast proliferation by activating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway,which may play a role in delaying steroid-induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head.

Objective:To explore the influence of value orientation brief therapy (VBT) on anxiety and depression symptoms, social function, coping style and self-acceptance level of major depressive disorder adolescents with anxious distress.Methods:From June 2021 to June 2022, seventy adolescent major depressive disorder patients with anxious distress were included in the study, who were randomly divided into study group(35 people, 31 people completed)and control group (35 people, 30 people completed). The study group was given routine treatment combined with VBT, while the control group was given routine treatment only. Before and after treatment, Hamilton anxiety scale(HAMA), Hamilton depression scale (HAMD), social disability screening schedule (SDSS), coping style questionnaire(CSQ) and self-acceptance questionnaire (SAQ) were used to evaluate the two groups, and SPSS 26.0 software was used to statistically analyze the data of the two groups. Paired sample t-test was used for intra-group comparison, and independent sample t-test was used for inter-group comparison. Results:After 6 weeks of treatment, the scores of HAMA((6.03±3.58) vs (14.03±7.06), t=5.55, P<0.01), HAMD((8.77±5.52 ) vs (16.50±7.59), t=4.56, P<0.01)and SDSS((4.23±1.50) vs (6.63±0.96), t=7.43, P<0.01)in the study group were significantly lower than those in the control group, the differences were statistically significant. The scores of self-acceptance((19.23±1.33) vs (13.47±1.46), t=-16.12, P<0.01)and self-evaluation ((19.87±2.87) vs (12.77±1.68), t=-11.75, P<0.01) in the SAQ scale and the scores of problem-solving((8.71±2.30) vs (6.23±3.45), t=3.31, P<0.05) and rationalization ((6.20±3.11) vs (4.67±2.43), t=2.13, P<0.05) in the CSQ questionnaire were significantly higher than those in the control group, the differences were statistically significant. The total effective rate of the study group(90.3%(28/31) vs 66.7%(20/30), χ2=5.09, P<0.05) was significantly higher than that of the control group, the difference was statistically significant. Conclusion:The effect of routine treatment combined with VBT is better, which can effectively improve anxiety and depression symptoms, social function and coping style, and enhance self-acceptance and self-evaluation in adolescent major depressive disorder patients, which is worthy of clinical application.

Objective To analyze the characteristics of brain functional networks in patients with post-stroke aphasia(PSA)during a Chinese word-picture matching task.Methods A total of 18 PSA patients in Dongzhimen Hospital from January,2018 to December,2021 were enrolled as PSA group,and nine healthy controls matched for sex,age and education were included as the control group.The Chinese Rehabilitation Research Center Aphasia Examination(CRRCAE)and task-state electroencephalogram(EEG)data based on a Chinese word-picture matching paradigm were collected.Source-space reconstruction was applied to EEG signals to construct functional connectivity matrices.Graph-theoretical analysis was used to com-pute global network properties,and network-based statistics were used to identify subnetwork differences be-tween groups.Correlations between global network properties and CRRCAE subscales were further analyzed.Results The global properties of each frequency band were higher in the control group(unmatched)than in PSA group and the control group(matched)(P<0.01).Subnetworks connections enhanced in the alpha band in the frontal,temporal,parietal,occipital lobes and limbic system(23 nodes,31 edges,P<0.05),and weakened connections in the frontal,temporal,limbic system and basal ganglia(20 nodes,26 edges,P<0.01)in PSA group;in the beta band,subnetwork connections enhanced in the frontal,temporal lobes,basal ganglia and limbic system(15 nodes,23 edges,P<0.01);in the theta band,subnetwork connections weakened in the left frontal and temporal lobes(10 nodes,11 edges,P<0.05),and enhanced in the right frontal and temporal lobes(7 nodes,7 edges,P<0.05).Under the matched condition,the global properties of the alpha and beta bands in PSA group were positive-ly correlated with reading(r=0.511 to 0.650,all P<0.05),and the local efficiency and average clustering coeffi-cient of the theta band were negatively correlated with repetition(r=-0.500 to-0.505,all P<0.05);under the unmatched condition,the local efficiency and average clustering coefficient of the alpha and beta bands in PSA group were positively correlated with reading(r=0.522 to 0.642,all P<0.05),and the global efficiency and lo-cal efficiency of the alpha band were positively correlated with auditory comprehension(r=0.486 to 0.496,all P<0.05).The comparison between the task state and the resting state further revealed that compensatory connec-tion enhanced in the alpha band in the frontal lobe and limbic system(6 nodes,5 edges,P<0.05)and in the beta band in the frontal,temporal,parietal,occipital lobes and limbic system(38 nodes,52 edges,P<0.01)in PSA pa-tients.Conclusion The core network damage characteristics of PSA patients are abnormally decreased global properties across multiple frequency bands and frequency-specific abnormal network reorganization,suggesting the overall brain network efficiency decline coexists with local compensation.This provides an objective basis for the neuroelec-trophysiological evaluation and targeted intervention of PSA.

Objective To investigate the effect of circRNA-homeodomain-interacting protein kinase 2(circHIPK2)on angiotensinⅡ(AngⅡ)-induced apoptosis of vascular endothelial cells through the regulation of the miR-7-5p/transcription factor 4(TCF4)axis.Methods Human umbilical vein endothelial cells(HUVECs)were randomly divided into the control,model,negative control cotrans-fection,circHIPK2 knockdown,miR-7-5p overexpression,and circHIPK2 knockdown+miR-7-5p knockdown groups.Except for the control group,all other groups were administered 10 nmol/L Ang Ⅱ to establish a hypertensive injury model.The circHIPK2,miR-7-5p,and TCF4 mRNA expression levels were detected after transfection.Apoptosis,proliferation,mitochondrial membrane potential,reactive oxygen species(ROS),antioxidant enzymes,pro-inflammatory factors,and TCF4 protein expression were assessed.Results Compared with the control group,the expressions of circHIPK2 and TCF4 mRNA,cell apoptosis rate,relative expression of ROS,levels of IL-6,IL-1β,and IL-18,and expressions of Bax and TCF4 protein increased,and cell viability,miR-7-5p mRNA expression,mitochondrial mem-brane potential,activities of superoxide dismutase(SOD)and catalase(CAT),and Bcl-2 protein expression decreased in the model group(P＜0.05).Both circHIPK2 knockdown and miR-7-5p overexpression reversed Ang Ⅱ-induced pathological changes in vascular endothelial cells.miR-7-5p knockdown reduced the effect of circHIPK2 knockdown on pathological cellular changes in the model group.Conclusion circHIPK2 knockdown can weaken TCF4 expression by upregulating miR-7-5p,thereby reducing Ang Ⅱ-induced inflam-mation and oxidative stress in vascular endothelial cells and ultimately inhibiting cell apoptosis.

Objective To investigate the protective effect of valeric acid on Doxorubicin-induced myocardial injury in mice.Methods C57BL/6J mice and AC16 cells were randomly divided into control group,injury group,and low-,medium-,and high-dose valeric acid groups.Doxorubicin was used to treat mice and myocardial cells to establish myocardial injury models.Hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining was used to analyze the pathological changes of myocardial tissue in mice,and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)was used to detect the levels of myocardial injury markers and inflammatory factors in mice from each group.Cell counting kit was used to detect the viability of myocardial cells in each group,and spectrophotometry was used to detect the levels of superoxide dismutase(SOD)and malondialdehyde(MDA)in the serum and myocardial cells in mice from each group.Reactive oxygen species(ROS)fluorescence probe was used to detect the levels of reactive oxygen species in each group,and flow cytometry was used to detect the apoptosis rate of each group.Western blot was used to detect the expression levels of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2(Nrf2)and heme oxygenase 1(HO-1)proteins in myocardial tissue and myocardial cells of mice from each group.Results Compared with the injury group,the myocardial injury in the low-,medium-,and high-dose valeric acid groups was ameliorated,the levels of myocardial injury markers gradually decreased,the levels of SOD in the body,and the expression levels of Nrf2 and HO-1 proteins gradually increased,and the levels of inflammatory factors,MDA,and apoptosis rate gradually decreased(P<0.05).Compared with myocardial cells in the injury group,the viability of myocardial cells,the levels of SOD,and the expression levels of Nrf2 and HO-1 proteins in the low-,medium-,and high-dose valeric acid groups gradually increased,while the levels of inflammatory factors,MDA,and apoptosis rate gradually decreased(P<0.05).Conclusion Valeric acid can inhibit inflammation and oxidative stress to improve Doxorubicin-induced myocardial injury,which may be related to the activation of Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway by valeric acid.

Objective To analyze effects of caragliflozin and empagliflozin on inflammatory markers,glucose and lipid metabolism and miR-144 expression in obese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM).Methods A total of 148 obese T2DM patients admitted to our hospital from June 2021 to May 2024 were selected and divided into the caragliflozin group and the empagliflozin group by random number table method.The two groups were treated with canagliflozin and empagliflozin on the basis of conventional treatment for 6 months.The inflammatory indicators,glucose metabolism indicators,lipid metabolism indicators,microRNA-144(miR-144)expression,body mass index(BMI),clinical efficacy and incidence of adverse reactions were compared between the two groups.Results After a total of 7 cases were excluded during the treatment period,there were 71 cases in the caragliflozin group and 70 cases in the empagliflozin group.After treatment,the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α,interleukin-6,C-reactive protein,fasting blood glucose(FBG),2 h postprandial blood glucose(2 h-PPG),glycosylated hemoglobin(HbA1c),triglyceride(TG),total cholesterol,low density lipoprotein cholesterol,BMI and miR-144 expression were lower than those before treatment in two groups of patients(P＜0.05),and the levels of FBG,2 h-PPG,HbA1c,TG and miR-144 expression were lower in the caragliflozin group than those of the empagliflozin group(P＜0.05).After treatment,high density lipoprotein cholesterol was higher than that before treatment in the two groups(P＜0.05),and that in the canagliflozin group was higher than the empagliflozin group(P＜0.05).There were no significant differences in the clinical efficacy and incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups after treatment(P＞0.05).Conclusion Both caragliflozin and empagliflozin have certain therapeutic efficacy and good safety for obese T2DM patients,and caragliflozin is more effective in improving glucose and lipid metabolism.

Objective:To analyze the application effects of ultrasound-guided superior laryngeal nerve block combined with cricothyroid membrane puncture on anesthesia for older adult patients with obesity.Methods:A case-control study was conducted on the clinical data of 85 older adult patients with difficult airways who underwent surgical treatment at Marine Police Corps Hospital of Chinese People's Armed Police Force from March 2021 to June 2023. Based on the different methods of anesthesia for tracheal intubation, the patients were divided into a control group ( n = 40) and an observation group ( n = 45). The control group received conventional superior laryngeal nerve block combined with cricothyroid membrane puncture, while the observation group received ultrasound-guided superior laryngeal nerve block combined with cricothyroid membrane puncture. The success rate of tracheal intubation, time taken for tracheal intubation, hemodynamic indicators, stress indicators, and the incidence of adverse reactions related to anesthesia were compared between the two groups. Results:In the observation group, the first-attempt tracheal intubation success rate was 87% (39/45), and the overall success rate for tracheal intubation was 98% (44/45), both of which were significantly higher than those in the control group [68% (27/40), 95% (38/40); χ2 = 4.48, 4.58, both P<0.05]. The time taken for tracheal intubation in the observation group was significantly shorter than that in the control group [(36.41 ± 5.23) minutes vs. (39.50 ± 4.42) minutes; t = 2.98, P<0.05]. During tracheal intubation and at the start of surgery, the observation group exhibited lower heart rates and higher mean arterial pressures compared with the control group ( t = 4.58, 4.65, -1.90, -2.14, all P<0.05). The cortisol and norepinephrine concentrations in the observation group were (23.12 ± 1.63) ng/L and (1 436.13 ± 225.60) pmol/L, respectively, both of which were significantly lower than those in the control group [(28.33 ± 2.29) ng/L, (1 784.50 ± 217.79) pmol/L; t = 12.59, 7.39, both P<0.05]. The incidence of anesthesia-related adverse reactions in the observation group was significantly lower than that in the control group [7% (3/45) vs. 25% (10/40); χ2 = 4.17, P<0.05]. Conclusions:Ultrasound-guided superior laryngeal nerve block combined with cricothyroid membrane puncture can enhance the success rate of tracheal intubation prior to general anesthesia in older adult patients with obesity. This approach helps maintain hemodynamic stability, reduces stress responses, and demonstrates a high level of safety.

Objective:To explore the influence of value orientation brief therapy (VBT) on anxiety and depression symptoms, social function, coping style and self-acceptance level of major depressive disorder adolescents with anxious distress.Methods:From June 2021 to June 2022, seventy adolescent major depressive disorder patients with anxious distress were included in the study, who were randomly divided into study group(35 people, 31 people completed)and control group (35 people, 30 people completed). The study group was given routine treatment combined with VBT, while the control group was given routine treatment only. Before and after treatment, Hamilton anxiety scale(HAMA), Hamilton depression scale (HAMD), social disability screening schedule (SDSS), coping style questionnaire(CSQ) and self-acceptance questionnaire (SAQ) were used to evaluate the two groups, and SPSS 26.0 software was used to statistically analyze the data of the two groups. Paired sample t-test was used for intra-group comparison, and independent sample t-test was used for inter-group comparison. Results:After 6 weeks of treatment, the scores of HAMA((6.03±3.58) vs (14.03±7.06), t=5.55, P<0.01), HAMD((8.77±5.52 ) vs (16.50±7.59), t=4.56, P<0.01)and SDSS((4.23±1.50) vs (6.63±0.96), t=7.43, P<0.01)in the study group were significantly lower than those in the control group, the differences were statistically significant. The scores of self-acceptance((19.23±1.33) vs (13.47±1.46), t=-16.12, P<0.01)and self-evaluation ((19.87±2.87) vs (12.77±1.68), t=-11.75, P<0.01) in the SAQ scale and the scores of problem-solving((8.71±2.30) vs (6.23±3.45), t=3.31, P<0.05) and rationalization ((6.20±3.11) vs (4.67±2.43), t=2.13, P<0.05) in the CSQ questionnaire were significantly higher than those in the control group, the differences were statistically significant. The total effective rate of the study group(90.3%(28/31) vs 66.7%(20/30), χ2=5.09, P<0.05) was significantly higher than that of the control group, the difference was statistically significant. Conclusion:The effect of routine treatment combined with VBT is better, which can effectively improve anxiety and depression symptoms, social function and coping style, and enhance self-acceptance and self-evaluation in adolescent major depressive disorder patients, which is worthy of clinical application.