OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical efficacy of 3D printing spinal external fixator combined with McKenzie therapy for patients with lumbar dics herniation (LDH). METHODS: Sixty patients with LDH between January 2022 and January 2023 were enrolled. Among them, 30 patients were given McKinsey training. According to different treatment methods, all patients were divided into McKenzie group and McKenzie + 3D printing group, 30 patients in each group. The McKenzie group provided McKenzie therapy. The McKenzie + 3D printing group were treated with 3D printing spinal external fixation brace on the basis of McKenzie therapy. Patients in both groups were between 25 and 60 years of age and had their first illness. In the McKenzie group, there were 19 males and 11 females, with an average age of (48.57±5.86) years old, and the disease duration was (7.03 ±2.39) months. The McKenzie + 3D printing group, there were 21 males and 9 females, with an average age of (48.80±5.92) years old, and the disease duration was(7.30±2.56) months. Pain was evaluated using the visual analogue scale (VAS), and lumbar spine function was assessed using the Oswestry disability index (ODI) and the Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score. VAS, ODI and JOA scores were compared between two groups before treatment and at 1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months after treatment. RESULTS: All patients were followed up for 12 months. The VAS for the McKenzie combined with 3D printing group before treatment and at 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months post-treatment were(6.533±0.860), (5.133±1.008), (3.933±0.868), (2.900±0.759), (2.067±0.640), (1.433±0.504), respectively. In the McKenzie group, the corresponding scores were (6.467±0.860), (5.067±1.048), (4.600±0.968), (3.533±1.008), (2.567±0.728), (1.967±0.809), respectively. The ODI of the McKenzie group before treatment and at 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months post-treatment were (41.033±6.810)%, (37.933±6.209)%, (35.467±6.962)%, (27.567±10.081)%, (20.800±7.531)%, (13.533±5.158)%, respectively. For the McKenzie combined with 3D printing group, the corresponding ODI were(38.033±5.605)%, (33.000±6.192)%, (28.767±7.045)%, (22.200±5.517)%, (17.700±4.836)%, (11.900±2.771)%, respectively. The JOA scores of the McKenzie combined with 3D printing group before treatment and at 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months post-treatment were(8.900±2.074), (13.133±2.330), (15.700±3.583), (20.400±3.480), (22.267±3.084), (24.833±2.640), respectively. In the McKenzie group, the corresponding scores were(9.200±2.091), (12.267±2.406), (15.333±3.198), (18.467±2.240), (20.133±2.751), (22.467±2.849), respectively. Before the initiation of treatment, no statistically significant differences were observed in the VAS, ODI, and JOA scores between two groups (P>0.05). At 3, 6, 9, and 12 months post-treatment, the VAS in the McKenzie combined with 3D printing group was significantly lower than that in the McKenzie group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). The comparison of ODI between two groups at 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months post-treatment revealed statistically significant differences (P<0.05). At 6, 9, and 12 months post-treatment, the JOA score in the McKenzie combined with 3D printing group was significantly higher than that in the McKenzie-only group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). CONCLUSION The combination of 3D printed functional spinal external fixation brace with McKenzie therapy can significantly improve and maintain lumbar function in patients with LDH.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Printing, Three-Dimensional ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement/surgery* ; External Fixators ; Lumbar Vertebrae/surgery* ; Adult ; Braces ; Treatment Outcome

Objective To investigate the diagnostic efficacy of targeted biopsy(TB)combined with ipsilateral hemiglandular systematic biopsy(SB)of the dominant lesion,so as to explore a novel reduced-core biopsy strategy.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 299 patients treated in our hospital during Sep.1,2022,and Feb.28,2023,who had a Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System(PI-RADS)score ≥3 and underwent combined TB and SB.The dominant lesion was defined as the lesion with the highest PI-RADS score on multi-parametric magnetic resonance imaging(mpMRI);in cases of identical scores,the largest was designated as the dominant.SB was categorized as ipsilateral(ipsi-SB)or contralateral(contra-SB)to the dominant lesion.The consistency in detecting clinically significant prostate cancer(csPCa)was compared between TB with ipsi-SB(TB+ipsi-SB),TB with contra-SB(TB+contra-SB),and TB with SB(TB+SB).Subgroup analyses were performed based on PI-RADS score,prostate-specific antigen(PSA)level,prostate volume(PV),and mpMRI lesion distribution to evaluate csPCa detection rates across different variables.Results TB+ipsi-SB demonstrated comparable detection rate to TB+SB(46.2％vs.46.8％).The K values for TB+ipsi-SB and TB+contra-SB relative to TB+SB were 0.987(95％CI:0.969-1.000,P＜0.01)and 0.933(95％CI:0.892-0.974,P＜0.01),respectively.Across all subgroups,TB+ipsi-SB showed the highest agreement with TB+SB.Notably,in subgroups with PI-RADS 3 and 5,PSA＞0-20 ng/mL,PV＜25 mL,bilateral or multiple mpMRI lesions,TB+ipsi-SB achieved complete concordance with TB+SB in csPCa detection[K=1.000(95％CI:1.000-1.000),P＜0.01].Conclusion For patients with PI-RADS score ≥3,TB+ipsi-SB exhibits near-perfect consistency with TB+SB in csPCa detection while requiring fewer biopsy cores.TB+ipsi-SB represents a promising refinement of the TB+SB approach.

With the advancement in big data and artificial intelligence technologies, the extensive application of omics technologies in traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) research has generated large experimental datasets, enabling the exploration of cross-scale correlations among massive data and thereby resulting in the shift toward a data-intensive research paradigm. The emerging approach of multi-omics data fusion analysis, emphasizing technical and computational tools, presents a potential breakthrough in this field. The holistic perspective of TCM aligns with the concept of multi-omics data fusion, yet the data types encountered exhibit high dimensionality with small sample sizes, necessitating data processing techniques such as dimensionality reduction. The current challenge lies in selecting suitable analytical methods for these data to enhance the systematic understanding of physiological functions and disease diagnosis/treatment processes. This paper explores the theories and frameworks of multi-omics data fusion, analyzes methods for fusing high-dimensional, small-sample multi-omics data in TCM, and aims to provide insights for advancing TCM research.
Medicine, Chinese Traditional/methods* ; Humans ; Computational Biology/methods* ; Genomics/methods* ; Sample Size ; Artificial Intelligence ; Multiomics

Objective To investigate the influence of preoperative blood lipid levels on postoperative recovery in patients with acute Achilles tendon rupture(AATR).Methods The clinical data of 353 AATR patients treated in Department of Orthopaedics Trauma of our hospital from Jan.2021 to Jan.2024 were retrospectively analyzed,including general clinical information and preoperative fasting blood biochemistry indices.Patients'Achilles tendon total rupture score(ATRS)and American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society(AOFAS)ankle-hindfoot score were recorded 6 months postoperatively.Postoperative recovery was categorized as favorable if ATRS≥80 and poor if ATRS＜80;similarly,recovery was considered favorable if AOFAS score≥90 and poor if AOFAS score＜90.Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were done to investigate the influencing factors of patients'postoperative recovery.Results When categorized by ATRS,patients in the favorable postoperative recovery group exhibited significantly lower serum levels of triglyceride(TG),total cholesterol(TC),and low-density lipoprotein(LDL)compared to the poor postoperative recovery group(all P＜0.05).Similarly,when categorized by AOFAS score,the favorable postoperative recovery group had lower serum TG and TC levels than the poor postoperative recovery group(both P＜0.05).Univariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that in the ATRS grouping,elevated serum levels of TG,TC and LDL were significantly associated with an increased risk of poor postoperative recovery in AATR patients(all P＜0.05).Similarly,in the AOFAS score grouping,elevated serum levels of TG and TC were significantly correlated with an increased risk of poor postoperative recovery in AATR patients(both P＜0.05).Multivariate logistic regression analysis further identified that high serum LDL level was an independent predictor of poor postoperative recovery in AATR patients(P＜0.05).Conclusion High preoperative serum LDL level is associated with an increased risk of poor postoperative recovery in AATR patients.Therefore,preoperative blood lipid management in AATR patients may have positive effects on postoperative functional recovery.

China has become the country with the highest global burden of heart failure(HF).Despite the widespread use of prognostic-improving medications today,the mortality rate of HF remains high,reaching 13.7％at one year-particularly among patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction(HFrEF).HF interventional device therapy(structural intervention)targets the structural factors underlying HF,including atrial pressure,ventricular remodeling,and valvular intervention.It leverages the heart's intrinsic physiological properties and pathological progression mechanisms to deliver treatments through interventions without external active forces,achieving anatomical or functional repair.This field has emerged as a rapidly growing area and plays an increasingly critical role in HF management.This article provides a comprehensive review and summary of the latest advancements in HF and cardiomyopathy interventional therapy over the past year.It covers various novel technologies and products currently in the research phase,aiming to provide an in-depth analysis of the current status and future directions of HF interventional therapy,and further advance the development of this discipline.

China has become the country with the highest global burden of heart failure(HF).Despite the widespread use of prognostic-improving medications today,the mortality rate of HF remains high,reaching 13.7％at one year-particularly among patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction(HFrEF).HF interventional device therapy(structural intervention)targets the structural factors underlying HF,including atrial pressure,ventricular remodeling,and valvular intervention.It leverages the heart's intrinsic physiological properties and pathological progression mechanisms to deliver treatments through interventions without external active forces,achieving anatomical or functional repair.This field has emerged as a rapidly growing area and plays an increasingly critical role in HF management.This article provides a comprehensive review and summary of the latest advancements in HF and cardiomyopathy interventional therapy over the past year.It covers various novel technologies and products currently in the research phase,aiming to provide an in-depth analysis of the current status and future directions of HF interventional therapy,and further advance the development of this discipline.

Objective To investigate the diagnostic efficacy of targeted biopsy(TB)combined with ipsilateral hemiglandular systematic biopsy(SB)of the dominant lesion,so as to explore a novel reduced-core biopsy strategy.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 299 patients treated in our hospital during Sep.1,2022,and Feb.28,2023,who had a Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System(PI-RADS)score ≥3 and underwent combined TB and SB.The dominant lesion was defined as the lesion with the highest PI-RADS score on multi-parametric magnetic resonance imaging(mpMRI);in cases of identical scores,the largest was designated as the dominant.SB was categorized as ipsilateral(ipsi-SB)or contralateral(contra-SB)to the dominant lesion.The consistency in detecting clinically significant prostate cancer(csPCa)was compared between TB with ipsi-SB(TB+ipsi-SB),TB with contra-SB(TB+contra-SB),and TB with SB(TB+SB).Subgroup analyses were performed based on PI-RADS score,prostate-specific antigen(PSA)level,prostate volume(PV),and mpMRI lesion distribution to evaluate csPCa detection rates across different variables.Results TB+ipsi-SB demonstrated comparable detection rate to TB+SB(46.2％vs.46.8％).The K values for TB+ipsi-SB and TB+contra-SB relative to TB+SB were 0.987(95％CI:0.969-1.000,P＜0.01)and 0.933(95％CI:0.892-0.974,P＜0.01),respectively.Across all subgroups,TB+ipsi-SB showed the highest agreement with TB+SB.Notably,in subgroups with PI-RADS 3 and 5,PSA＞0-20 ng/mL,PV＜25 mL,bilateral or multiple mpMRI lesions,TB+ipsi-SB achieved complete concordance with TB+SB in csPCa detection[K=1.000(95％CI:1.000-1.000),P＜0.01].Conclusion For patients with PI-RADS score ≥3,TB+ipsi-SB exhibits near-perfect consistency with TB+SB in csPCa detection while requiring fewer biopsy cores.TB+ipsi-SB represents a promising refinement of the TB+SB approach.

Ankylosing spondylitis(AS)is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease characterized by inflammatory back pain.Its pathological features mainly include inflammation,bone destruction,and pathologic new bone formation.The etiology of AS is complex,and it may be related to genetics,infections,the environment,and intestinal flora.Its pathogenesis has not yet been clarified.In recent years,osteoimmunology,as a new theme in the study of inflammatory arthritis,plays an important role in the pathogenesis and development of AS,which was embodied in the inflammatory response and imbalance of bone metabolism.Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)has the characteristics of multiple pathways,multiple components,multiple targets and multiple levels.TCM can improve the inflammatory response and bone metabolism imbalance of AS by regulating the osteoblasts of the skeletal system and the related factors of the immune system,thus to prevent and control AS.For this reason,the paper summarizes the role of bone immunology in the pathogenesis of AS,and reviews the current status of research on the intervention of TCM in bone immunology for the treatment of AS,with a view to providing certain references for the future clinical application of TCM in the prevention and treatment of AS.

Objective To design a novel oxygenator to solve the existing problems of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation(ECMO)machine in high transmembrane pressure difference,low efficiency of blood oxygen exchange and susceptibility to thrombosis.Methods The main body of the oxygenator vascular access flow field was gifted with a flat cylindrical shape.The topology of the vascular access was modeled in three dimensions,and the whole flow field was cut into a blood inlet section,an inlet buffer,a heat exchange zone,a blood oxygen exchange zone,an outlet buffer and a blood outlet section.The oxygenator was compared with Quadrox oxygenator by means of ANSYS FLUENT-based simulation and prototype experiments.Results Simulation calculations showed the oxygenator designed was comparable to the clinically used ones in general,and gained advantages in transmembrane pressure difference,blood oxygen exchange and flow uniformity.Experimental results indicated that the oxygenator behaved better than Quadrox oxygenator in transmembrane pressure difference and blood oxygen exchange.Conclusion The oxygenator has advantages in transmem-brane pressure difference,temperature change,blood oxygen ex-change and low probability of thrombosis.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2024,45(3):23-28]

Aortic valve stenosis,as a common heart valve disease,progresses rapidly and has a poor clinical prognosis.In the case of combined acute heart failure,the pumping function of the heart is severely impaired,which may lead to a significant decrease in cardiac output,resulting in a state of shock.Transcatheter aortic valve replacement(TAVR)has become a first-line treatment for elderly patients with aortic valve stenosis since its first successful case in 2002.In China,with the advancement of technology and the strengthening of physician training,the capacity of grassroots hospitals in TAVR treatment is increasing.This case reports a patient with severe aortic valve stenosis accompanied by acute heart failure and shock status who received emergency TAVR treatment at a grassroots hospital.Due to limitations in conditions,TAVR was urgently implemented without extracorporeal circulation and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support.The patient's blood pressure immediately rose to 105/65 mmHg after valve dilation during surgery,and the postoperative symptoms were significantly relieved.Follow up color Doppler ultrasound showed that the stenosis was relieved and the heart function was significantly improved.The success of this surgery provides a reference for emergency TAVR treatment in patients with severe aortic valve stenosis and heart failure in grassroots hospitals.