OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effectiveness of Youngswick-Akin osteotomy in the treatment of moderate hallux valgus combined with mild to moderate hallux rigidus. METHODS: The clinical data of 43 patients with moderate hallux valgus combined with mild to moderate hallux rigidus who were admitted between August 2019 and August 2022 and met the selection criteria were retrospectively analyzed. There were 8 males and 35 females. The age ranged from 28 to 77 years, with an average age of 59.0 years. The disease duration ranged from 10 to 35 months, with an average of 20 months. The degree of hallux rigidus included 2 cases of CoughlinⅠ degree, 29 cases of Ⅱ degree, 12 cases of Ⅲ degree. The preoperative hallux valgus angle ranged from 25° to 40°, with an average of 32°. All patients were treated with Youngswick-Akin osteotomy. The first metatarsophalangeal joint space was compared before operation and at 6 months after operation. The American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) score and visual analogue scale (VAS) score were used to evaluate the functional recovery and pain relief of the patients before operation and at 6 and 24 months after operation. According to the severity of hallux rigidus, the patients were divided into mild group (Ⅰ, Ⅱ degree) and moderate group (Ⅲ degree) to compare the prognosis, including the changes of AOFAS score, VAS score, and the first metatarsophalangeal joint space. RESULTS: The operation time was 60-75 minutes (mean, 65 minutes). The intraoperative blood loss was 10-30 mL (mean, 20 mL). Two cases had superficial infection of the incision margin after operation, and healed well after dressing change and antibiotic treatment. The incisions of the other patients healed by first intention, and no medial cutaneous nerve injury of the great toe occurred. All patients were followed up 24-31 months, with an average of 25.8 months. The patient's hallux valgus deformity was corrected without recurrence; no complication such as osteomyelitis and hallux varus occurred. The AOFAS score, VAS score, and the first metatarsophalangeal joint space after operation significantly improved when compared with those before operation, the AOFAS score and VAS score at 24 months after operation further improved when compared with those at 6 months after operation, and the differences were significant ( P<0.05). The change of VAS score in mild group was significantly better than that in moderate group ( P<0.05); but there was no significant difference in the changes of AOFAS score and the first metatarsophalangeal joint space between the two groups ( P>0.05). CONCLUSION Youngswick-Akin osteotomy for moderate valgus deformity with mild to moderate hallux rigidus can achieve good functional recovery, pain relief, and joint space improvement.
Humans ; Osteotomy/methods* ; Hallux Valgus/diagnostic imaging* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Hallux Rigidus/diagnostic imaging* ; Retrospective Studies ; Adult ; Aged ; Treatment Outcome ; Metatarsophalangeal Joint/surgery*

Objective To explore the functional mechanism of spinal cord fragile X mental retardation protein(FMRP)involved in neuropathic pain(NP)by using the sciatic nerve model of chronic compression injury(CCI).Methods First,to investigate the changes of spinal cord FMRP and β-catenin following the development of NP,this study compared the 50%mechanical withdrawal threshold(MWT)and thermal withdrawal latency(TWL)in CCI rats,as well as changes of FMRP and β-catenin in the spinal dorsal horn post-surgery,through random grouping.Immunofluorescence staining was performed on spinal cord tissue sections from CCI rats.Second,to further validate the alterations in pain behavior when the FMRP function was lost,we measured the 50%MWT,TWL,and FMRP and β-catenin in the spinal dorsal horn after FMRP knockdown in CCI rats.Finally,we measured the 50%MWT,TWL,and FMRP and β-catenin in the case of FMRP hyperfunction for validation.Results Compared with the baseline CCI group and the naive and sham groups after modeling,the CCI group after modeling showed decreases in 50%MWT and TWL(all P<0.001).After modeling,compared with the naive group and the sham group,the CCI group presented up-regulated expression of FMRP(P=0.027,P=0.022)and β-catenin(P<0.001,P=0.001)in the spinal dorsal horn.No co-localization of FMRP with astrocytes and microglia was observed in the spinal cord,while the co-localization with neurons was observed.Compared with the baseline,the CCI+FMRP knockdown group showed decreases in 50%MWT(P=0.015)and TWL(P=0.001)after modeling.After intrathecal injection of small interfering RNA(siRNA),the 50%MWT(P=0.020)and TWL(P=0.009)of the CCI+FMRP knockdown group were increased.Moreover,compared with the CCI group and the CCI+solvent group,the CCI+FMRP knockdown group showed increases in 50%MWT(both P<0.001)and TWL(P=0.005,P=0.006).After intrathecal injection of siRNA,the expression levels of FMRP(P=0.012,P=0.007)and β-catenin(both P<0.001)in the spinal dorsal horn of the CCI+FMRP knockdown group were lower than those of the CCI group and the CCI+solvent group.Compared with the baseline FMRP overexpression group and the naive and negative control groups after adeno-associated virus(AAV)injection,the FMRP overexpression group after AAV injection showed decreases in 50%MWT and TWL(all P<0.001).After AAV injection,compared with the naive group and the negative control group,the FMRP overexpression group demonstrated up-regulated expression of FMRP(both P<0.001)and β-catenin(P=0.006,P=0.008)in the spinal cord.Conclusions This study confirms that spinal cord FMRP and β-catenin are involved in NP induced by CCI.Spinal cord FMRP may be one of the potential therapeutic targets for NP.
Animals ; beta Catenin/metabolism* ; Neuralgia/metabolism* ; Fragile X Mental Retardation Protein/physiology* ; Spinal Cord/metabolism* ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Male

Renal colic caused by ureteral stone obstruction is the main cause for emergency treatment of patients with urinary tract stones, and drug expulsion therapy plays a vital role in the treatment.This article delves into a variety of drugs, including α1 adrenergic receptor blockers, β adrenergic receptor agonists, calcium channel blockers, prostaglandin synthetase inhibitors, corticosteroids, phosphodiesterase isoenzyme 5 inhibitors, and Chinese herbal medicines, exploring their mechanisms and applications in the treatment of distal ureteral stones.Currently, α1 adrenergic receptor blockers are still preferred for the treatment of distal ureteral stones due to their significant efficacy.It is worth noting that various drugs work through different mechanisms, and combining drugs with different mechanisms is expected to improve the efficiency of stone expulsion.This method may become the mainstream choice for stone expulsion drugs in the future.This article aims to provide new perspectives and ideas for the drug treatment of urinary tract stones.

Natural endogenous materials (NEMs), such as cell and cell derivatives, polysaccharide, protein and peptide, and nucleic acid-derived vectors, often exhibit biocompatibility, biodegradability and natural homing ability, which can minimize adverse reactions in vivo and have the potential to improve drug delivery efficacy. Currently, a variety of drug delivery systems (DDSs) based on NEMs have been constructed for macromolecules to address the challenges posed by their inherent large size, intricate structure, low permeability, and susceptibility to harsh environments. The aim of this article is to provide a comprehensive overview of various delivery strategies that predominantly utilize NEMs as carriers for macromolecular delivery. By thoroughly discussing the pros and cons of NEM-based DDSs, we hope to provide valuable insights into future innovations in pharmaceutical science, with a focus on improving therapeutic outcomes through advanced drug formulations.
Animals ; Humans ; Biological Products/chemistry* ; Drug Carriers/chemistry* ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Macromolecular Substances/chemistry*

Objective To compare the safety and efficacy of fertility-sparing surgery in patients with ovarian borderline tumors (BOT). Methods A total of 121 BOT patients undergoing fertility-sparing surgery between January 2010 and October 2022 were retrospectively analyzed.The univariate analysis,multivariate analysis,and survival curves were employed to evaluate the clinicopathological and surgical variables and fertility. Results The 121 BOT patients included in this study showed the 5-year recurrence-free survival (RFS) rate of 65.8% and the recurrence rate of 30.5%.A total of 53 patients attempted to conceive and 40 (33.06%) of the patients achieved successful pregnancy.Different methods of fertility-sparing surgery did not affect the tumor recurrence rate,RFS,or pregnancy rate.The multivariate analysis indicated that the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage ≥Ⅱ was an independent risk factor affecting both postoperative recurrence and RFS (P=0.011,OR=6.504,95%CI=1.534-27.58;P=0.033,HR=2.589,95%CI=1.082-6.194) in BOT patients.Tissue type (mucinous) was negatively correlated with the risk of recurrence after fertility-sparing surgery (P=0.011,OR=0.270,95%CI=0.099-0.739).The two unilateral surgical methods showed differences in the amount of intraoperative bleeding (P=0.010),postoperative hospital stay (P=0.001),duration of antibiotic use (P=0.002),and tumor rupture rate (P=0.030),which were not significantly different between the two bilateral surgical methods. Conclusions For young patients with fertility requirements,fertility-sparing surgery is safe and effective.After a comprehensive assessment of clinicopathological factors,unilateral cystectomy and bilateral cystectomy may be recommended as the preferred choice of treatment.For the patients with advanced FIGO stages who strongly prefer fertility sparing,fertility-sparing surgery can be performed with fully informed consent,and these patients should attempt to achieve pregnancy as soon as possible after the surgery.
Humans ; Female ; Retrospective Studies ; Adult ; Fertility Preservation/methods* ; Prognosis ; Ovarian Neoplasms/surgery* ; Fertility ; Young Adult ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Rate

Objective:To investigate the clinical features of patients with epilepsy in Neurosurgery Outpatient and influencing factors for their seizure control.Methods:Six hundred and seventy-three epilepsy patients admitted to Neurosurgery Outpatient of 6 hospitals including Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from September 2017 to December 2022 were chosen. Clinical data (including general demographic data, education level, onset age, onset cycle and duration, course of onset, family annual income and seizure control) were collected using a questionnaire prepared by He'nan Epilepsy Systematic Diagnosis and Treatment Center to summarize the clinical features. Univariate and multivariate Logistic regressions were used to analyze the influencing factors for their seizure control.Results:(1) In these 673 epilepsy patients, 50 (7.4%), 78 (11.6%), 192 (28.5%), 100 (14.9%), 68 (10.1%), 72 (10.7%) and 113 (16.8%), respectively, were <1 year old (infant stage), 1-2 years old (children stage), 3-5 years old (preschool stage), 6-16 years old (juvenile stage), 17-39 years old (young stage), 40-64 years old (middle-aged stage) and ≥65 years old (elderly stage). In the past medical treatment history, 23.0% (155/673) patients did not receive intervention, 72.4% (487/673) received medication, and 4.6% (31/673) received surgical treatment; 55.9% (376/673) had good seizure control and 44.1% (297/673) had poor seizure control. (2) Secondary education ( OR=2.199, 95% CI: 1.037-15.221, P=0.033), primary education or below ( OR=3.544, 95% CI: 2.101-21.343, P=0.012), daily seizures ( OR=4.788, 95% CI: 1.369-33.103, P=0.011), each seizure lasted ≥3 min ( OR=4.179, 95% CI: 3.338-18.550, P=0.003), course of disease≥3 years ( OR=0.199, 95% CI: 0.077-0.602, P=0.001), course of disease for 1-3 years ( OR=0.379, 95% CI: 0.108-0.882, P=0.031), and currently taken antiepileptic drugs for 3 or more ( OR=6.237, 95% CI: 2.195-17.837, P=0.001) were independent risk factors for poor seizure control in epilepsy patients. Conclusion:In Neurosurgery Outpatient, children with diseases before childhood enjoy the largest proportion; drug therapy remains the main treatment; low education level, short seizure cycle, long duration of attack, long course of disease, and multiple drugs used in these patients imply poor anti-epileptic effecacy.

Total knee arthroplasty， as a common treatment option for advanced knee osteoarthritis， can alleviate the clinical symptoms of patients. Deep vein thrombosis of the lower extremity is the most common complication of total knee arthroplasty. Previous studies have shown that the occurrence of deep vein thrombosis after total knee arthroplasty is mostly related to the overexpression of inflammatory factors in vivo. Nuclear transcription factor-κB， Toll-like receptor 4， phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B， tumor necrosis factor， and nuclear transcription factor E₂-related factor 2 are typical signaling pathways related to inflammation. Regulating the expression of the signaling pathways can intervene the formation of inflammatory factors. Inhibiting the formation of inflammatory factors can help suppress the activation of platelets， thereby blocking thrombosis. According to previous research， Chinese medicine monomers， Chinese medicine extract， and compound Chinese medicine prescriptions all directly or indirectly inhibit the expression of inflammatory factors by regulating the above signaling pathways， thereby suppressing the occurrence of deep vein thrombosis after total knee arthroplasty. Therefore， Chinese medicine can reduce postoperative complications and promote postoperative recovery of patients at low cost with small side effects. This article summarizes the research on Chinese medicine intervention on deep vein thrombosis-related signaling pathways after total knee arthroplasty， which is expected to lay a basis for the in-depth study and clinical application of Chinese medicine in deep vein thrombosis.

【Objective】 To explore the predictive value of preoperative liver function for massive blood transfusion (MBT) in patients undergoing ascending aorta surgery. 【Methods】 Data from 238 patients undergoing ascending aorta surgery in the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery at The Affiliated Lihuili Hospital of Ningbo University were collected. Preoperative liver function tests were performed for all patients. Based on the perioperative transfusion volumes of red blood cell suspension, patients were divided into the MBT group, non-MBT group, and no blood transfusion (NBT) group. Clinical data during the perioperative period were compared among different groups. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC curve) analysis was used to assess the predictive value of liver function indicators for MBT and determine cut-off values. 【Results】 Compared with the non-MBT group and NBT group, the MBT group showed statistically significant differences in preoperative levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), direct bilirubin (DBIL), and serum albumin (SA) (P<0.05). ROC curve analysis revealed that AST had the largest area under the curve (AUC) for predicting MBT, with a value of 0.723. ALT had the highest specificity for predicting MBT at 86.7%, and SA had the highest sensitivity at 89.7%. When AST >28.50 U/L, ALT >40.00 U/L, SA ≤34.55 g/L, and DBIL >4.25 μmol/L, there was a significant increase in the transfusion volume of various blood components and the incidence of MBT. 【Conclusion】 Preoperative liver function indicators (AST, ALT, SA, DBIL) have a moderate predictive value for MBT in patients undergoing ascending aorta surgery.

China ; Manganese/toxicity* ; Stainless Steel

Background Occupational noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is one of the most prevalent occupational diseases in the world. With the development of industry, noise sources in the workplace have become increasingly complex. Objective To apply kurtosis-adjusted cumulative noise exposure (CNE) to assess the occupational hearing loss among furniture manufacturing workers, and to provide a basis for revising noise measurement methods and occupational exposure limits in China. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted to select 694 manufacturing workers, including 542 furniture manufacturing workers exposed to non-Gaussian noise, and 152 textile manufacturing workers and paper manufacturing workers exposed to Gaussian noise. The job titles involving non-Gaussian noise were gunning and nailing, and woodworking, while those involving Gaussian noise were weaving, spinning, and pulping. High frequency noise-induced hearing loss (HFNIHL) and noise exposure data were collected for each study subject. Noise energy metrics included eight-hour equivalent continuous A-weighted sound pressure level (L_{Aeq,8 h}) and CNE. Kurtosis was a noise temporal structure metric. Kurtosis-adjusted CNE was a combined indicator of noise energy and temporal structure. Results The age of the study subjects was (35.64±10.35) years, the exposure duration was (6.71±6.44) years, and the proportion of males was 75.50%. The L_{Aeq,8 h} was (89.43±6.01) dB(A). About 81.42% of the study subjects were exposed to noise levels above 85 dB(A), the CNE was (95.85±7.32) dB(A)·year, with a kurtosis of 99.34 ± 139.19, and the prevalence rate of HFNIHL was 35.59%. The mean kurtosis of the non-Gaussian noise group was higher than that of the Gaussian noise group (125.33±147.17 vs. 5.86±1.94, t=−21.04, P<0.05). The results of binary logistic regression analysis showed that kurtosis was an influential factor of workers' HFNIHL after correcting for age, exposure duration, and L_{Aeq,8 h} (OR=1.49, P<0.05). The results of multiple linear regression analysis showed that the effects of age, exposure duration, L_{Aeq,8 h}, and kurtosis on noise-induced permanent threshold shift at frequencies of 3, 4, and 6 kHz of the poor hearing ear were statistically significant (all P<0.05). The results of chi-square trend analysis showed that when CNE ≥ 90 dB(A)·year, the HFNIHL prevalence rate elevated with increasing kurtosis (P<0.05). The mean HFNIHL prevalence rate was higher in the non-Gaussian noise group than in the Gaussian noise group (31.7% vs. 22.0%, P<0.05). After applying kurtosis-adjusted CNE, the linear equation between CNE and HFNIHL prevalence rate for the non-Gaussian noise group almost overlapped with that for the Gaussian noise group, and the mean difference in HFNIHL prevalence rate between the two groups decreased from 9.7% to 1.4% (P<0.05). Conclusion Noise kurtosis is an effective metric for NIHL evaluation. Kurtosis-adjusted CNE can effectively evaluate occupational hearing loss due to non-Gaussian noise exposure in furniture manufacturing workers, and is expected to be a new indicator of non-Gaussian noise measurement and assessment.