The NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome, a high-molecular-weight protein complex in the cytoplasm, is composed of three core components: the sensor protein NLRP3, the adaptor protein apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase-recruitment domain (ASC) and the effector protein caspase-1. It plays a critical role in regulating host immune and inflammatory responses. Studies have shown that the NLRP3 inflammasome has increasingly become a focal point in tumor molecular biology field. A growing body of evidence indicates that the increased expression and activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome is closely associated with the pathogenesis of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and the tumor microenvironment (TME). It may promote tumor proliferation, invasion, migration, and other biological behaviors through various regulatory mechanisms while influencing tumor immune evasion and therapy resistance, which holds promise as a prognostic biomarker for patients. This review explores the current effect and mechanism of the NLRP3 inflammasome and its signaling pathways in head and neck cancer, providing insights into clinical targeted drug development and molecular immunotherapy.
Humans ; NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein/genetics* ; Inflammasomes/metabolism* ; Head and Neck Neoplasms/pathology* ; Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck/metabolism* ; Tumor Microenvironment ; Signal Transduction ; Animals

Objective:To explore the clinical value of super micro vascular imaging (SMI) in evaluating the microvascular perfusion of diabetes foot treated by tibial transverse bone transport.Methods:A retrospective study of 18 diabetic foot patients who underwent tibial transverse bone transport in the Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University from May 2019 to December 2021 were analysed, including 12 males and 6 females, with an average age of 64.89±14.34 years (range, 30-90 years). All patients had varying degrees of foot ulcer. Before and after the operation, the blood vessels of the patient's lower leg and foot were examined. The display rate of low-velocity blood flow was compared between color Doppler flow imaging (CDFI) and SMI; the blood flow and vascular index at the beginning of the first dorsal metatarsal artery before and after operation under SMI were compared; the number and length of new blood vessels were also compared before and after operation.Results:All patients were followed up for at least 2 months. CDFI blood flow display rate was 73.6% (106/144), and SMI blood flow display rate was 80.6% (116/144), the difference was statistically significant (χ 2=4.68, P=0.031). Under SMI, the blood flow at the beginning of the first dorsal metatarsal artery on the affected side was measured before operation 3.38 (1.33, 7.56) ml/min, 1 week after operation 4.19(2.84, 11.48) ml/min and 1 month after operation 3.72 (2.52, 11.40) ml/min, with statistically significant difference (χ 2=9.46, P=0.009). There were statistically significant differences in blood flow at 1 week and 1 month after operation compared with that before operation ( P=0.033, P=0.003). The vascular index at the beginning of the first dorsal metatarsal artery on the affected side was 3.84±3.60, 6.51±4.92 and 6.82±5.36 before operation, 1 week and 1 month after operation, respectively, and the differences were statistically significant( F=4.35, P=0.031). The vascular index in the first week after operation was significantly higher than that before operation ( P=0.026). Up to the last follow-up, the number of new collaterals in 18 patients was 4.5 (2, 8), which was significantly different from 1 (0, 2) before operation ( Z=-3.57, P=0.001). In total, the length of 18 new blood vessels in 9 patients was longer than that before operation, and the establishment of grade 2 and grade 3 branches were observed in 5 patients. The superficial subcutaneous vessels were showed more clarity than that before surgery, and there was collateral circulation on the opposite side. Conclusion:SMI objectively reflects the changes of hemodynamics and microcirculation of patients after tibial transverse bone transport, and helps clinical preliminary predict the prognosis of patients and adjust individual treatment plan according to blood perfusion in time.

Blood-brain barrier (BBB) damage after ischemia significantly influences stroke outcome. Compound LFHP-1c was previously discovered with neuroprotective role in stroke model, but its mechanism of action on protection of BBB disruption after stroke remains unknown. Here, we show that LFHP-1c, as a direct PGAM5 inhibitor, prevented BBB disruption after transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO) in rats. Mechanistically, LFHP-1c binding with endothelial PGAM5 not only inhibited the PGAM5 phosphatase activity, but also reduced the interaction of PGAM5 with NRF2, which facilitated nuclear translocation of NRF2 to prevent BBB disruption from ischemia. Furthermore, LFHP-1c administration by targeting PGAM5 shows a trend toward reduced infarct volume, brain edema and neurological deficits in nonhuman primate

Synchronous multifocal osteosarcoma (SMOS) was analyzed for its predisposing age, sex, location, oncology characteristics, and survival time with different treatment. The key words about "multifocal osteosarcoma" had been used to search articles which includ Synchronous multifocal osteosarcoma patients databases from 1949 to 2020. The articles have been filtratedby title, abstract and full text. There were 80 articles used for thisstudy. All the patients were objects of thisstudy. Butthe same patients' data in different articles had not been used repeatedly. The patients' data had been collected as much aspossible, including age, location, treatment, survival timeand so on. All the patients' data had been used forsystematic analysis. All of the 80 articles and 264 patients had been studied. The mean onset age was 16.17 years old and the peak age of onset was 10-20 years old. The gender difference had been uncovered and the sex ratio was 1.76∶1. The incidence site of 188 patients (92.16%) was located in the extremities. Alkaline phosphatase was elevated in 135 patients (95.10%). The pathological type was osteoblastic osteosarcoma in 134 patients (76.14%). There were 3 patients with hypocalcemia and 2 patients with anemia. The mean survival time of 15 patients (15/58) who gave up treatment was 4.51 months. The mean survival time of 23 patients with chemotherapy was 8.97 months. The mean survival time was 16.17 months in 11 patients with preoperative chemotherapy and surgical treatment. Nine patients with neoadjuvant chemotherapy, surgery and postoperative chemotherapy had an average survival time of 23.28 months. Multiple osteosarcoma of the same type was rare, with high degree of malignancy and poor prognosis. The age of high incidence was 10-20 years old. Currently, the most effective treatment was neoadjuvant chemotherapy, surgery and postoperative chemotherapy.

Objective:To observe the clinical effects of resection and different reconstruction methods of malignant tumors around the ilium (Ⅰ region, Ⅰ+Ⅱ region and Ⅰ+Ⅳ region).Methods:The clinical data of 23 patients with resection and reconstruction of malignant tumors around the ilium in the Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University from January 2012 to December 2017 was retrospectively analyzed. All patients received pelvic tumor resection and screw-rod system fixation, and some patients received bone graft or cement reinforcement at the same time. The clinical effect, survival rate, complications and limb function score were statistically analyzed.Results:All cases were followed up for 10-79 months (median 42 months). Eleven patients survived, the 1-year overall survival (OS) rate was 82.6% (19/23), the 3-year OS rate was 65.2% (15/23), and the 5-year OS rate was 52.2% (12/23). The 3-year OS rate was 70.6% for the patients without acetabulum involvement, and 57.1% for those with acetabulum involvement, and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (χ 2 = 4.182, P = 0.041). Seven cases complicated with wound nonunion, dislocation and other complications. The postoperative functional score of patients with pedicle screw-rod fixation and reconstruction was (23.6±1.3) points, and the postoperative functional score of patients with ordinary semi-pelvis and nail-rod semi-pelvic reconstruction was (18.1±1.4) points, and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (t = 9.42, P < 0.01). Conclusion:For the bone defect after resection of tumors around the ilium, the clinical effect of pedicle screw-rod fixation is better than that of nail-rod semi-pelvic reconstruction.

Objective:To investigate the effects, complications and survival of patients tumor-type artificial knee prosthesis replacement for treatment of malignant bone tumors around the knee.Methods:The data of 47 patients undergoing tumor-type knee prosthesis replacement in Shanxi Medical University from January 2010 to April 2018 was retrospectively analyzed. There were 21 males and 26 females, with a median age of 21 years (7-70 years). There were 39 cases of osteosarcomas, 3 cases of chondrosarcomas, 2 cases of malignant fibrous histiocytomas, 2 cases of giant cell bone tumors, and 1 case of fibrosarcoma. The involved locations were the distal femur in 35 cases and proximal tibia in 12 cases. Patients with osteosarcoma and malignant fibrous histiocytomas received chemotherapy for 2 courses before operation and 4-6 courses after operation. The data included the survival time, prosthesis survival time, complications, limb function, tumor recurrence and lung metastasis of patients.Results:Patients were followed up for a median time of 25 months (5-102 months). The 1-year, 3-year and 5-year overall survival rates were 95.74%, 71.29% and 58.06%, respectively. The 1-year, 3-year and 5-year disease-free survival rates were 86.42%, 55.49% and 50.86%, respectively. Local tumor recurrence occurred in 10 patients (21.28%) within 3 years after operation. Of the 10 patients, 8 cases had a recurrence of the soft tissue tumor and then they received the resection surgery; the other 2 patients underwent amputation of the diseased limb. The pulmonary metastasis occurred in 15 patients (31.91%). The 5-year survival rate of prosthesis was 82.33%, and the 5-year survival rate of prosthesis in patients with tumor in the distal femur was higher than that in patients with tumor in the proximal tibia [86.96% vs. 75.00%, P = 0.338]. The periprosthetic infection occurred in 3 patients (6.38%), and 1 case (2.13%) received revision after prosthesis loosening, 1 case (2.13%) received revision after prosthesis breakage. At the patient's last follow-up, the Musculoskeletal Tumor Society (MSTS) score was 21 points (15 points, 24 points), and the excellent rate was 61.70% (29/47). The incidence of extensor lag in patients with tumor in the proximal tibia was higher than that in patients with tumor in the distal femur, and the difference was statistically significant [33.33% (4/12) vs. 2.86% (1/35), P = 0.016]. Conclusions:Tumor-type artificial knee prosthesis replacement can effectively treat malignant bone tumors around the knee and maintain satisfactory limb function and patients' survival rate. However, the postoperative complications may lead to limb salvage failure. It is necessary to reduce the occurrence of complications through standardized chemoradiotherapy, extensive and strict tumor resection and proper rehabilitation exercises.

Objective To investigate the oncological prognosis, prosthesis survival rate and other related factors after limb salvage surgery for distal femoral malignant bone tumors. Methods A total of 42 patients who received the surgery of resection of malignant bone tumor of distal femur and prosthesis replacement of knee joint tumor in the Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University from January 2008 to December 2013 were retrospectively analyzed. The patient's oncological prognosis, prosthesis survival rate and related influencing factors were analyzed. Results The follow-up period was 18-97 months. Of 42 patients with malignant bone tumors, 21 cases (50％) survived without tumor, 7 cases (16％) survived with tumor, and the 5-year overall survival rate was 66％. The overall survival rate of patients with Enneking stage ⅡB tumor was 55.4％, and that of patients with stage ⅡA tumor was 75.0％, and the difference was statistically significant (χ2= 4.350, P= 0.037). The survival rate of artificial prosthesis was 78.6％ (22/28), the different length of osteotomy affected the survival rate of prosthesis (χ2= 4.248, P= 0.039), but the different types of prosthesis did not affect the survival rate of prosthesis (χ2= 2.177, P= 0.140). Conclusions The distal femoral malignant bone tumor has a good oncological prognosis after limb salvage surgery, Enneking staging is an important factor affecting the oncological prognosis. The different length of osteotomy at the distal femur affects the survival rate of the prosthesis, the longer the prosthesis, the lower the survival rate of the prosthesis.

Objective: To discuss the efficacy of pelvic region Ⅰ-Ⅲ malignant bone tumor resection and function reconstruction. Methods: A retrospective study was performed on 23 patients with pelvic malignant bone tumors who underwent limb salvage surgery in the Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University from January 2010 to December 2018, including 12 males and 11 females, aged 19-78 years old. There were 22 cases of primary tumors, and 1 case of metastatic carcinoma. The tumor of 13 cases located in region Ⅰ, 2 cases in region Ⅱ, 5 cases in region Ⅲ, 1 case in region Ⅱ+Ⅲ, and 2 cases in region Ⅰ+Ⅱ. The surgical methods included resection + allograft, resection + pedicle screw reconstruction, resection + ipsilateral iliac bone graft reconstruction, and artificial hemipelvic replacement. The complications, outcomes, survival, and function recovery of patients were analyzed. Results: None of the 23 patients died in the perioperative period. Five patients with tumor invasion region Ⅱ underwent hemipelvic replacement, and no serious complications occurred after operation; 15 patients underwent allogeneic bone graft or autologous bone graft after tumor resection, 2 of them had milder wound infection, and no serious complications were found in the others; 3 cases underwent pedicle screw reconstruction after tumor resection, and no obvious complications occurred after operation. By the end of follow-up, 12 patients died of local recurrence or lung metastases after surgery, including 4 patients who underwent hemipelvic replacement. The gait of 23 patients was changed to some extent, most of them were claudication; One patient needed to walk with two crutches. Conclusions The malignant bone tumors in the pelvic region Ⅰ and Ⅲ can achieve satisfactory postoperative results after extensive resection in the boundary of security. For pelvic region Ⅱ malignant bone tumors, the postoperative curative effect of half pelvic prosthesis reconstruction after resection in the boundary of security is acceptable.

Objective: To investigate the survival of patients with osteosarcoma treated in a single institute. Methods: A total of 44 patients with osteosarcoma who had undergone surgical treatment in the Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University from January 2013 to January 2018 were enrolled in this retrospective study. After the diagnosis of osteosarcoma, patients received cisplatin plus doxorubicin neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The patient's basic data, auxiliary examination results, surgical methods, pathological reports, prognosis and other information were reviewed and recorded, and the Kaplan-Meier method, Cox regression model were used to analyze the relationship between various factors and prognosis of patients. Results: Among 44 patients, there were 23 males and 21 females, aged from 7 to 62 years old (average 27.2 years old); the tumor site of 5 cases was located at the upper limbs and 39 was located at the lower limbs; the diameter of the tumor was < 10 cm in 30 cases, ≥10 cm in 14 cases. All patients underwent extensive resection, including 35 cases of limb salvage surgery and 9 cases of amputation. At the end of follow-up, the 3-year overall survival rate was 65.5%. The 3-year overall survival rates in patients with or without local recurrence were 40.0% and 72.4%, respectively (P = 0.037). The 3-year overall survival rates in patients with or without lung metastasis were 32.0% and 84.5%, respectively (P < 0.01). The 3-year overall survival rates in patients with tumor's diameter≥10 cm or <10 cm were 40.2% and 78.1%, respectively (P = 0.003). The 3-year overall survival rates in patients with or without standard chemotherapy were 74.9% and 35.8%, respectively (P = 0.048). The 3-year overall survival rates in patients with high or normal lactate dehydrogenase at the time of diagnosis were 38.1% and 72.3%, respectively (P = 0.010). Multivariate analysis showed that standard chemotherapy (P = 0.005) and lung metastasis (P = 0.003) were independent prognostic factors affecting the survival of patients with osteosarcoma. Conclusions Neoadjuvant chemotherapy combined with surgical methods can improve the survival rate of patients with osteosarcoma of the extremities. Nonstandard chemotherapy and lung metastasis during or after treatment affect the survival of patients with osteosarcoma.

Objective To investigate the correlation between 6 common triggers and ischemic stroke.Methods The demographic and clinical data of the consecutive inpatients with acute ischemic stroke were collected.A questionnaire survey of the triggers of the disease was conducted within 4 d after admission.A case cross-over study was used to compare the exposure of the 6 potential triggers (overeating,anger,negative emotion,heavy physical activity,sudden posture changes as response to a startling event,drinking coffee) at 2 h before onset (dangerous period) and at 1 d before onset during the same period (control period),and exposures to potential triggers in patients according to gender,age and etiological subtypes were further analyzed.Results A total of 369 patients were enrolled.They aged 24-93 years old (mean 61.75 ±13.57),220 patients were male (59.6％) and 149 were female (40.4％).A total of 91 patients (24.7％) exposed to at least one of the triggers at 2 h before onset (odds ratio [OR] 6.1,95％ confidence interval [CI] 3.7-9.9);OR for exposure to the sudden posture change in response to a startling event was 12.0 (95％ CI 2.4-59.3),for heavy physical activity 10.7 (95％ CI 4.2-27.6),for anger 8.0 (95％ CI 2.3-27.5),and for negative emotion 4.9 (95％ CI 2.3-10.3).There was no exposure to drinking coffee.There were no significant differences in the exposure to various triggers among the different gender,age,and etiological subtypes.Conclusions Sudden posture changes as response to a startling event,heavy physical activity,anger,and negative emotion are the triggers for ischemic stroke,attention should be paid to the influence of triggers in the prevention of ischemic stroke.