BACKGROUND:Currently,spinal endoscopic technology has become the mainstream technology in minimally invasive spinal surgery.The specifications of the instruments for different operating systems are different,and the choice of specific surgical protocols needs to be combined with the actual situation of the patient and the choice of the clinical surgeon. OBJECTIVE:To compare the early efficacy of percutaneous endoscopic interlaminar discectomy for L5-S1 disc herniation under the iLESSYS Delta System and Endo-Surgi Plus System. METHODS:Totally 80 patients with L5-S1 disc herniation were treated with percutaneous endoscopic interlaminar discectomy.Patients were divided into two groups based on the endoscopic system used.Among them,37 cases received the iLESSYS Delta System(Delta group)and 43 cases received the Endo-Surgi Plus System(Plus group).Patient demographic characteristics,perioperative indicators,and complications were analyzed between the two groups.Clinical outcomes were quantified using back and leg visual analog scale scores,Oswestry Disability Index,and Japanese Orthopaedic Association scores at 1 day,1,3,and 6 months after surgery.Patient satisfaction was assessed according to modified MacNab criteria at final follow-up. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The operative time and number of arthroplasties in the Plus group were less than those in the Delta group,and the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05).(2)Compared with the preoperative period,the visual analog scale scores,Oswestry Disability Index,and Japanese Orthopaedic Association scores of patients in both groups improved at all follow-up time points,and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.001).(3)There was no statistically significant difference in the comparison of pain visual analog scale scores,Oswestry Disability Index,and Japanese Orthopaedic Association scores of patients in the two groups(P>0.05).(4)At 6-month follow-up after surgery,the MacNab standard excellent and good rates in the Delta group and Plus group were 81%and 79%,respectively,with no significant difference(P=0.823).(5)The incidence of complications was 3%in the Delta group and 2%in the Plus group,but there was no significant difference between the two groups(P=0.914).(6)It is concluded that both iLESSYS Delta and Endo-Surgi Plus surgical systems achieved satisfactory early clinical results in the treatment of lumbar disc herniation,with Endo-Surgi Plus surgical moulding being more efficient and safer.

Background A diverse cohort of patients and susceptible individuals congregate in healthcare facilities, where exposure to pathogenic microorganisms associated with respiratory infectious diseases constitutes a significant risk factor for cross-infection. Central air-conditioning ventilation systems improve some indoor environment indicators while exacerbating the risk of transmission of respiratory infectious diseases. Objective To investigate the distribution characteristics of microbial communities in the central air-conditioning ventilation systems of hospitals, providing a scientific basis for the selection of microbial indicators in hygiene standards for hospital central air-conditioning ventilation systems and for hospital risk early warning systems. Methods In October 2023, two central air-conditioning ventilation systems were selected from a Grade 3A hospital in Shanghai: one was an all-air air-conditioning system serving the waiting area on the ground floor, and the other was a fan coil plus fresh air system serving the outpatient area on the third floor. Samples from four different components of the ventilation systems—air outlets, filters, surface coolers, and condensate trays—were collected for high-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene to analyze bacterial communities. Alpha-diversity and beta-diversity analyses were performed to investigate the microbial community composition and diversity characteristics of the hospital central air-conditioning ventilation systems. Functional analysis was conducted to determine the relative abundance of bacterial functions in these systems.Results A total of 528 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were identified, encompassing 20 bacterial phyla, 37 classes, 79 orders, 123 families, and 240 genera. The analysis revealed that the bacterial community was predominantly composed of Proteobacteria, Gemmatimonadates, Bacteroidetes, and Actinobacteria. The diversity analysis indicated that bacterial community richness and diversity were highest in the condensate trays, while no statistically significant differences (P > 0.05) were observed in the bacterial community composition among the air outlets, filters, and surface coolers. The functional analysis showed that the bacterial communities in the central air-conditioning ventilation systems primarily exhibited chemoheterotrophic, oxidative energy-dependent heterotrophic, and ureolytic functional characteristics. Conclusion The dominance of Proteobacteria suggests that this phylum exhibits strong adaptability in the central air-conditioning ventilation systems, possibly related to its ability to survive and reproduce under varying environmental conditions. The diversity analysis indicates that the condensate tray is a critical area for bacterial proliferation in the central air-conditioning ventilation systems. The similarity in environmental conditions among the air outlets, filters, and surface coolers result in similar bacterial community structures. The functional analysis reveals that the bacterial communities possess robust energy conversion and metabolic capabilities, potentially contributing to processes such as organic matter decomposition and nitrogen cycling within the central air-conditioning ventilation systems.

Objective: This study aims to explore the association between oral lichen planus (OLP) and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT) and its anti-thyroid antibodies to provide clinical evidence for thyroid disease screening in patients with OLP. Methods: This study was approved by the institutional ethics committee. A total of 125 clinically and histopathologically confirmed patients with OLP were enrolled as the case group, and they were matched with 125 non-OLP controls based on sex and age. Demographic data (gender, age, lesion type, and disease duration) were collected from both groups. Serum levels of thyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPOAb) and thyroglobulin antibodies (TgAb) were measured to analyze their associations with sex, age, lesion type, and disease duration in patients with OLP. Result: The prevalence of HT in patients with OLP was 31.20%, significantly higher than that in the control group (9.60%) (χ2=18.504, P<0.001). The prevalence of HT in female patients with OLP (39.13%) was significantly higher than that in male patients (9.09%)（χ2=10.93，P<0.001）. The positivity rate of thyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPOAb) in patients with OLP (17.6%) was significantly higher than in the control group (4.0%) (χ2=10.989, P<0.001). The TPOAb positivity rate was significantly higher in female patients (22.83%) than in male patients (3.03%) (χ2=5.210, P=0.014). There was no statistically significant difference in the positivity rate of TgAb between patients with OLP (7.2%) and the control group (3.2%) (P>0.05). Patients with erosive lesions had a significantly higher TPOAb positivity rate (25.0%, 17/68) compared to those with non-erosive lesions (8.77%, 5/57), and the difference was statistically significant (χ2=4.831, P=0.028). Logistic regression analysis revealed that female patients with OLP had an 8.935-fold higher risk of being TPOAb positive compared to males (OR=8.935, 95%CI: 1.134-70.388, P=0.038). Patients with erosive OLP lesions had a 3.199-fold higher risk of TPOAb positivity compared to those with non-erosive lesions (OR=3.199, 95%CI: 1.064-9.618, P=0.038). Conclusion The prevalence of HT is higher in patients with OLP, with higher positivity rates of anti-thyroid antibodies observed in female patients and those with erosive OLP lesions. This suggests that thyroid disease screening should be incorporated into the clinical management of patients with OLP, especially for women and patients who present with erosive lesions.

Humans ; Albumins ; Albuminuria/urine* ; Blood Pressure ; China/epidemiology* ; Creatinine ; Risk Factors ; Aged

Objective To systematically evaluate the effect and safety of neoadjuvant PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors combined with chemotherapy for resectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods The PubMed, EMbase, The Cochrane Library, CNKI, and Wanfang data were searched by computer to identify relevant studies on anti PD-1 /PD-L1 combined with chemotherapy for resectable NSCLC from inception to March 2023. Two authors independently screened the literature, extracted the data, and evaluated the risk of bias in the included studies. The single-arm study was evaluated for quality using the methodological index for non-randomized studies (MINORS). Meta-analysis was conducted by RevMan 5.4 software. Results Twenty-six studies with 965 patients were included in this meta-analysis. MINORS scores of single-arm studies were ≥12 points. The meta-analysis results showed that the pooled pathologic complete response, major pathologic response, and objective response rates as well as partial response, surgical rate and R0 surgical resection rate of neoadjuvant PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors combined with chemotherapy were 39% [RD=0.39, 95%CI (0.31, 0.47) ], 59% [RD=0.59, 95%CI (0.53, 0.65) ], 72% [RD=0.72, 95%CI (0.65, 0.80) ], 62% [RD=0.62, 95%CI (0.56, 0.69) ], 86% [RD=0.86, 95%CI (0.81, 0.92) ], and 94% [RD=0.94, 95%CI (0.92, 0.97) ], respectively. In terms of safety, the rate of adverse events (AEs) was 65% [RD=0.65, 95%CI (0.52, 0.78) ], and the rate of grade 3 to 5 AEs was 16% [RD=0.16, 95%CI (0.10, 0.23) ]. Conclusion The combination of neoadjuvant PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors with chemotherapy has good efficacy and safety in the treatment of patients with resectable NSCLC.

Epimedin B(EB)is one of the main flavonoid ingredients present in Epimedium brevicornum Maxim.,a traditional herb widely used in China.Our previous study showed that EB was a stronger inducer of melanogenesis and an activator of tyrosinase(TYR).However,the role of EB in melanogenesis and the mechanism underlying the regulation remain unclear.Herein,as an extension to our previous investi-gation,we provide comprehensive evidence of EB-induced pigmentation in vivo and in vitro and eluci-date the melanogenesis mechanism by assessing its effects on the TYR family of proteins(TYRs)in terms of expression,activity,and stability.The results showed that EB increased TYRs expression through microphthalmia-associated transcription factor-mediated p-Akt(referred to as protein kinase B(PKB))/glycogen synthase kinase 3β(GSK3β)/β-catenin,p-p70 S6 kinase cascades,and protein 38(p38)/mitogen-activated protein(MAP)kinase(MAPK)and extracellular regulated protein kinases(ERK)/MAPK pathways,after which EB increased the number of melanosomes and promoted their maturation for melanogenesis in melanoma cells and human primary melanocytes/skin tissues.Furthermore,EB exerted repigmentation by stimulating TYR activity in hydroquinone-and N-phenylthiourea-induced TYR inhibitive models,including melanoma cells,zebrafish,and mice.Finally,EB ameliorated monobenzone-induced depigmentation in vitro and in vivo through the enhancement of TYRs stability by inhibiting TYR misfolding,TYR-related protein 1 formation,and retention in the endoplasmic reticulum and then by downregulating the ubiquitination and proteolysis processes.These data conclude that EB can target TYRs and alter their expression,activity,and stability,thus stimulating their pigmentation function,which might provide a novel rational strategy for hypopigmentation treatment in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries.

Objective:To study the correlation between serum N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) level and echocardiographic parameters in patients with chronic Keshan disease, providing reference for diagnosis and prognosis evaluation of chronic Keshan disease.Methods:Ninety-nine patients with chronic Keshan disease who received standardized treatment at Jingchuan County People's Hospital in Pingliang City, Gansu Province from January to December 2020 were selected. Among them, 16 patients were classified as cardiac function grade Ⅱ according to New York Heart Association (NYHA), 69 as grade Ⅲ and 14 as grade Ⅳ. The patients underwent echocardiography and their serum NT-proBNP level was measured using fluorescence immunochromatography. The differences in serum NT-proBNP levels among patients with different cardiac function grades were compared, and the correlation between cardiac function grades, serum NT-proBNP level and echocardiographic parameters was analyzed.Results:The serum NT-proBNP levels in patients with cardiac function grades Ⅱ, Ⅲ, and Ⅳ were (1 107.26 ± 268.03), (2 125.98 ± 293.02), and (8 268.59 ± 2 659.50) pg/ml, respectively. The differences among the three groups were statistically significant ( F = 13.94, P < 0.001). The serum NT-proBNP level was positively correlated with cardiac function grades ( r = 0.44, P < 0.001), left ventricular end-diastolic diameter, left ventricular end-systolic diameter, and left atrial diameter ( r = 0.45, 0.52, 0.38, P < 0.001), and negatively correlated with fractional shortening and left ventricular ejection fraction ( r = - 0.39, - 0.46, P < 0.001). Conclusions:The serum NT-proBNP level in patients with chronic Keshan disease with different cardiac function grades is different, and is positively correlated with echocardiographic parameters reflecting the degree of cardiac structural and functional impairment. The NT-proBNP level may become an early diagnostic, grading, and prognostic indicator for chronic Keshan disease.

Objective To observe the value of ultrasonography for evaluating the anatomy and hemodynamic characteristics of vertebral artery course variation(VA-CV).Methods Totally 41 patients with VA-CV(VA-CV group)and 41 patients without VA-CV(control group)were enrolled.Lateral variation of vertebral artery(VA),the origin of V1 segment,the length of proximal subclavian artery(PSCA),the location of VA into the transverse foramen,the diameter of V2 segment,the peak systolic velocity(PSV)and the end-diastolic velocity(EDV)were evaluated with ultrasonography.The value of ultrasonography for evaluating VA-CV and relative hemodynamic changes were analyzed.Results Totally 49 variant VA were detected in VA-CV group,including 19 on the left and 30 on the right side,VA-CV on the right side was more often than on the left side.Seventeen(16 on the left and 1 on the right side)VA had abnormal origins,and abnormal VA origins on the left side were more than that on the right side(P＜0.001).Meanwhile,VA origins of right VA-CV were mostly lower than that of the left side VA-CV(P＜0.001).The length of right PSCA in VA-CA group was shorter than that in control group(P＜0.05).More than half variant VA entered vertebral space from the transverse foramen of C5-6(33/49,67.35％),and the higher the entrance of transverse foramen,the shorter the PSCA(P＜0.05).In VA-CV group,the diameter of V2 segment in left VA-CV patients was smaller than that in control group,while EDV in the former was lower than in the latter(both P＜0.05).Conclusion Ultrasonography could be used to objectively evaluate VA-CV and relative hemodynamic changes.

Objective To investigate immunogenic and toxic effects of graphene oxide (GO) nanoparticles in mouse skeletal muscles and in human blood in vitro. Methods GO nanoparticles prepared using a probe sonicator were supended in deionized H2O or PBS, and particle size and surface charge of the nanoparticles were measured with dynamic light scattering (DLS). Different concentrations (0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 mg/mL) of GO suspension or PBS were injected at multiple sites in the gastrocnemius muscle (GN) of C57BL/6 mice, and inflammatory response and immune cell infiltrations were detected with HE and immunofluorescence staining. We also examined the effects of GO nanoparticles on human red blood cell (RBC) morphology, hemolysis and blood coagulation using scanning electron microscope (SEM), spectrophotometry, and thromboelastography (TEG). Results GO nanoparticles suspended in PBS exhibited better colloidal dispersity, stability and surface charge effects than those in deionized H2O. In mouse GNs, injection of GO suspensions dose- and time-dependently resulted in sustained muscular inflammation and myofiber degeneration at the injection sites, which lasted till 8 weeks after the injection; immunofluorescence staining revealed obvious infiltration of monocytes, macrophages, dendritic cells and CD4+T cells around the injection sites in mouse GNs. In human RBCs, incubation with GO suspensions at 0.2, 2.0 and 20 mg/mL, but not at 0.002 or 0.02 mg/mL, caused significant alterations of cell morphology and hemolysis. TEG analysis showed significant abnormalities of blood coagulation parameters following treatment with high concentrations of GO. Conclusion GO nanoparticles can induce sustained inflammatory and immunological responses in mouse GNs and cause RBC hemolysis and blood coagulation impairment, suggesting its muscular toxicity and hematotoxicity at high concentrations.

Objective To investigate the effects of Huangqin Qingrechubi Capsule(HQC)on inflammation and uric acid and lipid metabolism in rats with gouty arthritis(GA)and its mechanism.Methods SD rat models of GA established by injecting monosodium urate into the right ankle joint were treated with saline,colchicine and HQC at low,medium and high doses(n=10)by gavage for 7 days.Toe swelling of the rats was detected at 4,8,24,48 and 72 h after modeling,and synovial histological changes were observed with HE staining.Serum levels of interleukin-10(IL-10),IL-18,tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),transforming growth factor-β1(TGF-β1),adiponectin,leptin,resistin and visfatin were measured by ELISA,and the levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C),triglyceride(TG),total cholesterol(TC),and uric acid(BUA)were detected.RT-qPCR and Western blotting were used to detect the mRNA expressions of phosphatase and tensin homolog(PTEN),phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase(PI3K)and protein kinase B(AKT)and the protein expressions of PTEN,PI3K,p-PI3K,AKT and p-AKT.Results The rat models of GA showed obvious toe swelling,which reached the peak level at 48 h.HE staining revealed massive inflammatory cell infiltration and synovial tissue hyperplasia.The rat models showed significantly increased expressions of TNF-α,TGF-β1,IL-18,TC,TG,leptin,resistin and visfatin,BUA,p-PI3K,and p-AKT and lowered levels of IL-10,APN,HDL-C,and PTEN.Treatment with HQC and colchicine obviously improved these changes and alleviated synovial pathologies and toe swelling in the rat models.Conclusion HQC can improve inflammation and correct the imbalance of uric acid and lipid metabolism in GA rats possibly by inhibiting the PTEN/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.