OBJECTIVE: To explore the effectiveness of arthroscopic release of elbow joint assisted by medial small incision ulnar nerve release in the treatment of non-traumatic elbow stiffness. METHODS: The clinical data of 15 patients with non-traumatic elbow stiffness treated with arthroscopic release of elbow joint assisted by medial small incision ulnar nerve release between April 2019 and September 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 6 males and 9 females with an average age of 46 years ranging from 34 to 56 years. The causes included rheumatoid arthritis in 3 cases, gouty arthritis in 2 cases, loose bodies in 3 cases, and elbow osteoarthritis in 7 cases. There were 4 cases with ulnar neuritis and 3 cases with synovial osteochondromatosis. The duration of elbow stiffness ranged from 6 to 18 months, with an average of 10 months. The operation time and intraoperative blood loss were recorded. The effectiveness was evaluated by visual analogue scale (VAS) score, range of elbow motion (maximum flexion, maximum extension, and total flexion and extension), Mayo score, and Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) elbow score. RESULTS: The operation time was 60-90 minutes, with an average of 65 minutes, and the intraoperative blood loss was 40-100 mL, with an average of 62 mL. All patients were followed up 13-18 months, with an average of 14 months. There was no complication such as vascular and nerve injury, poor wound healing, collateral ligament injury, elbow joint space narrowing, osteophyte proliferation, or loose body formation around the joint. At last follow-up, the elbow range of motion (maximum flexion, maximum extension, and total flexion and extension), VAS score, and Mayo score significantly improved when compared with those before operation ( P<0.05). The HSS elbow score was 85-95, with an average of 92; 12 cases were excellent, 3 cases were good, and the excellent and good rate was 100%. CONCLUSION Arthroscopic release of elbow joint assisted by medial small incision ulnar nerve release is an effective way to treat non-traumatic elbow stiffness, which has the advantages of small trauma, short operation time, and good effectiveness. It can carry out early elbow rehabilitation training and significantly improve elbow function.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Arthroscopy/methods* ; Adult ; Middle Aged ; Elbow Joint/physiopathology* ; Retrospective Studies ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Treatment Outcome ; Ulnar Nerve/surgery* ; Operative Time

Objective:To investigate the safety and effectiveness of the clinical application of minimally invasive transcatheter patent foramen ovale occlusion.Methods:A total of 123 patients who underwent transcatheter patent foramen ovale (PFO) occlusion at the Department of Cardiac Surgery of Beijing Anzhen Hospital from January 1, 2023, to December 31, 2023, were retrospectively analyzed. According to the surgical protocol, this study divided the patients into the conventional occlusion group (Group A, 53 cases) and the minimal invasive occlusion group (Group B, 70 cases). The patients were followed up for at least six months after surgery to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the new method.Results:The surgical success rate was 100% in both groups. Intraoperative fluoroscopy time decreased by over 50% (7 min in group A and 3 min in group B, P<0.001). At the six-month postoperative follow-up, contrast-enhanced transcranial Doppler ultrasound sonography revealed seven positive results, two of which indicated large shunts. It was further reviewed for combined pulmonary arteriovenous fistula. One patient experienced a recurrence of stroke after the surgery. The patients' overall migraine and transient ischemia attack (TIA) were significantly relieved, and their overall VAS scores decreased significantly compared to the previous ones. Conclusion:The minimally invasive transcatheter PFO occlusion procedure is safe, reliable, and cost-effective. It warrants further follow-up and promotion. Meanwhile, transcatheter PFO occlusion is an effective treatment for preventing recurrent stroke and relieving symptoms like migraine and TIA in patients.

Objective:To observe the correlation between the level of advanced glycosylation end products (AGE) in skin and diabetic retinopathy (DR), and establish and preliminatively verify the nomogramolumbaric model for predicting the risk of DR.Methods:A clinical case-control study. A total of 346 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) who were admitted to the Department of Endocrinology and Ophthalmology of the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from January 2023 to June 2024 were included in the study. Among them, 198 were males and 148 were females. The mean age was (54.77±10.92). According to whether the patients were accompanied by DR, the patients were divided into the non-DR group (NDR group) and the DR group (DR group), 174 and 172 cases, respectively. All patients underwent skin AGE detection using a noninvasive diabetes detector. Diabetes duration, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), fasting plasma glucose, Urea, creatinine (Crea), uric acid, total cholesterol, triglyceride, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), urinary albumin concentration (UALB), and body mass index (BMI) were collected in detail. Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to determine the independent risk factors for T2DM concurrent DR, and to construct a nomogram prediction model for DR risk. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC curve), calibration curve and decision curve (DCA) were used to evaluate the model.Results:Hypertension prevalence rate ( χ2=3.892), Diabetes duration ( Z=?7.708), BMI ( Z=?2.627), HbA1c ( Z=?4.484), Urea ( Z=?4.620), Crea ( Z=?3.526), UALB ( Z=?6.999), AGE ( Z=?8.097) in DR group were significantly higher than those in NDR group, with statistical significance ( P<0.05); eGFR was lower than that in NDR group, the difference was statistically significant ( Z=?6.061, P<0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that AGE, diabetes duration, HbA1c, UALB and eGFR were independent risk factors for DR ( P<0.05). Based on the results of multi-factor regression analysis, a nomogram prediction model was constructed. The area under ROC curve of the model was 0.843, 95% confidence interval was 0.802-0.884, sensitivity and specificity were 79.1% and 75.9%, respectively. The calibration curve was basically consistent with the ideal curve. The results of DCA analysis showed that when the model predicted the risk threshold of patients with DR between 0.17 and 0.99, the clinical net benefit provided by the nomogram model was> 0. Conclusions:Skin AGE level is an independent risk factor for DR. The nomogram prediction model based on AGE, diabetes duration, HbA1c, eGFR and UALB can accurately predict the risk of DR, and has good clinical practicability.

Uveitis is a blinding inflammatory disease that affects multiple structures within the eye, posing significant risks to patients' vision and mental health. Current treatments mainly involve glucocorticoids and immunosuppressants, which are associated with significant side effects, high relapse rates, and substantial costs. Recent research suggests that the gut microbiota may play a role in the development of uveitis through the gut-eye axis, with related metabolites also influencing disease progression. Modulating the gut microbiota or its metabolites could offer new therapeutic avenues for uveitis. This review explores the relationship between gut microbiota and various uveitis-associated diseases, such as systemic sarcoidosis, Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome, Behcet's disease, multiple sclerosis, and birdshot chorioretinopathy. It also discusses advancements in microbiota-related therapies, including probiotics and prebiotics, antibiotics, immunomodulators, phage therapy, and fecal microbiota transplantation. The aim is to provide a reference for the development of new therapies targeting specific microbial communities and genetic markers associated with uveitis, thereby promoting the realization of precision medicine.

Objective:To investigate the safety and effectiveness of the clinical application of minimally invasive transcatheter patent foramen ovale occlusion.Methods:A total of 123 patients who underwent transcatheter patent foramen ovale (PFO) occlusion at the Department of Cardiac Surgery of Beijing Anzhen Hospital from January 1, 2023, to December 31, 2023, were retrospectively analyzed. According to the surgical protocol, this study divided the patients into the conventional occlusion group (Group A, 53 cases) and the minimal invasive occlusion group (Group B, 70 cases). The patients were followed up for at least six months after surgery to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the new method.Results:The surgical success rate was 100% in both groups. Intraoperative fluoroscopy time decreased by over 50% (7 min in group A and 3 min in group B, P<0.001). At the six-month postoperative follow-up, contrast-enhanced transcranial Doppler ultrasound sonography revealed seven positive results, two of which indicated large shunts. It was further reviewed for combined pulmonary arteriovenous fistula. One patient experienced a recurrence of stroke after the surgery. The patients' overall migraine and transient ischemia attack (TIA) were significantly relieved, and their overall VAS scores decreased significantly compared to the previous ones. Conclusion:The minimally invasive transcatheter PFO occlusion procedure is safe, reliable, and cost-effective. It warrants further follow-up and promotion. Meanwhile, transcatheter PFO occlusion is an effective treatment for preventing recurrent stroke and relieving symptoms like migraine and TIA in patients.

Objective:To observe the correlation between the level of advanced glycosylation end products (AGE) in skin and diabetic retinopathy (DR), and establish and preliminatively verify the nomogramolumbaric model for predicting the risk of DR.Methods:A clinical case-control study. A total of 346 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) who were admitted to the Department of Endocrinology and Ophthalmology of the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from January 2023 to June 2024 were included in the study. Among them, 198 were males and 148 were females. The mean age was (54.77±10.92). According to whether the patients were accompanied by DR, the patients were divided into the non-DR group (NDR group) and the DR group (DR group), 174 and 172 cases, respectively. All patients underwent skin AGE detection using a noninvasive diabetes detector. Diabetes duration, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), fasting plasma glucose, Urea, creatinine (Crea), uric acid, total cholesterol, triglyceride, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), urinary albumin concentration (UALB), and body mass index (BMI) were collected in detail. Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to determine the independent risk factors for T2DM concurrent DR, and to construct a nomogram prediction model for DR risk. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC curve), calibration curve and decision curve (DCA) were used to evaluate the model.Results:Hypertension prevalence rate ( χ2=3.892), Diabetes duration ( Z=?7.708), BMI ( Z=?2.627), HbA1c ( Z=?4.484), Urea ( Z=?4.620), Crea ( Z=?3.526), UALB ( Z=?6.999), AGE ( Z=?8.097) in DR group were significantly higher than those in NDR group, with statistical significance ( P<0.05); eGFR was lower than that in NDR group, the difference was statistically significant ( Z=?6.061, P<0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that AGE, diabetes duration, HbA1c, UALB and eGFR were independent risk factors for DR ( P<0.05). Based on the results of multi-factor regression analysis, a nomogram prediction model was constructed. The area under ROC curve of the model was 0.843, 95% confidence interval was 0.802-0.884, sensitivity and specificity were 79.1% and 75.9%, respectively. The calibration curve was basically consistent with the ideal curve. The results of DCA analysis showed that when the model predicted the risk threshold of patients with DR between 0.17 and 0.99, the clinical net benefit provided by the nomogram model was> 0. Conclusions:Skin AGE level is an independent risk factor for DR. The nomogram prediction model based on AGE, diabetes duration, HbA1c, eGFR and UALB can accurately predict the risk of DR, and has good clinical practicability.

The NLRP3 inflammasome is a cellular multimeric protein complex that plays a crucial role in inflammation and immune responses. It consists of three main components: Nod-like receptor protein 3(NLRP3), apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing(ASC)and cysteine protease 1(caspase-1). Uveitis is a broad term encompassing a range of inflammatory diseases that primarily affect the iris, ciliary body, vitreous, retina and choroid. It is considered a major cause of blindness globally. Numerous studies have demonstrated the involvement of NLRP3 inflammasome in the onset and progression of uveitis, indicating its potential as a significant therapeutic target for uveitis in the future. This article provides an overview of the structure, biological functions and activation pathways of the NLRP3 inflammasome, as well as the current research progress on its association with different types of uveitis. Additionally, it discusses the application potential of the NLRP3 inflammasome in the treatment of uveitis.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a type of malignant tumor that seriously threatens human health and life, and its treatment has always been a difficulty and hotspot in research. Herein, this study for the first time reports that antipsychotic aripiprazole (Ari) against the proliferation of CRC cells both in vitro and in vivo, but with less damage in normal colon cells. Mechanistically, the results showed that 5-hydroxytryptamine 2B receptor (HTR2B) and its coupling protein G protein subunit alpha q (Gαq) were highly distributed in CRC cells. Ari had a strong affinity with HTR2B and inhibited HTR2B downstream signaling. Blockade of HTR2B signaling suppressed the growth of CRC cells, but HTR2B was not found to have independent anticancer activity. Interestingly, the binding of Gαq to HTR2B was decreased after Ari treatment. Knockdown of Gαq not only restricted CRC cell growth, but also directly affected the anti-CRC efficacy of Ari. Moreover, an interaction between Ari and Gαq was found in that the mutation at amino acid 190 of Gαq reduced the efficacy of Ari. Thus, these results confirm that Gαq coupled to HTR2B was a potential target of Ari in mediating CRC proliferation. Collectively, this study provides a novel effective strategy for CRC therapy and favorable evidence for promoting Ari as an anticancer agent.

Objective:Sepsis is a life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by the host's imbalanced response to infection.Due to lack of effective treatments,it has always been the difficulty and focus of clinical treatment of sepsis.Studies have shown that pro-brain-derived neurotrophic factor(proBDNF)binds to the high-affinity total neurotrophic factor p75 neurotrophin receptor(p75NTR),which activates downstream signaling cascades and disrupts immunological inflammation and plays an important role in the progression of sepsis.This study aims to explore the expression changes of lymphocyte-derived proBDNF/p75NTR in patients with sepsis and its effect on lymphocyte differentiation. Methods:From the healthy donors(control group,n=40)and sepsis patients(sepsis group,n=40)admitted to the hospital for the first time,peripheral blood samples and blood routine clinical detection indicators were obtained.By using flow cytometry,the proportion of lymphocyte subsets and their expression of proBDNF/p75NTR were examined.The peripheral blood lymphocytes were isolated from the control group and incubated with lipopolysaccharide(LPS).Flow cytometry analysis technology was used to detect the expression of proBDNF/p75NTR on LPS-treated lymphocyte subsets.On this basis,we investigated the effects on lymphocyte differentiation by inhibiting p75NTR. Results:White blood cell count,neutrophil count,and neutrophil percentage of the patients in the sepsis group at admission were significantly higher than those in the control group;on the contrary,lymphocyte count and lymphocyte percentage in the sepsis group were lower than those in the control group(all P＜0.001).The patients in the sepsis group had considerably greater neutrophil/lymphocyte and monocyte/lymphocyte ratios than those in the control group(both P＜0.05).In the peripheral blood of sepsis patients,proBDNF expression was upregulated on CD19+ B cells,whereas p75NTR expression was elevated on B cells,CD4+ T cells,and CD8+ T cells(all P＜0.05).ProBDNF/p75NTR expression was upregulated by LPS stimulation in vitro in peripheral blood cells of the control group(P＜0.05),and this tendency was similar to the expression alterations in peripheral lymphocytes of the sepsis group.Inhibition of p75NTR increased CD4+ T cell and CD19+ B cell percentages,cytokine expression of IL-4 and IL-10,and reduced IL-1β and IL-6 production(all P＜0.05). Conclusion:The immunosuppressive state of sepsis patients is indicated by a reduction in lymphocyte count and an increase in the proportion of inactive neutrophils.ProBDNF/p75NTR expression is upregulated in the peripheral blood lymphocytes of sepsis patients,and p75NTR inhibition may control lymphocyte differentiation involved in sepsis progression.

Objective This study aims to comprehensively investigate the molecular characteristics of the predominant circulating Dengue virus type 1 (DENV-1) during the 2019 Dengue fever outbreak in Xishuangbanna, providing an essential insight to support the prevention and control of dengue fever in the local area. Methods A Dengue virus type 1 (DENV-1) strain, designated as JHS45, isolated from the blood of a febrile patient in Xishuangbanna in 2019, underwent a process of inoculation and cultivation in C6/36 cells. Second-generation sequencing was employed to capture the viral genetic sequence. Bioinformatics software, including CLC, was used for assembling the sequencing data. Sequentially, sequence alignment, construction of a phylogenetic tree, and analysis of amino acid sites were conducted using software such as Lasergene and MEGA6.1. Results Cytopathic effects of JHS45 appeared in C6/36 cells after 6 days. After sequencing and assembly, a 10 687-nucleotide (nt) long sequence of the JHS45 virus was obtained (GenBank accession number: OR593353). Genetic evolutionary analysis revealed that the JHS45 virus formed an evolutionary branch with DENV-1 genotype I viruses prevalent in Xishuangbanna, Guangzhou, Henan, and Zhejiang in China during 2019, as well as the DENV-1 genotype I virus prevalent in Thailand in 2013, with nucleotide homology of 97.6% to 99.9% and amino acid homology of 99.1% to 100%. Further analysis revealed that the JHS45 strain shared a smaller evolutionary branch with the DENV-1 genotype I viruses prevalent in Xishuangbanna (MW386863) and Guangzhou (MW261839) in 2019, showing the highest homology with nucleotide and amino acid homology of 99.9% and 100%, respectively. Amino acid differential site analysis between the JHS45 strain and the DENV-1 prevalent in Xishuangbanna since 2015 revealed 40 amino acid differential sites in the coding region of the JHS45 virus, primarily concentrated in the NS3 and NS5 regions of non-structural proteins. Conclusion The comprehensive analysis of the JHS45 strain's whole genome sequence indicates it is a DENV-1 genotype I virus. The genetic evolutionary relationship between this Xishuangbanna dengue fever outbreak is closely related to the prevalent virus strains in Xishuangbanna, Guangzhou, Henan, and Zhejiang. These findings provide a robust scientific foundation for monitoring dengue fever outbreaks, conducting virus evolution studies, and shaping effective prevention and control strategies, not only within Yunnan Province but also on a broader scale throughout China.