Objective To explore the mediating role of activities of daily living (ADL) in pain and depressive symptoms in the elderly in China. Methods Utilizing the data from 2020 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, 4403 Chinese elderly individuals aged ≥ 60 years old were selected as the research subjects. Depression Scale (CES-D 10) of the Center for Epidemiological Survey and ADL scale were used in the study. The PROCESS4.1 macro was used to test the mediating effect of daily living activities between pain and depressive symptoms, and the Bootstrap method was applied for verification of the mediating variables. Results A total of 2368 cases of depressive symptoms were detected in the elderly in China, with a detection rate of 53.78%. Pain was positively correlated with depressive symptoms (r=0.27, P<0.01), and activities of daily living were negatively correlated with pain and depressive symptoms (r=-0.27, -0.337, P<0.01). The results showed that the total effect value of pain on depressive symptoms was 0.33, the direct effect value was 0.24, and the mediating effect value of daily living activities was 0.09, accounting for 27.27%. Conclusion Pain and activities of daily living are important factors influencing depressive symptoms in the elderly, and activities of daily living play a partial mediating role in the relationship between pain and depressive symptoms in the elderly.

Drug administration via hollow microneedles (HMN) have the advantages of painlessness, avoidance of first-pass effect, capability of sustained infusion, and no need for professional personnel operation. In addition, HMN can also be applied in the fields of body fluid extraction and biosensors, showing broad application prospects. However, traditional manufacturing technologies cannot meet the demand for low-cost mass production of HMN, limiting its widespread application. This paper reviews the main manufacturing technologies used for HMN in recent years, which include photolithography and etching, laser etching, sputtering and electroplating, micro-molding, three-dimensional (3D) printing and drawing lithography. It further analyzes the characteristics and limitations of existing manufacturing technologies and points out that the combination of various manufacturing technologies can improve production efficiency to a certain extent. In addition, this paper looks forward to the future trends of HMN manufacturing technology and proposes possible directions for its development. In conclusion, it is expected that this review can provide new ideas and references for follow-up research.
Printing, Three-Dimensional ; Needles ; Humans ; Drug Delivery Systems/methods* ; Equipment Design ; Microinjections/methods*

BACKGROUND:Astrocytes play an important role in the pathology of central nervous system diseases.The phenotypic and functional changes in astrocytes suggest that it may be an effective therapeutic target for central nervous system diseases.Our previous studies have confirmed that astragaloside can inhibit the lipopolysaccharide-induced astrocyte inflammatory response.Whether astragaloside can regulate the phenotype and function of astrocytes through Notch-1 and its downstream signaling pathway remains unclear. OBJECTIVE:To explore the effect of astragaloside on astrocyte activation and inflammatory response induced by inflammation and its possible mechanism. METHODS:Cerebral cortex astrocytes derived from neonatal C57BL/6 mouse were cultured in vitro.CCK-8 assay was used to determine the optimum concentration of astragaloside and Notch active inhibitor DAPT.The astrocytes were divided into five groups:PBS group,lipopolysaccharide group,lipopolysaccharide + astragaloside group,lipopolysaccharide + DAPT group and lipopolysaccharide + DAPT + astragaloside group.The secretion level of inflammatory factors was detected by ELISA,and the level of nitric oxide was detected by Griess method.The astrocytes and splenic mononuclear cells were co-cultured in Transwell chamber to observe the migration of CD4T cells.The expression of astrocyte activation marker GFAP,A1 marker C3 and A2 marker S100A10 as well as Notch 1 and Jag-1 was detected by immunofluorescence staining.The expressions of CFB,C3,S100A10,PTX3,Notch-1,Jag-1,and Hes were detected by western blot assay. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)According to the results of CCK8 assay,the final concentration of astragaloside was selected as 25 μmol/L and the final concentration of DAPT was 50 μmol/L for follow-up experiments.(2)Compared with PBS group,interleukin-6,interleukin-12 and nitric oxide secretion levels in the lipopolysaccharide group were significantly increased(P<0.05,P<0.05,P<0.01).Compared with the lipopolysaccharide group,interleukin-6(all P<0.05),interleukin-12(P>0.05,P<0.05,P<0.05)and nitric oxide(P<0.05,P<0.01,P<0.01)secretion significantly reduced in the lipopolysaccharide + astragaloside group,lipopolysaccharide +DAPT group,lipopolysaccharide + DAPT + astragaloside group.(3)Compared with the PBS group,the expression of GFAP that is the marker of activated astrocytes and the migration of CD4 T cells were significantly increased in the lipopolysaccharide group(P<0.01).Compared with the lipopolysaccharide group,astrocyte activation was significantly inhibited and CD4 T cell migration was significantly reduced in the lipopolysaccharide + astragaloside,lipopolysaccharide +DAPT,lipopolysaccharide + DAPT + astragaloside group(P<0.05,P<0.05,P<0.01).(4)Compared with the PBS group,the expressions of A1 markers C3 and CFB in the lipopolysaccharide group were increased(P<0.01,P<0.05),and the expressions of A2 markers S100A10 and PTX3 were decreased(P<0.01,P<0.05).Compared with the lipopolysaccharide group,C3(all P<0.01)and CFB(both P<0.05)were significantly reduced and S100A10(all P<0.01)and PTX3(P<0.05,P<0.05 and P>0.05)were increased in the lipopolysaccharide + astragaloside,lipopolysaccharide +DAPT,lipopolysaccharide + DAPT + astragaloside group.(5)Compared with the PBS group,the expressions of Jag-1,Notch-1 and Hes in the lipopolysaccharide group were significantly increased(all P<0.01).Compared with the lipopolysaccharide group,the expressions of Jag-1(all P<0.01),Notch-1(all P<0.01)and Hes(P<0.05,P<0.01 and P<0.01)were significantly reduced in the lipopolysaccharide + astragaloside,lipopolysaccharide +DAPT,lipopolysaccharide + DAPT + astragaloside group.(6)The results indicate that astragaloside can promote the transformation of astrocytes from A1 to A2 by regulating Notch-1 signaling pathway,reduce the secretion of inflammatory factors and the migration of CD4 T cells,and thus inhibit astrocyte activation and inflammatory response.

Objective:To compare the surgical outcomes of robotic natural orifice specimen extraction surgery (NOSES) and robotic-assisted radical resection for rectal cancer.Methods:A retrospective analysis using propensity score matching (PSM) was conducted on 547 patients who had undergone radical resection of rectal cancer at the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University from June 2018 to March 2024. The study cohort comprised 157 patients in the robotic NOSES group and 390 in the robotic-assisted group. PSM was used in a 1:1 manner to match relevant general clinical preoperative data of the study patients (age, sex, body mass index, preoperative comorbidities, abnormal preoperative carcinoembryonic antigen (>6.5 μg/L) and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 levels (>27 kU/L), preoperative American Society of Anesthesiologists score, tumor diameter, tumor distance from the anal margin, and TNM stage), with a clamp value of 0.05. After performing PSM to match the general clinical data of the two groups of patients, 77 patients in each of the robotic NOSES and robotic-assisted groups were included in the analysis. We found no statistically significant difference in preoperative general clinical data between the robot NOSES and robot-assisted groups ( P>0.05). We compared the surgical outcomes, postoperative recovery, postoperative pathological data, and incidence of complications between the robotic NOSES and robot-assisted groups. Results:Compared with the robot-assisted groups. the robot NOSES group had a significantly shorter time to first postoperative passage of flatus (48 [38, 50] hours vs. 56 [50, 60] hours, Z=-7.513, P<0.001), time to taking a liquid diet (60 [54,63] hours vs. 66 [62, 72] hours, Z=-6.303, P<0.001), lower pain scores (3 [3, 4] vs. 4 [4, 5], Z=-5.237, P<0.001), and lower incision infection rates (0 vs. 5 [6.5%], χ 2=5.237, P=0.028) within 24 hours after surgery ( P<0.05). However, there were no significant differences in surgical time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative hospital stay, postoperative anastomotic complications, or incidence of other complications between the two groups (all P>0.05). Conclusion:Robotic NOSES surgery is a safe and feasible procedure for resecting rectal cancer and postoperative recovery is faster after robotic NOSES than after standard robot-assisted surgery.

OBJECTIVE To study the efficacy evaluation of triptolide(TP) in rats with cerebral ischemia-reperfusion(I/R) injury and its mechanism. METHODS Rat brain I/R injury model was copied by middle cerebral artery wire embolism surgery, and TP (0.1, 0.2 mg·kg−1) was given to the treatment group, and set the sham surgery group. The Longa score method was used to measure the neural function of rats, and Niselferi staining was used to show the morphology of neurons in the ischemic side brain tissue of rats, immunofluorescence was used to detect the expression levels of MAP2 and Syn in ischemic lateral brain tissue. The expression levels of cAMP, PKA, BDNF, Syn and PSD-95 were detected by Western blotting. RESULTS Compared with the model group, the neurological scores of TP treatment group decreased significantly(P<0.01 or P<0.001), it had a protective effect on damaged neurons. Compared with the model group, cAMP, PKA, BDNF, Syn and PSD-95 in TP treatment group were significantly up-regulated. CONCLUSION TP treatment can significantly improve I/R injury, and the mechanism may be related to the activation of the cAMP/PKA/BDNF signaling pathway.

Objective:To compare the surgical outcomes of robotic natural orifice specimen extraction surgery (NOSES) and robotic-assisted radical resection for rectal cancer.Methods:A retrospective analysis using propensity score matching (PSM) was conducted on 547 patients who had undergone radical resection of rectal cancer at the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University from June 2018 to March 2024. The study cohort comprised 157 patients in the robotic NOSES group and 390 in the robotic-assisted group. PSM was used in a 1:1 manner to match relevant general clinical preoperative data of the study patients (age, sex, body mass index, preoperative comorbidities, abnormal preoperative carcinoembryonic antigen (>6.5 μg/L) and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 levels (>27 kU/L), preoperative American Society of Anesthesiologists score, tumor diameter, tumor distance from the anal margin, and TNM stage), with a clamp value of 0.05. After performing PSM to match the general clinical data of the two groups of patients, 77 patients in each of the robotic NOSES and robotic-assisted groups were included in the analysis. We found no statistically significant difference in preoperative general clinical data between the robot NOSES and robot-assisted groups ( P>0.05). We compared the surgical outcomes, postoperative recovery, postoperative pathological data, and incidence of complications between the robotic NOSES and robot-assisted groups. Results:Compared with the robot-assisted groups. the robot NOSES group had a significantly shorter time to first postoperative passage of flatus (48 [38, 50] hours vs. 56 [50, 60] hours, Z=-7.513, P<0.001), time to taking a liquid diet (60 [54,63] hours vs. 66 [62, 72] hours, Z=-6.303, P<0.001), lower pain scores (3 [3, 4] vs. 4 [4, 5], Z=-5.237, P<0.001), and lower incision infection rates (0 vs. 5 [6.5%], χ 2=5.237, P=0.028) within 24 hours after surgery ( P<0.05). However, there were no significant differences in surgical time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative hospital stay, postoperative anastomotic complications, or incidence of other complications between the two groups (all P>0.05). Conclusion:Robotic NOSES surgery is a safe and feasible procedure for resecting rectal cancer and postoperative recovery is faster after robotic NOSES than after standard robot-assisted surgery.

Objective:To construct a core competency indicator system for oncology advanced practice nurses.Methods:This study is a cross-sectional study. A preliminary draft of the core competency indicator system for oncology advanced practice nurses was developed through literature review and expert group coordination from June to November 2022. The core competency indicator system for oncology advanced practice nurses was established using the Delphi method for expert consultation and the analytic hierarchy process.Results:A total of 54 experts from 11 hospitals and four medical schools in 10 provinces and municipalities directly under the central government across the country were included in two rounds of expert consultation. The effective response rates of the questionnaire were all 100%, with an expert authority coefficient of 0.90, Kendall coordination coefficients of 0.089 to 0.179 and 0.101 to 0.176 ( P<0.01). The final established core competency indicator system for oncology advanced practice nurses included seven primary indicators and 69 secondary indicators. Conclusions:The core competency indicator system for oncology advanced practice nurses is comprehensive and has the characteristics of specialized oncology nursing, and the construction process is scientific and reliable, laying the foundation for future training of oncology advanced practice nurses.

Objective:To investigate the clinical value of compression rate(CR)of median nerve combined with Young's modulus value(E)in quantitatively evaluating median nerve injury of patients with dialysis-related amyloidosis(DRA).Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 53 maintenance hemodialysis(HD)patients who admitted to department of blood purification of Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital of Capital Medical University from November 2019 to October 2020,and they were divided into case group,and 60 volunteers who underwent physical examination at the outpatient of the department of ultrasound medicine were selected as healthy control group.Basic clinical data of the patients were collected.Based on the results of physical examination,the patients with dialysis were divided into a sign group(n=18)and a non-sign group(n=35).High-frequency ultrasound was used to measure the anteroposterior diameter of the median nerve at the entrance of the carpal tunnel and the protrusion of the distal radius in all subjects.The CR values of anteroposterior diameters were calculated.Shear Wave Velocity elastography(SWE)technique was employed to measure E values of the median nerves of compressed position.The differences in CR and E values between case group and healthy control group,as well as between sign group and non-sign group were respectively compared and analyzed.Furthermore,the diagnostic efficacies of CR alone,E value alone and their combination for median nerve injury were evaluated.Results:The CR and E values of median nerve of cases group were respectively(0.16±0.01)and(104.49±49.42)kPa,and they were respectively(0.07±0.05)and(42.47±15.64)kPa in health control group.The CR and E values of median nerve in case group were significantly higher than those in health control group(t=4.92,6.39,P<0.001),respectively.The CR and E values of the median nerve in the sign group of cases group were respectively(0.31±0.09)and(150.58±47.71)kPa,and those in the non-sign group of case group were respectively(0.10±0.09)and(87.95±38.73)kPa.The CR and E values of median nerve of the sign group were significantly higher than those in the non-sign group(t=7.78,4.89,P<0.001),respectively.The duration of the disease was positive correlation with E value and CR value of median nerve in HD patients who underwent dialysis(r=0.598,0.459,P<0.001),respectively.The area under curve (AUC) value of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve showed that the best CR cut-off value was 21％ and the E value was 76.22kpa in diagnosing median nerve injury,.and the AUC values of CR and E value were respectively 0.844 and 0.817,and the AUC value,sensitivity and specificity of the combine of them reached respectively 0.908,100％ and 89％. Conclusion:Both CR and E values of the median nerve can be used to evaluate the median nerve injury in patients with DRA,and the combination of them has a higher diagnostic efficiency. Conventional ultrasound and SWE elastography can be the preferred imaging methods for the evaluation of median nerve injury.

Objective To explore the effect of knocking down Rho-associated coiled-coil kinase (ROCK2) gene on the cognitive function of amyloid precursor protein/presenilin-1 (APP/PS1) double transgenic mice and its mechanism. Methods APP/PS1 double transgenic mice were randomly divided into AD model group (AD group), ROCK2 gene knock-down group (shROCK2 group), ROCK2 gene knock-down control group (shNCgroup), and wild-type C57BL/6 mice of the same age served as the wild-type control (WT group). Morris water maze and Y maze were employed to test the cognitive function of mice. Neuron morphology was detected by Nissl staining. Immunofluorescence histochemical staining was used to detect the expression of phosphorylated dynamin-related protein 1 (p-Drp1) and mitochondrial fusion 1 (Mfn1). Western blot analysis was used to detect the expression ROCK2, cleaved-caspase-3 (c-caspase-3), B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl2), Bcl2-related protein X (BAX), p-Drp1, mitochondrial fission 1 (Fis1), optic atrophy 1 (OPA1), Mfn1 and Mfn2. Results Compared with AD group mice, the expression of ROCK2 in shROCK2 group mice was significantly reduced; the cognitive function was significantly improved with the number of neurons in the hippocampal CA3 and DG areas increasing, and nissl bodies were deeply stained; the expression of c-caspase-3 and BAX was decreased, while the expression of Bcl2 was increased; the expression of mitochondrial division related proteins p-Drp1 and Fis1 were decreased, while the expression of mitochondrial fusion-related proteins OPA1, Mfn1 and Mfn2 were increased. Conclusion Knock-down of ROCK2 gene can significantly improve the cognitive function and inhibit the apoptosis of nerve cells of APP/PS1 mice. The mechanism may be related to promoting mitochondrial fusion and inhibiting its division.
Animals ; Mice ; Alzheimer Disease/pathology* ; Amyloid beta-Peptides/metabolism* ; Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor ; Apoptosis/genetics* ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein ; Caspase 3 ; Cognition ; Disease Models, Animal ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Mice, Transgenic ; Mitochondrial Dynamics/genetics*

Objective:To explore the application of real-time transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) during seminal vesiculoscopy in infertile men with azoospermia or oligoasthenospermia.Methods:We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 25 cases of azoospermia or oligoasthenospermia due to ejaculate ducts obstruction who were treated with real-time transrectal ultrasound-guided seminal vesiculoscopy between September 2011 and December 2015. Patients’ age was(29.4±4.5) years. All patients accepted semen analysis, serum sex hormone, MRI, TRUS and then diagnosed as obstructive azoospermia, and 13 cases had intractable obstructive azoospermia or oligoasthenospermia after the failure of simple seminal vesiculoscopy(the path to the ejaculatory duct and seminal vesicle couldn’t be found). All patients were treated with seminal vesiculoscopy under real-time guidance with TRUS. We assessed the success rate of surgery, surgical time and complications.Results:The scope was successfully inserted into the seminal vesicle in 21 of the 25 cases (success rate, 84%). The median operative time was 75(31, 148) min. None of the patients developed severe complications. Among 4 failure cases (4/25, 16%), 1 was due to abnormal congenital development. In 2 cases, a clear outlet of the dual ejaculatory duct could not be found after it was inserted into the prostatic utricle. One case was considered as a Müllerian tubular cyst, and the seminal vesicle scope was used to assess the cystic side wall. The 21 patients were followed up for 3 to 6 months, semen volume 2.0(0-5.2)ml, total sperm 28(0-832) ×10 6/ejaculate, sperm density 5.6(0-110.3)×10 6/ml, mobility rate of sperm 5.4%(0-63.6%), and the differences were significant as compared to that before the surgery [semen volume 0.4(0-2.8)ml, total sperm 0(0-342)×10 6/ejaculate, sperm density 0(0-90.7)×10 6/ml, mobility rate of sperm 0(0-24.1%), all P<0.05]. Among the 17 patients who underwent follow-up of 5 to 9 years, 3 patients was conceived naturally and 9 patients’ postoperative sperm quality has improved and pregnancy in vitro fertilization by extracting sperm from semen. Conclusions:Intraoperative real-time transrectal ultrasound guidance can improved the success rate of seminal vesiculoscopy and promoted operative safety.