Objective: To explore the association between serum nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3), NIMA-related kinase 7 (NEK7) and pulmonary fibrosis among patients with coal workers' pneumoconiosis, so as to provide a basis for the assessment of the degree of pulmonary fibrosis. Methods: Coal workers with pneumoconiosis hospitalized in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University from July 2022 to July 2023 were selected by simple random sampling. Data such as age, stage of pneumoconiosis, and dust-exposure duration were collected through the hospital's electronic medical record management system. Venous blood was collected to detect the levels of serum NLRP3 and NEK7. High-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) image data of the chest were obtained through the hospital's imaging reporting system. The left and right lungs were divided into 6 pulmonary regions according to the upper, middle, and lower parts. The pulmonary fibrosis score was quantified according to the proportion of the pulmonary area occupied by HRCT manifestations of pulmonary fibrosis, including reticular shadows, pleural and interlobular septal thickening, traction bronchiectasis, and honeycombing. The association between the levels of serum NLRP3, NEK7, and pulmonary fibrosis was analyzed using a multiple linear regression model. Results: A total of 81 patients with coal workers' pneumoconiosis were included, all of whom were male, with a mean age of (71.46±11.69) years. There were 48, 28, and 5 cases in stage Ⅰ, stage Ⅱ, and stage Ⅲ of pneumoconiosis pathological staging, accounting for 59.26%, 34.57%, and 6.17%, respectively. There were 45 cases of tunneling and coal mining, accounting for 55.56%. There were 41 cases with dust exposure years of ≥30 years, accounting for 50.62%. The median serum NLRP3 and NEK7 in patients with coal workers' pneumoconiosis were 2.01 (interquartile range, 2.33) ng/mL and 0.98 (interquartile range, 0.83) ng/mL. The median score of pulmonary fibrosis was 5.00 (interquartile range, 5.50) points. After adjusting for age, stage of pneumoconiosis, type of work and dust-exposure duration, multiple linear regression analysis showed that serum NLRP3 (β'=0.649) and NEK7 (β'=0.346) were positively correlated with the pulmonary fibrosis score. Conclusion The increase in the levels of serum NLRP3 and NEK7 in patients with coal workers' pneumoconiosis is related to the increase in the degree of pulmonary fibrosis.

Objective:To explore whether transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) can improve the prognosis of esophagogastric variceal bleeding (EGVB) combined with sarcopenia in cirrhotic patients.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was performed. A total of 464 cases with cirrhotic EGVB who received standard or TIPS treatment between January 2017 and December 2019 were selected. Regular follow-up was performed for the long-term after treatment. The primary outcome was transplantation-free survival. The secondary endpoints were rebleeding and overt hepatic encephalopathy (OHE). The obtained data were statistically analyzed. The t-test and Wilcoxon rank-sum test were used to compare continuous variables between groups. The χ2 test, or Fisher's exact probability test, was used to compare categorical variables between groups. Results:The age of the included patients was 55.27±13.86 years, and 286 cases were male. There were 203 cases of combined sarcopenia and 261 cases of non-combined sarcopenia. The median follow-up period was 43 months. The two groups had no statistically significant difference in follow-up time. There was no statistically significant difference in transplant-free survival between the TIPS group and the standard treatment group in the overall cohort ( HR=1.31, 95% CI: 0.97-1.78, P=0.08). The TIPS patient group with cirrhosis combined with sarcopenia had longer transplant-free survival (median survival: 47.76 vs. 52.45, χ2=4.09; HR=1.55, 95 CI: 1.01~2.38, P=0.04). There was no statistically significant difference in transplant-free survival between the two kinds of treatments for patients without sarcopenia ( HR=1.22, 95% CI: 0.78~1.88, P=0.39). Rebleeding time was prolonged in TIPS patients with or without sarcopenia combination (patients without combined sarcopenia: median rebleeding time: 39.48 vs. 53.61, χ2=18.68; R=2.47, 95 CI: 1.67~3.65, P<0.01; patients with sarcopenia: median rebleeding time: 39.91 vs. 50.68, χ2=12.36; HR=2.20, 95 CI: 1.42~3.40, P<0.01). TIPS patients had an increased 1-year OHE incidence rate compared to the standard treatment group (sarcopenia patients: 6.93% vs. 16.67%, χ2=3.87, P=0.049; patients without sarcopenia combination: 2.19% vs. 9.68%, χ2=8.85, P=0.01). There was no statistically significant difference in the long-term OHE incidence rate between the two kinds of treatment groups ( P>0.05). Conclusion:TIPS can significantly prolong transplant-free survival compared to standard treatment as a secondary prevention of EGVB concomitant with sarcopenia in patients with cirrhosis. However, its advantage is not prominent for patients with cirrhosis in EGVB without sarcopenia.

Traumatic supraorbital fissure syndrome (TSOFS) is a symptom complex caused by nerve entrapment in the supraorbital fissure after skull base trauma. If the compressed cranial nerve in the supraorbital fissure is not decompressed surgically, ptosis, diplopia and eye movement disorder may exist for a long time and seriously affect the patients′ quality of life. Since its overall incidence is not high, it is not familiarized with the majority of neurosurgeons and some TSOFS may be complicated with skull base vascular injury. If the supraorbital fissure surgery is performed without treatment of vascular injury, it may cause massive hemorrhage, and disability and even life-threatening in severe cases. At present, there is no consensus or guideline on the diagnosis and treatment of TSOFS that can be referred to both domestically and internationally. To improve the understanding of TSOFS among clinical physicians and establish standardized diagnosis and treatment plans, the Skull Base Trauma Group of the Neurorepair Professional Committee of the Chinese Medical Doctor Association, Neurotrauma Group of the Neurosurgery Branch of the Chinese Medical Association, Neurotrauma Group of the Traumatology Branch of the Chinese Medical Association, and Editorial Committee of Chinese Journal of Trauma organized relevant experts to formulate Chinese expert consensus on the diagnosis and treatment of traumatic supraorbital fissure syndrome ( version 2024) based on evidence of evidence-based medicine and clinical experience of diagnosis and treatment. This consensus puts forward 12 recommendations on the diagnosis, classification, treatment, efficacy evaluation and follow-up of TSOFS, aiming to provide references for neurosurgeons from hospitals of all levels to standardize the diagnosis and treatment of TSOFS.

SARS-CoV-2 infection causes complicated clinical manifestations with variable multi-organ injuries, however, the underlying mechanism, in particular immune responses in different organs, remains elusive. In this study, comprehensive transcriptomic alterations of 14 tissues from rhesus macaque infected with SARS-CoV-2 were analyzed. Compared to normal controls, SARS-CoV-2 infection resulted in dysregulation of genes involving diverse functions in various examined tissues/organs, with drastic transcriptomic changes in cerebral cortex and right ventricle. Intriguingly, cerebral cortex exhibited a hyperinflammatory state evidenced by significant upregulation of inflammation response-related genes. Meanwhile, expressions of coagulation, angiogenesis and fibrosis factors were also up-regulated in cerebral cortex. Based on our findings, neuropilin 1 (NRP1), a receptor of SARS-CoV-2, was significantly elevated in cerebral cortex post infection, accompanied by active immune response releasing inflammatory factors and signal transmission among tissues, which enhanced infection of the central nervous system (CNS) in a positive feedback way, leading to viral encephalitis. Overall, our study depicts a multi-tissue/organ transcriptomic landscapes of rhesus macaque with early infection of SARS-CoV-2, and provides important insights into the mechanistic basis for COVID-19-associated clinical complications.
Animals ; COVID-19/genetics* ; Macaca mulatta ; SARS-CoV-2/genetics* ; Transcriptome

Objective:To observe the clinical effect of scraping therapy on lumbar disc herniation (LDH) with different syndromes.Methods:Using the convenient sampling method, a total of 30 non-emergency LDH patients who were admitted to Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology of Yangzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from July 2017 to June 2018 were selected as the research objects. Among them, there were 11 cases of qi stagnation and blood stasis syndrome, 8 cases of damp-heat obstruction syndrome, 7 cases of cold-damp obstruction syndrome and 4 cases of liver and kidney deficiency syndrome. Du meridian, the bladder meridian of Foot Taiyang, as well as Jiaji (EX-B2) in pathological or painful sections, Ashi point, Shenshu (BL 23) , and Weizhong (BL 40) were mainly scraped. The treatment interval is 2~5 days (the marks of scrapping fade) , twice of scrapping as a treatment course and a total of 3 courses involved in the whole treatment. Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) Score, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) , serum interleukin-1 β (IL-1β) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) were compared before and after scraping.Results:Compared with those before scraping, the JOA score increased, the VAS decreased, the serum IL-1β content decreased and the serum IL-10 content increased after scraping, and the differences were sttaistically significant ( P<0.01) . Among them, the JOA scores of patients with qi stagnation and blood stasis syndrome and cold-damp obstruction syndrome were higher than those of damp-heat obstruction syndrome and liver-kidney deficiency syndrome, and the differences were statistically significant ( P<0.05) . The levels of serum IL-10 in patients with qi stagnation and blood stasis syndrome, damp-heat obstruction syndrome and cold-damp obstruction syndrome were higher than those in patients with liver-kidney deficiency syndrome, and the differences were statistically significant ( P<0.05) . Conclusions:The curative effect of scraping in the treatment of LDH is definite, and the curative effect is better for excessive syndromes.

Objective:To investigate the efficacy and prognosis of hypofractionated intensity-modulated radiation therapy combined with hormonal therapy in the treatment of pelvic lymph node metastatic prostate cancer.Methods:Clinical data of 42 IV A prostate cancer patients who received hypofractionated intensity-modulated radiation therapy combined with hormonal therapy in Cancer Hospital of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences between 2006 and 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. The total irradiation doses to the prostate and seminal vesicles were 67.5 Gy/25f, 2.7 Gy/f. The prophylactic irradiation doses to the pelvic lymph nodes were 45-50 Gy with a daily fraction dose of 1.8-2.0 Gy. Thirty-three patients with residual lymph nodes were boosted to 60.0-67.5 Gy for the residual area, 2.4-2.7 Gy/f. Androgen deprivation therapy included surgical castration or luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonists combined with antiandrogens. Survival rate was calculated using Kaplan- Meier method. The differences between two groups were analyzed by log-rank test. Prognostic factors were identified by univariate and multivariate analyses. Results:The median follow-up was 65.5 months (range, 5 to 150 months). The 5-year and 10-year failure-free survival (FFS) rates in the whole group were 67% and 45%, respectively. No clinical recurrence was observed in the irradiation field. The 5-year and 10-year prostate cancer-specific survival/overall survival (PCSS/OS) rates were 85% and 60%, respectively. Gleason score (≥8 and<8) and duration of hormonal therapy impacted the FFS (both P<0.05). The duration of hormonal therapy was an independent prognostic factor for PCSS/OS ( P=0.003). Conclusions:Hypofractionated intensity-modulated radiotherapy combined with hormonal therapy yields optimistic clinical efficacy in the treatment of pelvic lymph node metastatic prostate cancer. Gleason score (≥8 and <8) and duration of hormonal therapy are critical prognostic factors.

Background: and Purpose This study aimed to determine the clinical features, diagnosis, and treatment of patients with persistent geotropic (pG) and persistent apogeotropic (pAG) direction-changing positional nystagmus (DCPN). Methods: This retrospective study included 30 patients with pG-DCPN and 44 patients with pAG-DCPN. All patients underwent neurological and neurotological examinations, including an evaluation of gaze-evoked nystagmus, eye-movement tests, and assessments of limb ataxia and balance, as well as magnetic resonance imaging to exclude central causes. The characteristics of positional nystagmus were detected using the supine roll test (SRT) and bow-andlean test (BLT). The null point (NP) at which the nystagmus disappeared was determined. All patients were treated with the barbecue maneuver, and treatment efficacy was evaluated immediately, 1 week, and 1 month after treatment. Results: The history of diseases associated with atherosclerosis, peripheral vestibular disorders, otological disease, and migraine differed significantly between patients with pG-DCPN and pAG-DCPN. The affected sides of persistent horizontal DCPN can be determined using the SRT and the BLT, while determining the second NP and vestibular function as well as performing an audiological evaluation can be used to assist in identifying the affected side. The efficacy rates immediately and 1 week after treatment with the barbecue maneuver were higher in patients with pAG-DCPN than in patients with pG-DCPN. Conclusions pAG-DCPN was more compatible with the characteristics of cupulolithiasis, and pG-DCPN was more likely to be associated with a light cupula rather than canalolithiasis. pAG-DCPN was more likely to be accompanied by a disease associated with atherosclerosis, while pG-DCPN was often accompanied by autoimmune-related diseases and a history of migraine. The associations between pAG-DCPN, pG-DCPN, and the above-mentioned diseases need to be clarified further. The canalith-repositioning maneuver was effective in patients with pAG-DCPN and ineffective in patients with pG-DCPN, but most cases of pGDCPN are self-limiting.

Objective:To explore the relationship between lymphovascular invasion and non-sentinel lymph node (NSLN) metastasis in early-stage invasive breast cancer with positive sentinel lymph node (SLN) and its significance.Methods:The clinicopathological data of 79 patients with stage cT 1-2N 0M 0 invasive breast cancer who had positive SLN by biopsy and underwent axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) from January 2015 to February 2021 in the Central Hospital of Wuhan were retrospectively analyzed. The correlation between patients' clinicopathological characteristics and NSLN metastasis was analyzed. Results:Among 79 patients, 58 patients (73.4%) underwent total mastectomy, 61 patients (77.2%) were Luminal type, 38 patients (48.1%) had lymphovascular invasion, 64 patients (81.0%) had 1-2 positive SLN, and 42 patients (53.2%) with NSLN metastasis were found after ALND. Univariate analysis showed that the proportions of patients with lymphovascular invasion diagnosed by immunohistochemistry [86.8% (33/38) vs. 51.2% (21/41)], Ki-67 positive index>30% [60.5% (23/38) vs. 36.6% (15/41)], positive human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 [36.8% (14/38) vs. 14.6% (6/41)], and elevated lymph node pathological staging [57.9% (22/38) vs. 31.7% (13/41)] in the lymphovascular invasion group were higher than those in the non-lymphovascular invasion group (all P < 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that lymphovascular invasion was an independent risk factor for NSLN metastasis ( OR = 2.935, 95% CI 1.081-7.970, P = 0.035). Conclusions:Lymphovascular invasion is an independent risk factor for NSLN metastasis in SLN-positive stage cT 1-2N 0M 0 invasive breast cancer. It may help to guide the decision-making of local axillary treatment, so as to avoid over or under treatment.

Background: and Purpose This study aimed to determine the clinical features, diagnosis, and treatment of patients with persistent geotropic (pG) and persistent apogeotropic (pAG) direction-changing positional nystagmus (DCPN). Methods: This retrospective study included 30 patients with pG-DCPN and 44 patients with pAG-DCPN. All patients underwent neurological and neurotological examinations, including an evaluation of gaze-evoked nystagmus, eye-movement tests, and assessments of limb ataxia and balance, as well as magnetic resonance imaging to exclude central causes. The characteristics of positional nystagmus were detected using the supine roll test (SRT) and bow-andlean test (BLT). The null point (NP) at which the nystagmus disappeared was determined. All patients were treated with the barbecue maneuver, and treatment efficacy was evaluated immediately, 1 week, and 1 month after treatment. Results: The history of diseases associated with atherosclerosis, peripheral vestibular disorders, otological disease, and migraine differed significantly between patients with pG-DCPN and pAG-DCPN. The affected sides of persistent horizontal DCPN can be determined using the SRT and the BLT, while determining the second NP and vestibular function as well as performing an audiological evaluation can be used to assist in identifying the affected side. The efficacy rates immediately and 1 week after treatment with the barbecue maneuver were higher in patients with pAG-DCPN than in patients with pG-DCPN. Conclusions pAG-DCPN was more compatible with the characteristics of cupulolithiasis, and pG-DCPN was more likely to be associated with a light cupula rather than canalolithiasis. pAG-DCPN was more likely to be accompanied by a disease associated with atherosclerosis, while pG-DCPN was often accompanied by autoimmune-related diseases and a history of migraine. The associations between pAG-DCPN, pG-DCPN, and the above-mentioned diseases need to be clarified further. The canalith-repositioning maneuver was effective in patients with pAG-DCPN and ineffective in patients with pG-DCPN, but most cases of pGDCPN are self-limiting.

Objective:To analyze the clinicopathological features of chordoid glioma.Methods:A total of 12 cases of chordoid gliomas from 2009 to 2020 in Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University and General Hospital of Chinese People′s Liberation Army were retrospectively analyzed. The clinical and imaging characteristics, pathologic and molecular characteristics were analyzed, and the relevant literature was reviewed.Results:All 12 patients (4 males and 8 females) aged from 25 to 67 years (mean 39 years) and mainly had a history of headache or/and vision loss. MRI showed that the lesions located in the third ventricle, and they showed abnormal enhancement. Pathologically, these 12 cases displayed the morphologic characteristics of chordoid gliomas, including papillary structures in two cases. Immunohistochemically, GFAP and vimentin were expressed in all 12 cases (12/12). TTF1 was also expressed in all cases (10/10). CD34 and CKpan were seen in 11 cases (11/12). EMA with dot-and/or-ring like positivity was seen in 9 cases (9/10). Tissues were available in nine chordoid gliomas for Sanger sequencing to detect PRKCA and IDH gene mutation, and eight cases (8/9) showed PRKCA gene D463H mutation. None of these cases showed IDH1 R132 and IDH2 R172 mutation. All 12 patients underwent surgery, and four were lost to follow up. The remaining eight patients were progression or recurrence free at last follow-up in January 2021.Conclusions:Chordoid gliomas have relatively distinguishing clinical and histopathological features. PRKCA gene mutation in chordoid gliomas can be considered as a biomarker for the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of chordoid gliomas, and may provide a direction for future targeted therapy.