OBJECTIVE To explore the effects of Lishukang capsules on hypoxic pulmonary artery hypertension （HPAH） rats by regulating the HIF-1α/NF-κB signaling pathway. METHODS Sixty rats were randomly divided into control group， model group， positive control group （sildenafil， 30 mg/kg）， Lishukang low-， medium- and high-dose groups （Lishukang capsules 6， 12， 18 g/kg）， with 10 rats in each group. Except for control group， the HPAH model was induced by intermittent hypoxia method （simulating an altitude of 5 000 m） in other groups； at the same time， they were given relevant medicine or normal saline intragastrically， for consecutive 28 days. Within 24 hours of the last administration， the mean pulmonary artery pressure （MPAP） and right ventricule hypertrophy index （RVHI） of rats were detected； pathological morphology of lung tissue was observed， and the expression of α-smooth muscle actin （α-SMA）， mRNA expressions of HIF-1α and NF-κB as well as protein expressions of HIF-1α and NF-κB p65 in lung tissue were determined. RESULTS Compared with model group， MPAP and RVHI in Lishukang medium- and high-dose groups and positive control group were all decreased significantly （P＜0.05）； the expression of α-SMA， mRNA expressions of HIF-1α and NF-κB， and protein expressions of HIF-1α and NF-κB p65 in lung tissue were all decreased significantly （P＜0.05）； additionally， pulmonary vascular remodeling was improved to varying degrees. CONCLUSIONS Lishukang capsules may protect HPAH rats， the mechanism of which may be associated with inhibiting the HIF-1α/NF- κB signaling pathway.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of ultrasound-guided needle knife release with different pathways for carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). METHODS: Sixty CTS patients were randomly divided into a transverse group and a longitudinal group, with 30 patients in each group. The transverse group received the needle knife release under ultrasound above and below the median nerve along the short axis, while the longitudinal group received the needle knife release under ultrasound above the median nerve along the long axis. The patients' visual analogue scale (VAS) scores, Levine scores, and median nerve cross-section area (CSA) were assessed before treatment, on the 7th, 14th, and 30th days after treatment. The median nerve conduction indexes (motor conduction: latency [Lat], amplitude[Amp], motor conduction velocity [MCV]; sensory conduction: Lat, Amp, sensory conduction velocity [SCV]) were evaluated before treatment and on the 30th day after treatment. RESULTS: Compared before treatment, the VAS scores, Levine scores, and median nerve CSA were reduced in both groups on the 7th, 14th, and 30th days after treatment (P<0.05); the transverse group showed lower VAS and Levine scores and smaller CSA than those in the longitudinal group (P<0.05). On the 30th day after treatment, motor and sensory Lat was reduced (P<0.05), motor and sensory Amp was increased (P<0.05), and MCV and SCV were faster (P<0.05) in both groups. The transverse group had shorter Lat, higher Amp, and faster MCV and SCV than those in the longitudinal group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION The ultrasound-guided needle knife release with transverse and longitudinal pathways could both effectively alleviate pain and improve median nerve conduction in CTS patients, with the transverse pathway showing superior efficacy to longitudinal pathway.
Humans ; Carpal Tunnel Syndrome/therapy* ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Male ; Adult ; Median Nerve/physiopathology* ; Acupuncture Therapy/instrumentation* ; Treatment Outcome ; Neural Conduction ; Aged ; Ultrasonography

BACKGROUND:A large number of studies have found that pyroptosis is closely related to the occurrence and development of motor system diseases,but there are few studies and reviews on pyroptosis in motor system diseases.OBJECTIVE:To review the current clinical and preclinical studies,summarize the role of pyroptosis in motor system diseases and related molecular mechanisms,and provide reference for the pyroptosis-targeted treatment for motor system diseases in the future.METHODS:The relevant literatures in PubMed and CNKI database were searched by computer from January 2000 to January 2024.The English search terms were"pyroptosis,tendons,ligaments,cartilage,muscles,bones"and the Chinese search terms were"pyroptosis,tendon,ligament,cartilage,skeletal muscle,bone"in Chinese.A combination of subject terms and free search terms was used.There were a total of 422 documents,including 334 in English and 88 in Chinese.After excluding duplicate literature and irrelevant literature,the literature without inclusion value was further excluded by reading the whole paper,and finally 78 documents were included for review and analysis.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Different pathways of pyroptosis and subsequent inflammatory responses can affect the progression of motor system diseases and the repair process of injuries.Excessive pyroptosis can not only cause a large number of tissue cells to die,but also aggravate tissue inflammation and degrade the extracellular matrix through substances such as inflammatory factors released after cell lysis,and damaging related molecular patterns can act as upstream signals to further aggravate pyroptosis.Current methods for preventing and treating motor system diseases mainly include NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain-associated protein 3 inhibitors,Chinese herbal extracts,exosome therapy,mesenchymal stem cell therapy,and exercise therapy.The review suggests that targeted intervention of some key factors in the process of pyroptosis may be a new direction for the treatment and prevention of motor system diseases.

Chronic heart failure (CHF) is a pathological state in which the cardiac ejection fraction is insufficient to meet an individual's metabolic needs owing to changes in the cardiac structure or function. Various etiologies such as myocardial infarction and inflammation are implicated, and the main symptoms are dyspnea, lower limb edema, fatigue, and discomfort during rest or exercise. CHF is the primary outcome of cardiovascular disease, and the increasing morbidity and mortality rates highlight the significant risks of this condition. According to traditional Chinese medicine, the pathogenesis of CHF is deficiency of heart qi and heart yang, which predominantly affects the heart, but may also impede the function of other zang-organs such as the spleen and kidney, and aggravate the symptoms of heart failure. With technological advancements and enhanced awareness of health conditions and disease prevention, China has promoted traditional medicine practices such as medicine and food homology (MFH), which has received increasing attention in recent years. This concept stipulates that certain medicines and foods have the same origin; ergo, these foods have medicinal properties, with many being used in the prevention and treatment of CHF. However, the efficacy and safety of MHF substances have yet to be determined, and there is no consensus regarding the development of disease prevention and treatment strategies. This article therefore reviews the current evidence for MFH in the prevention and treatment of CHF by summarizing the therapeutic potential of this practice and discussing treatment strategies and aims to improve the understanding of Chinese medicine and food homologous substances in the treatment of this condition, as well as highlight the current literature and avenues for future research.

Objective To identify the cuproptosis genes associated with prognosis and immune microenvironment in lung cancer with the use of bioinformatics.Methods The lung cancer dataset used in this study was obtained from the TCGA database.The cuproptosis-related genes(CRGs)were obtained from the previously reported literature.The R software Deseq2 package was used to identify the differentially expressed genes(DEGs)in lung cancer.The intersection of DEGs and CRGs was taken to obtain the differentially expressed CRGs(DE-CRGs).COX analysis and R software rms package were used to identify DE-CRGs associated with the prognosis of lung cancer.Estimate and Cibersort algorithms were applied to identify the correlation of DE-CRGs with the immune microenvironment.Results Compared to the normal tissues,a total of 5,269 DEGs were present in lung cancer tissues in the TCGA database,and there were 11 shared genes between DEGs and CRGs.The 11 DE-CRGs mainly regulated the energy metabolism,carbon metabolism and amino acid metabolism.In the DE-CRGs,LIPT1 was an independent risk factor for lung cancer,and the column chart constructed with the clinical features(age,TNM staging,and residual tumor)predicted the survival of lung cancer patients in a manner similar to their actual outcomes.LIPT1 showed a positive correlation with the infiltration of M1 and M2 type macrophages,activated natural killer cells cells and CD8+T cells,and showed a significant negative correlation with M0 type macrophages,activated mast cells,neutrophils and Treg cells(P<0.05).Conclusion LIPT1 may serve as a prognostic and immune microenvironment-associated cuproptosis gene,which is a novel biomarker for lung cancer therapy.

Objective:To investigate the clinical characteristics,pathological features,treatment,and prognosis of clear cell adenocarcinoma of cervix(CCAC).Methods:Clinical data of 72 CCAC patients treated at Jiangxi Maternal and Child Health Hospital from January 1,1999,to June 20,2024,were retrospectively analyzed.Results:The median age at diagnosis was 50 years.Of the patients,19 were classified as early-stage(IB1,IB2,IIA1),51 as mid-advanced stage(IB3,IIA2-IVB),and 2 were unstaged.Among 38 patients,elevated cancer Antigen 125(CA125)levels were observed in19(50.0%).Abnormal thin-layer liquid-based cytology(TCT)results were de-tected in 14 of 20 patients(70.0%),and human papillomavirus(HPV)positivity was identified in 20 of 45 patients(44.5%).Immunohistochemical analysis revealed hepatocyte nuclear factor-1β(HNF-1β)positivity in 95.2%and paired box gene 8(PAX-8)positivity in 91.3%.Among 32 patients undergoing primary surgery,postoperative pa-thology confirmed pelvic lymph node metastasis in 5(15.6%),lymphovascular and stromal invasion in 9(28.1%),with no ovarian metastasis observed.With a median follow-up of 45 months,the5-year overall survival(OS)rate was 51.4%,with early-stage and mid-advanced stage OS rates of 57.9%and 47.1%,respectively.The 5-year OS rate for surgically managed patients was 52.8%,while preoperative neoadjuvant chemotherapy(9 cases)yielded a 5-year OS of 33.3%.Among38 patients treated primarily with radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy,the5-year OS was 47.1%,with 5 patients undergoing central lesion resection achieving an 80.0%5-year OS.Conclusions:CCAC predominantly affects middle-aged and elderly women,with advanced-stage presentations being common.HPV,TCT,and CA125 testing hold diagnostic value for CCAC.Patients with early-stage CCAC undergoing surgical treatment demonstrated a relatively favorable survival rate;however,individualized assessment remains essential.Neoadjuvant chemotherapy administered prior to surgery may have limited efficacy in improving patient prognosis.For selected patients completing radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy,central lesion resection may potentially im-prove prognosis,although further well-designed studies are required to validate this finding.

BACKGROUND:A large number of studies have found that pyroptosis is closely related to the occurrence and development of motor system diseases,but there are few studies and reviews on pyroptosis in motor system diseases.OBJECTIVE:To review the current clinical and preclinical studies,summarize the role of pyroptosis in motor system diseases and related molecular mechanisms,and provide reference for the pyroptosis-targeted treatment for motor system diseases in the future.METHODS:The relevant literatures in PubMed and CNKI database were searched by computer from January 2000 to January 2024.The English search terms were"pyroptosis,tendons,ligaments,cartilage,muscles,bones"and the Chinese search terms were"pyroptosis,tendon,ligament,cartilage,skeletal muscle,bone"in Chinese.A combination of subject terms and free search terms was used.There were a total of 422 documents,including 334 in English and 88 in Chinese.After excluding duplicate literature and irrelevant literature,the literature without inclusion value was further excluded by reading the whole paper,and finally 78 documents were included for review and analysis.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Different pathways of pyroptosis and subsequent inflammatory responses can affect the progression of motor system diseases and the repair process of injuries.Excessive pyroptosis can not only cause a large number of tissue cells to die,but also aggravate tissue inflammation and degrade the extracellular matrix through substances such as inflammatory factors released after cell lysis,and damaging related molecular patterns can act as upstream signals to further aggravate pyroptosis.Current methods for preventing and treating motor system diseases mainly include NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain-associated protein 3 inhibitors,Chinese herbal extracts,exosome therapy,mesenchymal stem cell therapy,and exercise therapy.The review suggests that targeted intervention of some key factors in the process of pyroptosis may be a new direction for the treatment and prevention of motor system diseases.

Objective:To investigate the clinical characteristics,pathological features,treatment,and prognosis of clear cell adenocarcinoma of cervix(CCAC).Methods:Clinical data of 72 CCAC patients treated at Jiangxi Maternal and Child Health Hospital from January 1,1999,to June 20,2024,were retrospectively analyzed.Results:The median age at diagnosis was 50 years.Of the patients,19 were classified as early-stage(IB1,IB2,IIA1),51 as mid-advanced stage(IB3,IIA2-IVB),and 2 were unstaged.Among 38 patients,elevated cancer Antigen 125(CA125)levels were observed in19(50.0%).Abnormal thin-layer liquid-based cytology(TCT)results were de-tected in 14 of 20 patients(70.0%),and human papillomavirus(HPV)positivity was identified in 20 of 45 patients(44.5%).Immunohistochemical analysis revealed hepatocyte nuclear factor-1β(HNF-1β)positivity in 95.2%and paired box gene 8(PAX-8)positivity in 91.3%.Among 32 patients undergoing primary surgery,postoperative pa-thology confirmed pelvic lymph node metastasis in 5(15.6%),lymphovascular and stromal invasion in 9(28.1%),with no ovarian metastasis observed.With a median follow-up of 45 months,the5-year overall survival(OS)rate was 51.4%,with early-stage and mid-advanced stage OS rates of 57.9%and 47.1%,respectively.The 5-year OS rate for surgically managed patients was 52.8%,while preoperative neoadjuvant chemotherapy(9 cases)yielded a 5-year OS of 33.3%.Among38 patients treated primarily with radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy,the5-year OS was 47.1%,with 5 patients undergoing central lesion resection achieving an 80.0%5-year OS.Conclusions:CCAC predominantly affects middle-aged and elderly women,with advanced-stage presentations being common.HPV,TCT,and CA125 testing hold diagnostic value for CCAC.Patients with early-stage CCAC undergoing surgical treatment demonstrated a relatively favorable survival rate;however,individualized assessment remains essential.Neoadjuvant chemotherapy administered prior to surgery may have limited efficacy in improving patient prognosis.For selected patients completing radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy,central lesion resection may potentially im-prove prognosis,although further well-designed studies are required to validate this finding.

Objective To observe the value of chocolate balloon(controlled dilatation technique)for vascular preparation of endovascular treatments for lower extremity arteriosclerosis obliterans(ASO).Methods Data of 110 patients with lower extremity ASO who underwent vascular preparation with chocolate balloon were retrospectively analyzed.The type of ASO,with calcification or not and so on were recorded,and the success rate of vascular preparation with chocolate balloon and the therapeutic effect of endovascular treatments for ASO were evaluated.Results Among 110 patients,unilateral lower extremity ASO were found in 100 cases,while bilateral lower extremities ASO were noticed in 10 cases,including 100(100/120,83.33%)chronic occlusive lesions,8(8/120,6.67%)stenotic lesions and 12(12/120,10.00%)thrombotic lesions.Calcification with grade 3-4 were observed in 50 lesions(50/120,41.67%).The technical success rate of vascular preparation with chocolate balloon was 92.50%(111/120),while 7(7/120,5.83%)lesions developed flow-limiting dissection after chocolate balloon dilatation and 2(2/120,1.67%)lesions had significant residual stenosis that did not meet the technical success criteria,which underwent stent implantation without drug-coated balloon(DCB).Besides,flow-limiting dissection were noticed in 15 lesions after DCB,hence salvage stents were implanted.The success rate of endovascular treatments of ASO was 100%.Conclusion Chocolate balloon(controlled dilation technique)was valuable for vascular preparation of endovascular treatments for lower extremity ASO.

Objectives:To investigate the relationship between paraspinal muscle degeneration and isthmic spondylolisthesis in L5/S1.Methods:The clinical data of 108 patients with L5/S1 bilateral isthmic spondylolysis admitted and treated at the Department of Orthopedics,the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from January 1,2020 to December 31,2023 were retrospectively analyzed.There were 62 females and 46 males,aged 26-86(52.8±10.4)years.All the patients had complete imaging data,including lateral and dynamic lumbar X-ray,lumbar CT and lumbar MRI.According to the presence or absence of spondylolisthesis and Meyerding grading,the patients were divided into non-spondylolisthesis group(28 cases),grade Ⅰ spondylolisthesis group(46 cases)and grade n spondylolisthesis group(34 cases).Venebral body cross-sectional area(V CSA),erector spinae muscle cross-sectional area(ES CSA),multifidus muscle cross-sectional area(MF CSA),and facet joint angle(FJA)were measured at the inferior vertebral endplate of L5 vertebral body on the axial view of lumbar spine MRI.And the mean FJA(mFJA),relative MF CSA(MF rCSA),relative ES CSA(ES rCSA),fat infiltration rate of multifidus muscle(MF FIR)and fat infiltration rate of erector spinae muscle(ES FIR)were calculated.The differences in age,gender,body mass index(BMI),disease duration,V CSA,mFJA,MF CSA,ES CSA,MF rCSA,ES rCSA,MF FIR and ES FIR between the three groups were compared.Ordinal logistics regression was used to analyze the relationship between age,gender,disease duration,BMI,mFJA,MF rCSA,ES rCSA,MF FIR,ES FIR and the isthmic spondylolisthesis.Results:There were no statistical differences in age,body weight,BMI,V CSA,and mFJA between the three groups(P＞0.05).The proportion of female patients in the non-spondylolisthesis group(29％)was significantly lower than that in grade Ⅰ spondylolisthesis group(61％)and grade Ⅱ spondylolisthesis group(76％)(P＜0.05).The height of non-spondylolisthesis group(1.68±0.06m)was higher than that of grade Ⅰ spondylolisthesis group(1.64±0.75m)and grade Ⅱ spondylolisthesis group(1.63±0.54m)(P＜0.05),and the disease duration in the non-spondylolisthesis group was shorter than that of grade Ⅰ spondylolisthesis group and grade Ⅱspondylolisthesis group(P＜0.05).There was no significant difference in MF CSA,MF rCSA and ES FIR between the three groups(P＞0.05).ES CSA and ES rCSA in grade Ⅱ spondylolisthesis group(3183.2±1196.38mm2 and 2.14±1.11)were significantly greater than that in grade Ⅰ spondylolisthesis group(2579.28±896.56mm2 and 1.65±0.65)and non-spondylolisthesis group(2401.40±742.98mm2 and 1.56±0.58)(P＜0.05).The MF FIR of grade Ⅱ spondylolisthesis group(40.70±14.05)％was significantly higher than that of grade Ⅰspondylolisthesis group(30.39±12.98)％and non-spondylolisthesis group(26.69±9.96)％(P＜0.05).There were no significant differences in ES CSA,ES rCSA and MF FIR between grade Ⅰ spondylolisthesis group and non-spondylolisthesis group(P＞0.05).Ordinal logistics regression analysis showed that female(OR=2.81;95％CI:1.120-7.062;P=0.028)and increased MF FIR(OR=1.044;95％CI:1.003-1.088;P=0.034)were the independent risk factors for the progression of isthmic spondylolisthesis(P＜0.05).Conclusions:Patients with a higher degree of isthmic spondylolisthesis have more severe fat infiltration of multifidus muscle and hypertrophy of erector spinae muscle.Female and increased MF FIR are independent risk factors for the progression of isthmic spondylolisthesis.