Objective To analyze the effect of releasing the lower pulmonary ligament on right residual lung expansion after right upper lobe resection under different body mass index (BMI) levels. Methods The clinical data of patients who underwent thoracoscopic right upper lobe resection in the First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University from 2021 to 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into a group A (17 kg/m2＜BMI≤23 kg/m2), a group B (23 kg/m2＜BMI≤29 kg/m2) and a group C (BMI＞29 kg/m2) according to BMI. The presence of residual cavity was judged by chest X-ray at 7-10 days after operation, the degree of compensation change of the right main bronchus angle was measured, and the changes in lung volume were determined by CT three-dimensional reconstruction. Results A total of 157 patients who underwent thoracoscopic right upper lobe resection were included, including 71 males and 86 females, with an average age of (59.7±11.2) years. There were 50 patients in the group A, 75 patients in the group B, and 32 patients in the group C. In the group A, compared with those without releasing the lower pulmonary ligament, patients with releasing had a lower incidence of postoperative residual cavity (P=0.016), greater changes in bronchus angle (P<0.001), and smaller changes in lung volume (P<0.001). In the group B and C, there was no significant effect of releasing the lower pulmonary ligament on postoperative residual cavity, bronchus angle, and lung volume changes (P>0.05). Conclusion For patients with thin and long body shape and low BMI, releasing the lower pulmonary ligament is helpful to promote the expansion of the residual lung after right upper lobe resection and reduce the occurrence of postoperative residual cavity in patients.

Intervertebral disc degeneration （IVDD） is the core cause of chronic low back pain， which severely impairs patients’ quality of life and imposes a heavy social and medical burden. The hypoxia-pyroptosis-inflammation cascade mediated by hypoxia-inducible factor-1α （HIF-1α） is the core pathological mechanism driving the initiation and progression of IVDD. Natural active ingredients derived from traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） have become a research hotspot in the field of IVDD prevention and treatment due to their advantages of multi-target effects， favorable efficacy， and low toxicity. This paper systematically reviews the mechanism of HIF-1α-mediated hypoxia-pyroptosis-inflammation cascade in degenerative nucleus pulposus tissue and the intervention of related active ingredients. It is found that natural active ingredients such as baicalein， curcumin and resveratrol can intervene in the HIF-1α-mediated pathological cascade through four core links to delay IVDD progression： targeting the HIF-1α oxygen sensing pathway to block the initiation of pyroptosis cascade， inhibiting NOD-like receptor protein 3 inflammasome activation to cut off the cascade amplification of inflammatory signals， intervening in the Gasdermin D-mediated pyroptosis execution stage to protect cell membrane integrity， and regulating extracellular matrix metabolism to reconstruct intervertebral disc homeostasis.

Objective:To analyze the proportion of nonobstructive azoospermia(NOA)patients opting for sperm bank donation under different sperm retrieval methods[percutaneous testicular sperm aspiration(TESA),microdissection testicular sperm extraction(mTESE)]and its influencing factors.Methods:Retrospective data from assisted reproductive technology(ART)cycles at the Center for Reproductive Medical,Peking University Third Hospital(from January 2019 to December 2023)were collected.Data-complete ART cycles involving NOA patients and their partners(using the last treatment cycle as the endpoint)were selected.Sperm donation utilization rates were compared across retrieval methods(fresh mTESE,fresh TESA,thawed mTESE,thawed TESA).Log-linear models were used to analyze the rela-tionship between sperm retrieval method and sperm source.Results:Among the 1 730 couples,the over-all sperm donation utilization rate was 12.66％.The highest rate occurred in the fresh mTESE group(23.42％),followed by the thawed mTESE group(5.87％).The rates for the fresh TESA and thawed TESA groups were 5.22％and 0％,respectively.Log-linear analysis demonstrated that sperm retrieval method was significantly associated with sperm source(mTESE:Estimate=4.499;TESA:Estimate=2.780;P＜0.001).Conclusion:The low overall sperm donation utilization rate in ART cycles may re-flect the efficacy of synchronous sperm retrieval ART.The proportion of NOA patients opting for sperm donation was influenced by the retrieval method.Compared with patients undergoing TESA,those under-going mTESE were more inclined to utilize donor sperm after retrieval failure.

BACKGROUND: Ferroptosis-related genes play a crucial role in regulating intracellular iron homeostasis and lipid peroxidation, and they are involved in the regulation of tumor growth and drug resistance. The expression of ferroptosis-related genes in tumor tissues can be used to predict patients' future survival times, aiding doctors and patients in anticipating disease progression. Based on the sequencing data of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, this study identified genes involved in the regulation of ferroptosis, constructed a prognostic model, and evaluated the predictive performance of the model. METHODS: A total of 1467 ferroptosis-related genes were obtained from the GeneCards database. Gene expression profiles and clinical data from 541 LUAD patients were collected from the TCGA database. The expression data of all ferroptosis-related genes were extracted, and differentially expressed genes were identified using R software. Survival analysis was performed on these genes to screen for those with prognostic value. Subsequently, a prognostic risk scoring model for ferroptosis-related genes was constructed using LASSO regression model. Each LUAD patient sample was scored, and the patients were divided into high-risk and low-risk groups based on the median score. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted, and the area under the curve (AUC) was calculated. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were generated to assess model performance, followed by validation in an external dataset. Finally, univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were conducted to evaluate the independent prognostic value and clinical relevance of the model. RESULTS: Through survival analysis, 121 ferroptosis-related genes associated with prognosis were initially identified. Based on this, a LUAD prognostic risk scoring model was constructed using 12 ferroptosis-related genes (ALG3, C1QTNF6, CCT6A, GLS2, KRT6A, LDHA, NUPR1, OGFRP1, PCSK9, TRIM6, IGF2BP1 and MIR31HG). The results indicated that patients in the high-risk group had significantly shorter survival time than those in the low-risk group (P<0.001), and the model demonstrated good predictive performance in both the training set (1-yr AUC=0.721) and the external validation set (1-yr AUC=0.768). Risk scores were significantly associated with the prognosis of LUAD patients in both univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses (P<0.001), suggesting that this score is an important prognostic factor for LUAD patients. CONCLUSIONS This study successfully established a LUAD risk scoring model composed of 12 ferroptosis-related genes. In the future, this model is expected to be used in conjunction with the tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) staging system for prognostic predictions in LUAD patients.
Humans ; Ferroptosis/genetics* ; Prognosis ; Adenocarcinoma of Lung/pathology* ; Lung Neoplasms/pathology* ; Male ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Middle Aged ; ROC Curve

Metastasis serves as an indicator of malignancy and is a biological characteristic of carcinomas. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays a key role in the promotion of tumor invasion and metastasis and in the enhancement of tumor cell aggressiveness. Prostaglandin E synthase 3 (p23) is a cochaperone for heat shock protein 90 (HSP90). Our previous study showed that p23 is an HSP90-independent transcription factor in cancer-associated inflammation. The effect and mechanism of action of p23 on lung cancer metastasis are tested in this study. By utilizing cell models in vitro and mouse tail vein metastasis models in vivo, the results provide solid evidence that p23 is critical for promoting lung cancer metastases by regulating downstream CXCL1 expression. Rather than acting independently, p23 forms a complex with RNA-binding motif protein 14 (RBM14) to facilitate EMT progression in lung cancer. Therefore, our study provides evidence for the potential role of the RBM14-p23-CXCL1-EMT axis in the metastasis of lung cancer.

Objective:To analyze the clinical efficacy of the pelvic unlocking reduction device in assisting closed reduction and internal fixation for the treatment of AO/OTA 61-C3 type pelvic fractures.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 27 patients with AO/OTA 61-C3 pelvic fractures treated with the pelvic unlocking reduction device-assisted reduction and internal fixation between January 2020 and January 2024 in Fourth Medical Center of the People's Liberation Army General Hospital. The cohort included 11 males and 16 females, with a mean age of 30.2±13.9 years (range, 13-55 years). The time from injury to surgery was 16.0 (10.0, 28.0) d (range, 6-175 d). According to the AO/OTA classification, there were 8 cases of type 61-C3.1, 10 cases of type C3.2, and 9 cases of type C3.3. Among them, 10 patients presented with associated lumbosacral nerve injuries, classified as Gibbons grade II in 5 cases, grade III in 1 case, and grade IV in 4 cases. All patients underwent closed reduction and internal fixation assisted by the pelvic unlocking reduction device. Postoperative outcomes were assessed using the visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain, the Majeed pelvic score, and the Harris hip score. Fracture reduction quality was evaluated using the Matta criteria, and overall health status was assessed using the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36).Results:All patients successfully underwent the surgery and were followed up for 31.6±12.3 months (range, 12-48 months). The fracture reduction time was 33.45±12.18 min, the total operative time was 283.0±87.9 min, the number of fluoroscopies was 71.33±32.77, and the intraoperative blood loss was 314.1±252.6 ml. At the 12-month postoperative assessment, VAS score was 1.78±0.85, Majeed pelvic score was 87.52±15.03; SF-36 score was 88.93±11.27; and Harris Hip Score was 90.59±11.43. All patients achieved an "excellent" rating according to the Matta radiographic assessment criteria at 12 months postoperatively. Fracture union was confirmed in all cases, with a healing time of 2.9±0.4 months (range, 2.5-3.5 months). No postoperative complications such as shock, nonunion, delayed union, surgical site infection, implant loosening, or deep vein thrombosis were observed. Three patients experienced numbness in the lateral thigh region postoperatively, which was attributed to lateral femoral cutaneous nerve injury. The symptoms resolved completely following removal of the INFIX internal fixator.Conclusion:The pelvic unlocking reduction device-assisted closed reduction and internal fixation demonstrates safety and efficacy in treating AO/OTA 61-C3 type pelvic fractures, yielding satisfactory fracture union and early functional scores.

Objective:To compare the clinical efficacy of autologous bone grafting or bioceramic bone grafting combined with locking compression plate (LCP) internal fixation in the treatment of Schatzker type II and III tibial plateau fractures.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 104 patients with Schatzker type II and III tibial plateau fractures who underwent surgical treatment at the Department of Orthopedics, PLA Central Theater Command General Hospital from January 2010 to December 2021. The cohort comprised 55 males and 49 females, with an average age of 49.13±13.80 years (range 18-73 years). All fractures were unilateral: 55 on the left and 49 on the right. According to the Schatzker classification, 59 were Type II and 45 were Type III. Causes of injury included traffic accidents (48 cases), falls from height (3 cases), sprains or falls (45 cases), and other causes (8 cases). During surgery, bioceramic material or allograft bone tissue was implanted into the collapsed tibial plateau region to restore articular surface flatness. Based on graft type, patients were divided into the allograft bone group (63 cases) and the bioceramic group (41 cases). All cases underwent proximal lateral tibial LCP internal fixation. The two groups were compared in terms of operative time, intraoperative blood loss, bone graft volume, length of hospital stay, fracture healing time, and postoperative complications. The Rasmussen radiographic collapse score was used to evaluate fracture reduction, and the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) score system was used to assess knee joint function.Results:All patients were followed up for 12(12, 13) months (range 12-16 months). The fracture healing time in the allograft bone group was 13.70±1.36 weeks (range 11-16 weeks), which was significantly shorter than that in the bioceramic group: 14.59±1.73 weeks (range 11-19 weeks) ( t=2.911, P=0.004). The time to full weight-bearing in the allograft group was 15.0(14.0, 17.0) weeks (range 13-23 weeks), which was shorter than the 16.0 (15.5, 18.5) weeks (range 12-24 weeks) in the bioceramic group, showing a statistically significant difference ( Z=-3.019, P=0.002). At 12 months postoperatively, the Rasmussen radiographic collapse score was 1(0, 1) in the bioceramic group, significantly lower than the 1(1, 2) score in the allograft group ( Z=-2.083, P=0.037). No statistically significant differences were observed between the two groups in bone graft volume, surgical duration, intraoperative blood loss, hospitalization duration, or HSS scores at 6 and 12 months postoperatively ( P>0.05). The complication rate was 6.3% (4/63) in the allograft group and 2.4% (1/41) in the bioceramic group, with no statistically significant difference (χ 2=0.830, P=0.362). Conclusions:For Schatzker type II and III tibial plateau fractures, the use of allograft bone or bioceramic combined with LCP internal fixation can achieve good results. Allograft bone has advantages in terms of fracture healing speed and early weight-bearing recovery, while bioceramic is more effective in maintaining joint surface stability.

Laparoscopic intersphincteric resection(ISR)represents a key technique for achieving maximal sphincter preservation in ultra-low rectal cancer.Based on 400 cases of surgical experience,this study proposes a series of systematic strategies addressing some major technical challenges of ISR.To facilitate precise dissection of the intersphincteric space,a"knife-edge position transanal-priority"approach was adopted,improving exposure and reducing the risk of circumferential margin positivity.To prevent and reduce anastomotic leakage,ISR combined with the modified Bacon(Turnbull-Cutait)delayed anastomosis was introduced as a"stoma-free but safe"alternative.For large anastomotic disruptions,a stoma-therapist-involved management protocol with transanal"U-shaped"repair was implemented to promote healing.Furthermore,a transabdominal levatorplasty was explored to enhance pelvic floor support and improve postoperative continence.Our initial experience suggests that,these strategies contribute to optimizing the balance between oncological radicality and functional preservation,offering a practical and individualized pathway for sphincter-saving surgery in ultra-low rectal cancer.

Deep infiltrating endometriosis(DIE)is defined as endometriotic lesions infiltrating≥5 mm beneath the peritoneum,commonly affecting the uterosacral ligaments,rectovaginal septum,vaginal vault,and rectal wall.Due to nonspecific clinical manifestations and atypical imaging features,DIE is often misdiagnosed.This study reports a case of rectal DIE diagnosed preoperatively by endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration(EUS-FNA)and summarizes the multidisciplinary treatment experience in conjunction with a literature review.A 35-year-old woman was admitted for defecation difficulty.MRI and EUS-FNA confirmed rectal DIE.After multidisciplinary team(MDT)evaluation involving colorectal,gynecologic,and urologic specialists,laparoscopic resection of the rectal lesion,sigmoid-rectal anastomosis,and protective ileostomy were performed.Pathology confirmed rectal DIE with negative margins.The stoma was successfully reversed 4 months later,and no recurrence was observed during 21 months of follow-up.These findings highlight the pivotal role of EUS-FNA in early diagnosis and demonstrate that an MDT approach led by colorectal surgeons can significantly enhance surgical safety and completeness,providing valuable guidance for the individualized management of complex pelvic endometriosis.

Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has the potential to rebuild the intestinal microbiome of patients, which can influence the disease course, alleviate symptoms, or even cure the disease. It is seen as a promising breakthrough for treating major chronic diseases that are difficult to manage. Currently, FMT therapy has been clinically studied for over 80 diseases and has led to significant breakthroughs. However, there are still four main challenges: (1) identifying the effective characteristics of donor microbiota and ensuring precise matching between donors and recipients; (2) understanding the pathways and molecular mechanisms by which key FMT bacteria and metabolites improve disease outcomes; (3) studying strain interactions and colonization mechanisms to restore intestinal microbiota balance; and (4) refining the precision of microbiome and functional microbiota transplantation. To address these clinical challenges, this article reviews the latest research both domestically and internationally, outlines the response patterns of FMT therapy, examines the reasons behind FMT failure, and explores future directions for the development of FMT. The aim is to accelerate the scientific and precise advancement of FMT technology in China.