BACKGROUND:Cervical disc degeneration is a common degenerative disease,and inflammatory proteins play an important role in cervical disc degeneration,but the specific mechanisms involved remain to be thoroughly investigated.OBJECTIVE:Using the Mendelian randomization method to assess the potential causal relationship between 91 inflammatory proteins and cervical disc degeneration.METHODS:Genome-wide association analysis statistics for 91 inflammatory proteins(from GCST90274758 to GCST90274848)were obtained from the Genome-Wide Association Analysis Catalog of publicly available genome-wide association analysis data and genome-wide association analysis data for cervical disc degeneration from the Finngen database(finngen_R10_M13_CERVICDISCV).Inverse variance weighting,MR-Egger regression,weighted median,weighted modeling,and simple modeling were used to investigate the causal relationship between inflammatory proteins and cervical disc degeneration.Sensitivity analyses were performed to test whether the results of the Mendelian randomization analysis were reliable,and then the inverse Mendelian randomization analysis was performed in the same way.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The results of the forward analysis showed that a total of six inflammatory proteins were significantly and causally associated with cervical disc degeneration,of which glial cell lineage-derived neurotrophic factor(odds ratio(OR)=1.095,95%confidence interval(CI):1.012-1.184,P=0.023),interleukin 4(OR=1.094,95%CI:1.002-1.194,P=0.045)and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 levels(OR=1.062,95%CI:1.001-1.127,P=0.048)showed a direct positive causal association with the risk of cervical disc degeneration;interleukin 17C(OR=0.906,95%CI:0.839-0.979,P=0.013),interleukin 18(OR=0.924,95%CI:0.866-0.986,P=0.017)and interleukin 2 levels(OR=0.894,95%CI:0.821-0.973,P=0.010)showed a direct negative causal association with the risk of cervical disc degeneration.The results of the inverse analysis showed that when cervical disc degeneration was used as exposure data,there was no significant causal relationship with any of the 91 inflammatory proteins.The results of the sensitivity analysis showed that the Cochran's Q test for the two-way Mendelian randomization,the MR-Egger regression method,and the MR-PRESSO results had P values greater than 0.05,indicating that there was no significant heterogeneity or multiplicity in the analysis of the causal effect between inflammatory proteins and cervical disc degeneration.To conclude,there may be a relatively significant potential causal relationship between glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor,interleukin 4,monocyte chemotactic protein-1,interleukin 17C levels,interleukin 18,and interleukin 2 levels and cervical disc degeneration,which provides valuable clues for research on the potential mechanisms of cervical disc degeneration as well as early prevention and drug treatment of cervical disc degeneration.

BACKGROUND:Peripheral nerve injuries can cause severe functional disabilities in patients,and long-segment nerve defects often fail to regenerate spontaneously.In recent years,tissue engineering techniques have gradually been applied to the repair of long-segment nerve injuries,yet research hotspots and development trends are unclear.OBJECTIVE:To analyze the research hotspots and trends in the field of peripheral nerve tissue engineering over the past 20 years using bibliometric software.METHODS:CiteSpace 6.2R6 software was employed to conduct highly cited analysis and keyword analysis on peripheral nerve tissue engineering literature published from 2004 to 2024 in the Web of Science and China National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI)databases.The keyword analysis encompasses keyword co-occurrence analysis,keyword clustering analysis,keyword timeline analysis,and keyword emergence analysis.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:A total of 2 961 articles from the Web of Science database and 1171 articles from the CNKI database were included.The number of publications in the Web of Science database showed fluctuations but exhibited an overall increasing trend year by year,while the publication volume in the CNKI database remained relatively stable annually.Most of the top ten most cited articles in the Web of Science database were review articles.The results of the keyword analysis from Web of Science and CNKI databases indicated that the most studied nerve tissue engineering materials over the past 20 years include silk fibroin,collagen,chitosan,polycaprolactone,polylactic acid,and graphene.The biochemical cues investigated in these materials include olfactory ensheathing cells,Schwann cells,stem cells,and nerve growth factors.The most commonly employed external physical factor is electrical stimulation applied to the materials.Among various tissue engineering techniques,electrospinning technology and 3D printing technology have been the most extensively researched.

BACKGROUND:Peripheral nerve injuries can cause severe functional disabilities in patients,and long-segment nerve defects often fail to regenerate spontaneously.In recent years,tissue engineering techniques have gradually been applied to the repair of long-segment nerve injuries,yet research hotspots and development trends are unclear.OBJECTIVE:To analyze the research hotspots and trends in the field of peripheral nerve tissue engineering over the past 20 years using bibliometric software.METHODS:CiteSpace 6.2R6 software was employed to conduct highly cited analysis and keyword analysis on peripheral nerve tissue engineering literature published from 2004 to 2024 in the Web of Science and China National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI)databases.The keyword analysis encompasses keyword co-occurrence analysis,keyword clustering analysis,keyword timeline analysis,and keyword emergence analysis.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:A total of 2 961 articles from the Web of Science database and 1171 articles from the CNKI database were included.The number of publications in the Web of Science database showed fluctuations but exhibited an overall increasing trend year by year,while the publication volume in the CNKI database remained relatively stable annually.Most of the top ten most cited articles in the Web of Science database were review articles.The results of the keyword analysis from Web of Science and CNKI databases indicated that the most studied nerve tissue engineering materials over the past 20 years include silk fibroin,collagen,chitosan,polycaprolactone,polylactic acid,and graphene.The biochemical cues investigated in these materials include olfactory ensheathing cells,Schwann cells,stem cells,and nerve growth factors.The most commonly employed external physical factor is electrical stimulation applied to the materials.Among various tissue engineering techniques,electrospinning technology and 3D printing technology have been the most extensively researched.

BACKGROUND:Cervical disc degeneration is a common degenerative disease,and inflammatory proteins play an important role in cervical disc degeneration,but the specific mechanisms involved remain to be thoroughly investigated.OBJECTIVE:Using the Mendelian randomization method to assess the potential causal relationship between 91 inflammatory proteins and cervical disc degeneration.METHODS:Genome-wide association analysis statistics for 91 inflammatory proteins(from GCST90274758 to GCST90274848)were obtained from the Genome-Wide Association Analysis Catalog of publicly available genome-wide association analysis data and genome-wide association analysis data for cervical disc degeneration from the Finngen database(finngen_R10_M13_CERVICDISCV).Inverse variance weighting,MR-Egger regression,weighted median,weighted modeling,and simple modeling were used to investigate the causal relationship between inflammatory proteins and cervical disc degeneration.Sensitivity analyses were performed to test whether the results of the Mendelian randomization analysis were reliable,and then the inverse Mendelian randomization analysis was performed in the same way.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The results of the forward analysis showed that a total of six inflammatory proteins were significantly and causally associated with cervical disc degeneration,of which glial cell lineage-derived neurotrophic factor(odds ratio(OR)=1.095,95%confidence interval(CI):1.012-1.184,P=0.023),interleukin 4(OR=1.094,95%CI:1.002-1.194,P=0.045)and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 levels(OR=1.062,95%CI:1.001-1.127,P=0.048)showed a direct positive causal association with the risk of cervical disc degeneration;interleukin 17C(OR=0.906,95%CI:0.839-0.979,P=0.013),interleukin 18(OR=0.924,95%CI:0.866-0.986,P=0.017)and interleukin 2 levels(OR=0.894,95%CI:0.821-0.973,P=0.010)showed a direct negative causal association with the risk of cervical disc degeneration.The results of the inverse analysis showed that when cervical disc degeneration was used as exposure data,there was no significant causal relationship with any of the 91 inflammatory proteins.The results of the sensitivity analysis showed that the Cochran's Q test for the two-way Mendelian randomization,the MR-Egger regression method,and the MR-PRESSO results had P values greater than 0.05,indicating that there was no significant heterogeneity or multiplicity in the analysis of the causal effect between inflammatory proteins and cervical disc degeneration.To conclude,there may be a relatively significant potential causal relationship between glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor,interleukin 4,monocyte chemotactic protein-1,interleukin 17C levels,interleukin 18,and interleukin 2 levels and cervical disc degeneration,which provides valuable clues for research on the potential mechanisms of cervical disc degeneration as well as early prevention and drug treatment of cervical disc degeneration.

Hot melt extrusion(HME)technology employs thermodynamic and kinetic principles to mix pharmaceutical polymers with crystalline drugs at high temperatures and extrude them,embedding drug molecules within the polymer matrix to form solid dispersions.Due to its solvent-free nature,capability for one-step processing,and support for continuous operation,HME has garnered significant attention in the pharmaceutical industry in recent years.This article introduced the basic principles and development history of HME technology and its marketed drugs.It reviewed the research progress of HME technology in improving drug solubility,masking taste,controlled release,targeted release,oral dispersible films,implant formulations,semi-solid formulations,and 3D printed formulations.Additionally,the article summarized the advantages and limitations of HME technology and provided an outlook on its future development.

Atrial fibrillation(AF)is one of the most common clinical arrhythmias and a significant risk factor for thromboembolism.The left atrial appendage(LAA)is the primary site of thrombus formation in AF patients.Recent studies have explored the mechanisms of LAA thrombosis from multiple dimensions,including anatomical structure(LAA morphology and architecture),functional indicators(hemodynamic alterations),pathophysiological mechanisms(endothelial injury,inflammatory activation),systemic diseases(renal dysfunction)and genetic factors(gene polymorphisms),providing critical evidence for precise clinical anticoagulation.This article systematically reviews the latest research advances in the mechanisms of LAA thrombosis in AF patients,aiming to offer theoretical support for the accurate assessment of thromboembolic risk and the formulation of individualized anticoagulation strategies.Additionally,it lays the foundation for exploring the intrinsic relationship and mechanisms between LAA hemodynamics and heart failure as well as thromboembolic events.

Atrial fibrillation(AF)is one of the most common clinical arrhythmias and a significant risk factor for thromboembolism.The left atrial appendage(LAA)is the primary site of thrombus formation in AF patients.Recent studies have explored the mechanisms of LAA thrombosis from multiple dimensions,including anatomical structure(LAA morphology and architecture),functional indicators(hemodynamic alterations),pathophysiological mechanisms(endothelial injury,inflammatory activation),systemic diseases(renal dysfunction)and genetic factors(gene polymorphisms),providing critical evidence for precise clinical anticoagulation.This article systematically reviews the latest research advances in the mechanisms of LAA thrombosis in AF patients,aiming to offer theoretical support for the accurate assessment of thromboembolic risk and the formulation of individualized anticoagulation strategies.Additionally,it lays the foundation for exploring the intrinsic relationship and mechanisms between LAA hemodynamics and heart failure as well as thromboembolic events.

Objective:To investigate the effects of a visual feedback electromyography-driven exoskeleton on patients with hand injuries and to compare its efficacy with conventional rehabilitation treatment.Method:Patients who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were randomly divided into two groups,with 15 patients in the experimental group and 15 in the control group.The control group underwent a 4-week con-ventional rehabilitation program,which included occupational therapy,muscle strength training,and range of motion exercises.The experimental group received the same conventional rehabilitation alongside training with the visual feedback electro-myography-driven exoskeleton.All participants were evaluated for grip strength,pinch strength,Purdue Pegboard results,and DASH questionnaire scores before and after treatment.Statistical analyses were performed to compare intra-group and inter-group differences.Result:After 4 weeks of rehabilitation,both groups showed significant differences in grip strength,pinch strength,Purdue Pegboard scores,and DASH questionnaire scores compared to baseline(P＜0.05).Between-group comparisons showed no significant difference in the post-treatment grip weight ratio(P＞0.05),while all other indicators demonstrated significant differences(P＜0.05).Conclusion:Following 4 weeks of rehabilitation,both groups showed improvements in muscle strength,hand dex-terity,and activities of daily living in the upper limbs.However,the functional level of patients in the experimen-tal group was superior to that of the control group,indicating that task-oriented rehabilitation using a visual feed-back electromyography-driven exoskeleton significantly promotes functional recovery in patients with hand trauma.

BACKGROUND:Exercise as a form of active rehabilitation can improve the dysfunction caused by peripheral nerve injury,and different exercise modalities target different lesion sites and recovery mechanisms. OBJECTIVE:To comprehensively analyze the application and mechanisms of different exercise modalities in functional recovery from peripheral nerve injury. METHODS:A computerized search was conducted in PubMed and CNKI databases for relevant literature published before January 2024.The search terms used were"peripheral nerve injury,spinal cord,exercise,cerebral cortex,muscle atrophy,mirror therapy,blood flow restriction training"in both English and Chinese.Finally,77 articles were included for review. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Peripheral nerve injury can cause systemic pathological changes such as skeletal muscle atrophy,corresponding spinal cord segmental lesions,and sensorimotor cortex remodeling.Aerobic exercise can improve dysfunction by enhancing the immune response,promoting glial cell polarization,and promoting the release of nerve growth factor.Blood flow restriction exercise can regulate the secretion of muscle growth factor,promote muscle growth and enhance muscle strength.Mirror movement has a good effect in activating the cerebral cortex and reducing cortical remodeling.Different exercise modalities have potential benefits in functional recovery after peripheral nerve injury;however,there are still some problems and challenges,such as the choice of exercise modalities,the control of exercise intensity and frequency,and the detailed analysis of mechanisms.

Hot melt extrusion(HME)technology employs thermodynamic and kinetic principles to mix pharmaceutical polymers with crystalline drugs at high temperatures and extrude them,embedding drug molecules within the polymer matrix to form solid dispersions.Due to its solvent-free nature,capability for one-step processing,and support for continuous operation,HME has garnered significant attention in the pharmaceutical industry in recent years.This article introduced the basic principles and development history of HME technology and its marketed drugs.It reviewed the research progress of HME technology in improving drug solubility,masking taste,controlled release,targeted release,oral dispersible films,implant formulations,semi-solid formulations,and 3D printed formulations.Additionally,the article summarized the advantages and limitations of HME technology and provided an outlook on its future development.