OBJECTIVE: To investigate correlation between preoperative C ₂ slope (C2S) and effectiveness at 2 years after short-segment anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF), with the aim of providing reliable indicators for predicting effectiveness. METHODS: One hundred and eighteen patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy, who received short-segment ACDF between January 2018 and December 2022 and met the selection criteria, were enrolled in the study. There were 46 males and 72 females, aged from 26 to 80 years, with a mean age of 53.6 years. The operative duration was (127.6±33.46) minutes and the intraoperative blood loss was (34.75±30.40) mL. All patients were followed up 2 years. The pre- and post-operative Neck Disability Index (NDI), Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score, and visual analogue scale (VAS) score for pain were recorded. Based on the anteroposterior and lateral cervical X-ray films, the sagittal parameters of the cervical spine were measured [C ₂-C ₇ Cobb angle, C ₀-C ₂ Cobb angle, T ₁ slope, C2S, sagittal segmental angle (SSA) of the surgical segment, and average surgical disc height (ASDH) of the surgical segment]. Statistical analyses were performed to assess the differences in these indicators between pre- and post-operation, as well as the correlations between the preoperative C2S and the JOA score, NDI, and VAS score at 2 years after operation. The patients were allocated into group A (C2S >11.73°) and group B (C2S≤ 11.73°) according to the median value of the preoperative C2S (11.73°). The JOA score, NDI, and VAS score before operation and at 2 years after operation, as well as the differences between pre- and post-operative values (change values), were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The T ₁ slope, C ₂-C ₇ Cobb angle, C ₀-C ₂ Cobb angle, SSA, and ASDH at immediate after operation and JOA score, NDI, and VAS score at 2 years after operation significantly improved in 118 patients when compared with preoperative ones ( P<0.05). Pearson correlation analysis showed that preoperative C2S was not correlated with JOA score and NDI at 2 years after operation ( P>0.05), but negatively correlated with VAS score ( P<0.05). There were 59 patients with preoperative C2S>11.73° (group A) and 59 with C2S≤11.73° (group B). There was no significant difference in preoperative JOA score, NDI, and VAS score between the two groups ( P>0.05). There were significant differences in VAS score at 2 year after operation and the change value between the two groups ( P<0.05); there was no significant difference in the JOA score and NDI ( P>0.05). CONCLUSION Patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy and a higher preoperative C2S exhibited superior long-term pain relief and effectiveness following short-segment ACDF.
Humans ; Male ; Spinal Fusion/methods* ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Cervical Vertebrae/diagnostic imaging* ; Diskectomy/methods* ; Aged ; Adult ; Treatment Outcome ; Aged, 80 and over ; Spondylosis/diagnostic imaging* ; Pain Measurement ; Preoperative Period ; Follow-Up Studies

The aim of this investigation was to determine the optimal storage medium for testicular hypothermic transportation and identify the ideal concentration for the application of the protective agent 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA). Furthermore, this study aimed to explore the underlying mechanism of the protective effects of 5-ALA. First, we collected and stored mouse testicular fragments in different media, including Hank's balanced salt solution (HBSS; n = 5), Dulbecco's Modified Eagle Medium/Nutrient Mixture F-12 (DMEM/F12; n = 5), and alpha-minimum essential medium (αMEM; n = 5). Storage of testicular tissue in HBSS preserved the integrity of testicular morphology better than that in the DMEM/F12 group ( P < 0.05) and the αMEM group ( P < 0.01). Testicular fragments were subsequently placed in HBSS with various concentrations of 5-ALA (0 [control], 1 mmol l -1 , 2 mmol l -1 , and 5 mmol l -1 ) to determine the most effective concentration of 5-ALA. The 2 mmol l -1 5-ALA group ( n = 3) presented the highest positive rate of spermatogonial stem cells compared with those in the control, 1 mmol l -1 , and 5 mmol l -1 5-ALA groups. Finally, the tissue fragments were preserved in HBSS with control ( n = 3) and 2 mmol l -1 5-ALA ( n = 3) under low-temperature conditions. A comparative analysis was performed against fresh testes ( n = 3) to elucidate the underlying mechanism of 5-ALA. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) for WikiPathways revealed that the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway was downregulated in the 2 mmol l -1 5-ALA group compared with that in the control group (normalized enrichment score [NES] = -1.57, false discovery rate [FDR] = 0.229, and P = 0.019). In conclusion, these data suggest that using 2 mmol l -1 5-ALA in HBSS effectively protected the viability of spermatogonial stem cells upon hypothermic transportation.
Male ; Animals ; Testis/cytology* ; Aminolevulinic Acid/pharmacology* ; Mice ; Organ Preservation/methods* ; Organ Preservation Solutions/pharmacology* ; Cryopreservation/methods*

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy and safety of stanozolol combined with avatrombopag in the treatment of chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia (CIT) in patients with relapsed/refractory tumors. METHODS: Twenty-five patients with relapsed/refractory CIT admitted to the Hematology Department of Xiyuan Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences between March 2023 to December 2023 were enrolled. These patients received a combined therapy of stanozolol and avatrombopag. The clinical efficacy, onset time, changes in platelet levels and blood cell counts before and after treatment, and adverse reactions of patients were evaluated. RESULTS: The combination therapy demonstrated remarkable efficacy with a total effective rate of 100%. Among the 25 patients, 19 achieved complete remission and 6 achieved partial remission. The median onset time was 42.5（range: 35-48）days. The average platelet count of the 25 patients increased from (25.73±17.75)×10⁹/L before treatment to (146.4±49.59)×10⁹/L after 3 months of treatment, with a statistically significant difference ( P < 0.05). 18 patients who previously required platelet transfusion were all weaned off platelet transfusion after 3 months of treatment, with a median time to be free from platelet transfusion was 26 (range: 18-51) days. During the treatment, both neutrophils and hemoglobin exhibited various degrees of elevation. Two patients experienced a slight increase in alanine aminotransferase(ALT) levels, which normalized after treatment with oral hepatoprotective drug. One patient had a PLT increase exceeding 350×10⁹/L, and the treatment with avatrombopag was suspended, and aspirin and other drugs were given to prevent thrombosis. No thrombose events or CIT-related bleeding events were observed in all patients. CONCLUSION The combination therapy of stanozolol and avatrombopag is significantly effective for treating relapsed/refractory CIT patients, with a high response rate and good safety, making it a suitable clinical treatment option.
Humans ; Thrombocytopenia/chemically induced* ; Stanozolol/therapeutic use* ; Male ; Female ; Neoplasms/drug therapy* ; Middle Aged ; Thiophenes/therapeutic use* ; Adult ; Platelet Count ; Treatment Outcome ; Antineoplastic Agents/adverse effects* ; Recurrence ; Thiazoles

Early correction of childhood malocclusion is timely managing morphological, structural, and functional abnormalities at different dentomaxillofacial developmental stages. The selection of appropriate imaging examination and comprehensive radiological diagnosis and analysis play an important role in early correction of childhood malocclusion. This expert consensus is a collaborative effort by multidisciplinary experts in dentistry across the nation based on the current clinical evidence, aiming to provide general guidance on appropriate imaging examination selection, comprehensive and accurate imaging assessment for early orthodontic treatment patients.
Humans ; Malocclusion/diagnostic imaging* ; Child ; Consensus

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of HIV pretreatment drug resistance (PDR) and the transmission clusters associated with PDR-related mutations in newly diagnosed, treatment-naive patients between 2020 and 2023 in Dehong prefecture, Yunnan province, China. METHODS: Demographic information and plasma samples were collected from study participants. PDR was assessed using the Stanford HIV Drug Resistance Database. The Tamura-Nei 93 model within HIV-TRACE was employed to compute pairwise matches with a genetic distance of 0.015 substitutions per site. RESULTS: Among 948 treatment-naive individuals with eligible sequences, 36 HIV subtypes were identified, with unique recombinant forms (URFs) being the most prevalent (18.8%, 178/948). The overall prevalence of PDR was 12.4% (118/948), and resistance to non-nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs), nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs), and protease inhibitors (PIs) was 10.7%, 1.3%, and 1.6%, respectively. A total of 91 clusters were identified, among which eight showed evidence of PDR strain transmission. The largest PDR-associated cluster consisted of six CRF01_AE drug-resistant strains carrying K103N and V179T mutations; five of these individuals had initial CD4+ cell counts < 200 cells/μL. CONCLUSION The distribution of HIV subtypes in Dehong is diverse and complex. PDR was moderately prevalent (12.4%) between 2020 and 2023. Evidence of transmission of CRF01_AE strains carrying K103N and V179T mutations was found. Routine surveillance of PDR and the strengthening of control measures are essential to limit the spread of drug-resistance HIV strains.
Humans ; HIV Infections/virology* ; China/epidemiology* ; Drug Resistance, Viral ; Male ; Adult ; Female ; Middle Aged ; HIV-1/genetics* ; Anti-HIV Agents/therapeutic use* ; Myanmar/epidemiology* ; Young Adult ; Prevalence ; Adolescent ; Mutation

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the association between body mass index (BMI) and mortality based on the 10-year population-based multicenter prospective study. METHODS: A general population-based multicenter prospective study was conducted at four sites in rural China between 2013 and 2023. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models and restricted cubic spline analyses were used to assess the association between BMI and mortality. Stratified analyses were performed based on the individual characteristics of the participants. RESULTS: Overall, 19,107 participants with a sum of 163,095 person-years were included and 1,910 participants died. The underweight (< 18.5 kg/m ²) presented an increase in all-cause mortality (adjusted hazards ratio [ aHR] = 2.00, 95% confidence interval [ CI]: 1.66-2.41), while overweight (≥ 24.0 to < 28.0 kg/m ²) and obesity (≥ 28.0 kg/m ²) presented a decrease with an aHR of 0.61 (95% CI: 0.52-0.73) and 0.51 (95% CI: 0.37-0.70), respectively. Overweight ( aHR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.67-0.86) and mild obesity ( aHR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.59-0.87) had a positive impact on mortality in people older than 60 years. All-cause mortality decreased rapidly until reaching a BMI of 25.7 kg/m ² ( aHR = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.92-0.98) and increased slightly above that value, indicating a U-shaped association. The beneficial impact of being overweight on mortality was robust in most subgroups and sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSION This study provides additional evidence that overweight and mild obesity may be inversely related to the risk of death in individuals older than 60 years. Therefore, it is essential to consider age differences when formulating health and weight management strategies.
Humans ; Body Mass Index ; China/epidemiology* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Rural Population/statistics & numerical data* ; Aged ; Follow-Up Studies ; Adult ; Mortality ; Cause of Death ; Obesity/mortality* ; Overweight/mortality*

Objective To investigate the improvement effect of Necrostatin-1 (Nec-1) on mouse models with immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) -associated myocarditis (ICIAM) and potential mechanism. Methods Ten male BALB/c mice aged 6-8 weeks were selected to construct the ICIAM models. The echocardiography and serum myocardial injury markers were used to assess cardiac function of mice. The levels of inflammatory markers including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), respectively. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was used to evaluate myocardial inflammation, and Masson staining was used to evaluate myocardial fibrosis. The expressions of myocardial necroptosis proteins including receptor-interacting protein kinase 1 (RIP1), RIP3, mixed lineage kinase domain-like protein (MLKL) and their phosphorylated forms were detected by Western blotting. The spleen lymphocytes were extracted and co-cultured with HL-1 cell line. Cell viability was measured by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8). The release of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and changes of mitochondrial membrane potential were observed. RIP1, RIP3, MLKL and their phosphorylated forms were determined. The levels of markers of oxidative stress, including malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), were measured. Results Nec-1 significantly improved the cardiac function injury of mice induced by ICI, and inhibited the release of TNF-α and IL-1β in plasma of ICIAM mice (P＜0.001); inhibited expressions of phosphorylated RIP1, RIP3 and MLKL (P＜0.05); decreased MDA activity, and increased SOD and GSH-Px activity (P＜0.001). In HL-1 cells, Nec-1 intervention inhibited the RIP1-RIP3-MLKL pathway (P＜0.05), improved decrease of the cell viability induced by lymphocytes (P＜0.001), decreased ROS release, increased mitochondrial membrane potential, inhibited MDA activity, and increased SOD and GSH-Px activities (P＜0.001). Conclusions Necroptosis plays an important role in the occurrence and development of ICIAM，but Nec-1 could alleviate the progression of ICIAM by inhibiting necroptosis induced by oxidative stress in cardiomyocytes; RIP1 maybe a new target in treatment of ICIAM.

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) diseases are common clinical conditions. The number of patients with TMJ diseases is large, and the etiology, epidemiology, disease spectrum, and treatment of the disease remain controversial and unknown. To understand and master the current situation of the occurrence, development and prevention of TMJ diseases, as well as to identify the patterns in etiology, incidence, drug sensitivity, and prognosis is crucial for alleviating patients′suffering.This will facilitate in-depth medical research, effective disease prevention measures, and the formulation of corresponding health policies. Cohort construction and research has an irreplaceable role in precise disease prevention and significant improvement in diagnosis and treatment levels. Large-scale cohort studies are needed to explore the relationship between potential risk factors and outcomes of TMJ diseases, and to observe disease prognoses through long-term follw-ups. The consensus aims to establish a standard conceptual frame work for a cohort study on patients with TMJ disease while providing ideas for cohort data standards to this condition. TMJ disease cohort data consists of both common data standards applicable to all specific disease cohorts as well as disease-specific data standards. Common data were available for each specific disease cohort. By integrating different cohort research resources, standard problems or study variables can be unified. Long-term follow-up can be performed using consistent definitions and criteria across different projects for better core data collection. It is hoped that this consensus will be facilitate the development cohort studies of TMJ diseases.

Objective:To analyze and predict the future trend of the premature mortality of major chronic and non-communicable diseases in Anhui Province, evaluate the implementation of the "Healthy China 2030" Plan, and explore its influencing factors.Methods:Using data from death-cause surveillance and statistical yearbooks in Anhui, the trend prediction and analysis on influencing factors were conducted by using methods such as time series accumulation and logarithmic linear Joinpoint regression, principal component regression.Results:In Anhui, 28.10% of the deaths were premature ones, of which 84.40% were attributed to chronic and non-communicable diseases. In premature deaths attributed to chronic and non-communicable diseases, the deaths caused by malignant tumor and cardiovascular disease accounted for 45.88% and 41.65% respectively. The prediction results showed that the premature mortality of major chronic and non-communicable diseases would decrease in Anhui in the future, and by 2030, the goal in the "Healthy China 2030" Plan would be reached only in rural area. To reduce premature death, it is necessary to pay attention to the prevention and control of malignant tumor and cardiovascular disease. Men in urban area are the key population. Factors that reflect urban infrastructure had a significant impact on premature mortality of major chronic non-communicable diseases, such as garden and green space area per capita. Factors such as concentration of PM 2.5 had a negative impact on premature mortality of chronic non-communicable diseases, while factors such as garden and green space area per capita had a positive impact. Conclusions:Disease burden caused by chronic and non-communicable diseases, such as malignant tumor, exits in Anhui. Men in urban area are key population in the prevention and control of chronic and non-communicable diseases in the future.

Objective To evaluate the direct economic burden caused by surgical site infection(SSI)in patients with orthopaedic trauma under the payment management of disease diagnosis-related groups(DRG).Methods Clinical data of patients with orthopaedic trauma in a tertiary first-class hospital from May 1,2022 to May 30,2023 were surveyed retrospectively.Patients were grouped based on whether SSI occurred.Differences in average length of hospital stay,average hospitalization expense,and other indicators between SSI patients and non-SSI patients in the same DRG subgroup were compared,and the direct economic burden caused by SSI was analyzed.Results A total of 435 patients who paid according to the DRG payment management were included in the study.Twenty-two pa-tients had SSI,with an SSI incidence of 5.06％.Both the average length of hospital stay and average hospitalization expense of patients in the SSI group were higher than those in the non-SSI group,with statistically significant differ-ences(P＜0.05).The DRG subgroups of SSI patients were mainly four groups:IF45,IF15,IJ13,and ZC13.Among them,the average length of hospital stay of SSI patients in the IF45,IF15,and ZC13 groups increased sig-nificantly(P＜0.05),and the average hospitalization expense of SSI patients in the IJ13 group increased significantly(P＜0.05).Conclusion Under the DRG payment management,the direct economic burden of orthopaedic trauma patients with SSI increases significantly.It is necessary to periodically evaluate and identify high-risk DRG subgroup patients,so as to adopt precise infection control interventions and reduce SSI incidence.