Osteoporosis is a prevalent skeletal condition characterized by reduced bone mass and strength, leading to increased fragility. Buqi-Tongluo (BQTL) decoction, a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) prescription, has yet to be fully evaluated for its potential in treating bone diseases such as osteoporosis. To investigate the mechanism by which BQTL decoction inhibits osteoclast differentiation in vitro and validate these findings through in vivo experiments. We employed MTS assays to assess the potential proliferative or toxic effects of BQTL on bone marrow macrophages (BMMs) at various concentrations. TRAcP experiments were conducted to examine BQTL's impact on osteoclast differentiation. RT-PCR and Western blot analyses were utilized to evaluate the relative expression levels of osteoclast-specific genes and proteins under BQTL stimulation. Finally, in vivo experiments were performed using an osteoporosis model to further validate the in vitro findings. This study revealed that BQTL suppressed receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL)-induced osteoclastogenesis and osteoclast resorption activity in vitro in a dose-dependent manner without observable cytotoxicity. The inhibitory effects of BQTL on osteoclast formation and function were attributed to the downregulation of NFATc1 and c-fos activity, primarily through attenuation of the MAPK, NF-κB, and Calcineurin signaling pathways. BQTL's inhibitory capacity was further examined in vivo using an ovariectomized (OVX) rat model, demonstrating a strong protective effect against bone loss. BQTL may serve as an effective therapeutic TCM for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis and the alleviation of bone loss induced by estrogen deficiency and related conditions.
Animals ; NFATC Transcription Factors/genetics* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Ovariectomy ; Osteoclasts/metabolism* ; Female ; Osteogenesis/drug effects* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rats ; NF-kappa B/genetics* ; Osteoporosis/genetics* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Bone Resorption/genetics* ; Cell Differentiation/drug effects* ; Humans ; RANK Ligand/metabolism* ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases/genetics* ; Transcription Factors

Objective: To investigate the surgical indications and perioperative clinical outcomes of pelvic exenteration (PE) for locally advanced, recurrent pelvic malignancies and complex pelvic fistulas. Methods: This was a descriptive study.The indications for performing PE were: (1) locally advanced, recurrent pelvic malignancy or complex pelvic fistula diagnosed preoperatively by imaging and pathological examination of a biopsy; (2)preoperative agreement by a multi-disciplinary team that non-surgical and conventional surgical treatment had failed and PE was required; and (3) findings on intraoperative exploration confirming this conclusion.Contraindications to this surgical procedure comprised cardiac and respiratory dysfunction, poor nutritional status,and mental state too poor to tolerate the procedure.Clinical data of 141 patients who met the above criteria, had undergone PE in the Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from January 2018 to September 2022, had complete perioperative clinical data, and had given written informed consent to the procedure were collected,and the operation,relevant perioperative variables, postoperative pathological findings (curative resection), and early postoperative complications were analyzed. Results: Of the 141 included patients, 43 (30.5%) had primary malignancies, 61 (43.3%) recurrent malignancies, 28 (19.9%) complex fistulas after radical resection of malignancies,and nine (6.4%)complex fistulas caused by benign disease. There were 79 cases (56.0%) of gastrointestinal tumors, 30 cases (21.3%) of reproductive tumors, 16 cases (11.3%) of urinary tumors, and 7 cases (5.0%) of other tumors such mesenchymal tissue tumors. Among the 104 patients with primary and recurrent malignancies, 15 patients with severe complications of pelvic perineum of advanced tumors were planned to undergo palliative PE surgery for symptom relief after preoperative assessment of multidisciplinary team; the other 89 patients were evaluated for radical PE surgery. All surgeries were successfully completed. Total PE was performed on 73 patients (51.8%),anterior PE on 22 (15.6%),and posterior PE in 46 (32.6%). The median operative time was 576 (453,679) minutes, median intraoperative blood loss 500 (200, 1 200) ml, and median hospital stay 17 (13.0,30.5)days.There were no intraoperative deaths. Of the 89 patients evaluated for radical PE surgery, the radical R0 resection was achieved in 64 (71.9%) of them, R1 resection in 23 (25.8%), and R2 resection in two (2.2%). One or more postoperative complications occurred in 85 cases (60.3%), 32 (22.7%)of which were Clavien-Dindo grade III and above.One patient (0.7%)died during the perioperative period. Conclusion: PE is a valid option for treating locally advanced or recurrent pelvic malignancies and complex pelvic fistulas.
Humans ; Pelvic Exenteration/methods* ; Pelvic Neoplasms/surgery* ; Retrospective Studies ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/surgery* ; Postoperative Complications

Objective: To understand the population structure of food-borne Staphylococcus (S.) aureus in China. Methods: Whole genome sequencing was used to analyze 763 food-borne S. aureus strains from 16 provinces in China from 2006 to 2020. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST), staphylococcal protein A gene (spa) typing, and staphylococcal chromosome cassettemec (SCCmec) typing were conducted, and minimum spanning tree based on ST types (STs) was constructed by BioNumerics 7.5 software. Thirty-one S. aureus strains isolated from imported food products were also included in constructing the genome phylogenetic tree. Results: A total of 90 STs (20 novel types) and 160 spa types were detected in the 763 S. aureus isolates. The 72 STs (72/90, 80.0%) were related to 22 clone complexes. The predominant clone complexes were CC7, CC1, CC5, CC398, CC188, CC59, CC6, CC88, CC15, and CC25, accounting for 82.44% (629/763) of the total. The STs and spa types in the predominant clone complexes changed over the years. The methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) detection rate was 7.60%, and 7 SCCmec types were identified. The ST59-t437-Ⅳa (17.24%, 10/58), ST239-t030-Ⅲ (12.07%, 7/58), ST59-t437-Ⅴb (8.62%, 5/58), ST338-t437-Ⅴb (6.90%, 4/58) and ST338-t441-Ⅴb (6.90%, 4/58) were the main types in MRSA strains. The genome phylogenetic tree had two clades, and the strains with the same CC, ST, and spa types clustered together. All CC7 methicillin sensitive S. aureus strains were included in Clade1, while 21 clone complexes and all MRSA strains were in Clade2. The MRSA strains clustered according to the SCCmec and STs. The strains from imported food products in CC398, CC7, CC30, CC12, and CC188 had far distances from Chinese strains in the tree. Conclusions: In this study, the predominant clone complexes of food-borne strains were CC7, CC1, CC5, CC398, CC188, CC59, CC6, CC88, CC15, and CC25, which overlapped with the previously reported clone complexes of hospital and community-associated strains in China, suggesting that close attention needs to be paid to food, a vehicle of pathogen transmission in community and food poisoning.
Humans ; Staphylococcus aureus/genetics* ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus/genetics* ; Multilocus Sequence Typing ; Phylogeny ; Staphylococcal Infections/epidemiology* ; China/epidemiology*

Childhood obesity is a global public health problem, which can not only endangers children's health, but also might be an important cause of chronic diseases in adulthood. In recent years, with the in-depth development of precision medicine research, more and more research evidences have shown that there are interactions between environmental factors, such as early intrauterine environment, children's diet, physical activity and children's gene factor on the incidence of childhood obesity, which can result in or inhibit the incidence and development of childhood obesity. This paper summarizes the progress in research in this field to reveal the effects and potential mechanisms of genetic factors and environmental factors on the incidence of childhood obesity in order to provide reference for the precise prevention and control of childhood obesity under different genetic backgrounds.
Child ; Humans ; Pediatric Obesity/genetics* ; Diet ; Causality ; Exercise ; Public Health

OBJECTIVE: This study was aimed at investigating the carrier rate of, and molecular variation in, α- and β-globin gene mutations in Hunan Province. METHODS: We recruited 25,946 individuals attending premarital screening from 42 districts and counties in all 14 cities of Hunan Province. Hematological screening was performed, and molecular parameters were assessed. RESULTS: The overall carrier rate of thalassemia was 7.1%, including 4.83% for α-thalassemia, 2.15% for β-thalassemia, and 0.12% for both α- and β-thalassemia. The highest carrier rate of thalassemia was in Yongzhou (14.57%). The most abundant genotype of α-thalassemia and β-thalassemia was -α ^3.7/αα (50.23%) and β ^IVS-II-654/β ^N (28.23%), respectively. Four α-globin mutations [CD108 (ACC>AAC), CAP +29 (G>C), Hb Agrinio and Hb Cervantes] and six β-globin mutations [CAP +8 (C>T), IVS-II-848 (C>T), -56 (G>C), beta nt-77 (G>C), codon 20/21 (-TGGA) and Hb Knossos] had not previously been identified in China. Furthermore, this study provides the first report of the carrier rates of abnormal hemoglobin variants and α-globin triplication in Hunan Province, which were 0.49% and 1.99%, respectively. CONCLUSION Our study demonstrates the high complexity and diversity of thalassemia gene mutations in the Hunan population. The results should facilitate genetic counselling and the prevention of severe thalassemia in this region.
Humans ; beta-Thalassemia/genetics* ; alpha-Thalassemia/genetics* ; Hemoglobinopathies/genetics* ; China/epidemiology* ; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing

Objective:To explore the application value of value-driven maintenance(VDM)method in management decision-making of neurology medical devices.Methods:Based on the VDM management method,a medical device maintenance management method was developed from five dimensions of asset utilization,cost control,reliability engineering,plan preparation and maintenance implementation.394 neurology medical devices in clinical use in the hospital were selected and divided into a control group(305 items)and an observation group(327 items,including 238 items in the control group and 89 newly added items)according to different management models.The control group adopted the traditional model,and the observation group adopted the VDM model for management.The management quality,technical support quality,production link quality score and supply quality qualification rate were compared between the two groups.Results:The number of device failures in the observation group was(1.34±1.02)times/year,which was lower than that in the control group;the startup rate,operation quality satisfaction and maintenance satisfaction were(95.66±5.27)%,(90.18±5.18)%and(89.39±6.19)%,respectively,which were higher than those in the control group,the difference was statistically significant(t=3.018,t=3.482,t=4.203,t=4.109;P<0.05).The increase in device maintenance time,failure response time and management cost in the observation group were(4.58±1.85)hours,(2.57±1.10)hours and(1.28±0.62)%respectively,which were higher than those in the control group,the difference was statistically significant(t=4.983,t=3.498,t=3.101;P<0.05).The quality scores of instrument recovery,packaging,sterilization and storage of sterile items in the observation group were(93.29±4.28)points,(94.18±3.19)points,(93.18±4.22)points and(95.14±3.37)points,respectively,which were higher than those in the control group,the difference was statistically significant(t=4.008,t=4.586,t=3.947,t=5.285;P<0.05).The quality qualification rates of instrument recovery,cleaning,packaging,disinfection,sterilization,storage and transportation of the observation group were 96.45%(315/327),97.22%(318/327),98.19%(321/327),95.49%(312/327),100.0%(327/327),99.69%(326/327)and 98.96%(324/327),which were higher than those of the control group,the difference was statistically significant(x2=3.294,x2=3.925,x2=4.327,x2=3.198,x2=3.085,x2=3.048,x2=4.193;P<0.05).Conclusion:The application of VDM-based decision-making model for medical device maintenance management in the management of neurology medical devices can evaluate the effectiveness of maintenance activities,reduce the device failure rate and maintenance costs,improve the supply quality qualification rate of each link,and improve the clinical service level of neurology medical devices.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy and safety of mulberry twig alkaloids (Sangzhi alkaloids, SZ-A) for treatment of type 2 diabetes in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled multicenter clinical trial. METHODS: A total of 200 patients were randomized to receive SZ-A (n=100) or placebo (n=100) for 16 weeks. The data analysis system for electronic data capture clinical trial central randomization system was used for randomization and dispensing of drugs. The primary outcome was the change in glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) level. The secondary outcome included the proportions of cases with HbA1c <7.0% and HbA1c <6.5%, fasting blood glucose (FBG), postprandial blood glucose (PBG), area under curve for the PBG (AUC_0-2h), body weight, and body mass index (BMI). Adverse events (AEs), severe adverse events (SAEs), treatment-related adverse events (TAEs), gastrointestinal disorders (GDs), blood pressure, routine blood tests, and liver and kidney function were monitored. RESULTS: Compared with baseline, the change of HbA1c at week 16 was -0.80% (95% CI: -0.98% to -0.62%) and -0.09% (95% CI: -0.27% to 0.09%) in SZ-A group and placebo group, respectively. The proportion of patients with HbA1c <7% and <6.5% was higher in the SZ-A group than in the placebo group (46.8% vs. 21.6% and 29.9% vs. 10.8%). The observed values and changes in FBG, 1 h-PBG, 2 h-PBG, and AUC_0-2h differed significantly between groups (P<0.001), but differences were not significant in body weight and BMI (P>0.05). The incidence rates of AEs, TAEs, and GDs differed significantly between groups (P=0.010, P=0.005, and P=0.006, respectively), whereas the incidence rates of SAEs showed no significant differences between groups (P=1.000). CONCLUSION SZ-A are effective and safe for treatment of type 2 diabetes. The protocol was registered in http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=60117 (ChiCTR2000038550).
Alkaloids ; Blood Glucose ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/drug therapy* ; Double-Blind Method ; Glycated Hemoglobin A ; Humans ; Hypoglycemic Agents/therapeutic use* ; Morus ; Tablets/therapeutic use* ; Treatment Outcome

Objective: To investigate the changes of imaging parameters of patellofemoral joint after kinematic alignment total knee arthroplasty (KA-TKA) and mechanical alignment total knee arthroplasty (MA-TKA) and the effects on clinical outcomes. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on 227 patients diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis, 105 males and 122 females, with the age of (68.6±7.2) years (range: 52 to 86 years). The patients underwent unilateral TKA at the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University, from January 2020 to July 2021. The patients were divided into the KA-TKA group (n=102) and the MA-TKA group (n=125) according to the alignment method. The Blackburne-Peel index, lateral patellofemoral angle, patellofemoral tilt angle and patellofemoral index of the two groups were recorded before and 6 months after operation. The frequency of lateral patellar retinaculum release, preoperative and postoperative knee range of motion (ROM), and Oxford knee score(OKS) were also recorded. The differences between preoperative and postoperative measurement data of each group were calculated. If the difference was in line with normal distribution, the independent sample t-test or t'-test was used for comparison between the two groups. If it did not conform to normal distribution, Mann-Whitney U test was used. Paired sample t-test was used for comparison before and after treatment. Chi-square test was used for comparation of categorical data between the two groups. Results: After 6 months of operation, the patellar tilt angles of the KA-TKA group and the MA-TKA group were (14.22±3.26)° and (13.35±2.27)°, and the lateral patellar angles were (9.73±4.86)° and (11.91±3.89)°, respectively. The change of lateral patellofemoral angle in the KA-TKA group was significantly less than that in the MA-TKA group ((1.68±4.86)° vs. (4.15±4.88)°, t=3.805, P<0.01). OKS and ROM were improved in the both groups at 6 months after operation (all P<0.05), but there were no statistic significance in preoperative and postoperative difference between the two groups (all P>0.05). The intraoperative lateral patellar retinacular release rate was 14.4% (18/125) in the MA-TKA group and 6.9% (7/102) in the KA-TKA group, with no statistical difference (χ²=3.256,P=0.071). Conclusions: There are greater patella lateral tilt at 6 months postoperatively in the KA-TKA group compared with the MA-TKA group, but this radiographic difference could not show differences of clinical outcomes and postoperative ROM, the frequency of intraoperative lateral patellar retinacular release wouldn't increase. Therefore, KA-TKA does not increase the difficulty of postoperative patellofemoral joint complications and intraoperative lateral patellar release.
Male ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee/methods* ; Patellofemoral Joint/surgery* ; Biomechanical Phenomena ; Retrospective Studies ; Patella/surgery* ; Osteoarthritis, Knee/surgery* ; Knee Joint/surgery* ; Knee Prosthesis ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Postoperative Complications

OBJECTIVE: A dynamic gel loaded with lyophilized platelet-rich plasma-chitosan/difunctionalized polyethylene glycol (LPRP-CP) was prepared to investigate its hemostatic antibacterial and promoting wound healing of scald wounds through in vitro and in vivo experiments. METHODS: In this study, normal gauze/blank tablet (Ctrl), LPRP-CP, Chitosan HUCHUANG Powder(Chito P)and ChitoGauze XP PRO group (Chito G group) were set. The hemostatic effect and promoting healing effect of the four groups of materials were evaluated by establishing rabbit ear artery hemorrhage model and superficial Ⅱ° scalded model of skin on the back. The hemostatic time and bleeding amount were calculated and the gross and histological results of scald healing were observed. The antibacterial effect of the four groups of materials was evaluated by antibacterial test in vitro. RESULTS: In the rabbit ear arterial hemorrhage model, the hemostasis of all materials was successful. The hemostatic time of Ctrl, Chito P, LPRP-CP and Chito G groups was 213.33±38.30, 118.33±24.01, 115.00±8.37 and 111.67±11.69 s, respectively. The blood loss was 1233.83±992.27, 346.67±176.00, 193.33±121.47 and 147.50±80.66 mg, respectively. Compared with Ctrl, the hemostasis time of LPRP-CP, Chito P and Chito G group was significantly shorter (P<0.001), and the amount of blood loss of LPRP-CP and Chito G group was decreased (P<0.05). Compared with LPRP-CP, there were no significant differences in hemostatic time and blood loss between Chito P and Chito G group (P>0.05). In the model of superficial Ⅱ° scalded on the back of rabbit, the wound healing rate of LPRP-CP was faster than that of the other three groups at the same time, and the healing effect was perfect. In the antibacterial test in vitro, only LPRP-CP had better anti-S. aureus effect, and all groups had no anti-E. coli effect. CONCLUSION LPRP-CP is an excellent hemostatic material for superficial wounds, and has certain antibacterial and wound healing effects, which has a wide academic value and research prospects.
Animals ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology* ; Chitosan/pharmacology* ; Hemorrhage ; Hemostasis ; Hemostatics ; Humans ; Platelet-Rich Plasma ; Rabbits

Background/Aims: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is closely associated with metabolic dysfunction. Among the multiple factors, genetic variation acts as important modifiers. Klotho, an enzyme encoded by the klotho (KL) gene in human, has been implicated in the pathogenesis of metabolic dysfunctions. However, the impact of variants in KL on NAFLD risk remains poorly understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of KL rs495392 C>A polymorphism on the histological severity of NAFLD. Methods: We evaluated the impact of the KL rs495392 polymorphism on liver histology in 531 Chinese with NAFLD and replicated that in the population-based Rotterdam Study cohort. The interactions between the rs495392, vitamin D, and patatin-like phospholipase domain containing 3 (PNPLA3) rs738409 polymorphism were also analyzed. Results: Carriage of the rs495392 A allele had a protective effect on steatosis severity (odds ratio [OR], 0.61; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.42–0.89; P=0.010) in Chinese patients. After adjustment for potential confounders, the A allele remained significant with a protective effect (OR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.45–0.98; P=0.040). The effect on hepatic steatosis was confirmed in the Rotterdam Study cohort. Additional analysis showed the association between serum vitamin D levels and NAFLD specifically in rs495392 A allele carriers, but not in non-carriers. Moreover, we found that the rs495392 A allele attenuated the detrimental impact of PNPLA3 rs738409 G allele on the risk of severe hepatic steatosis. Conclusions The KL rs495392 polymorphism has a protective effect against hepatic steatosis in patients with NAFLD.