BACKGROUND:The imbalance between bone resorption and bone formation in microgravity environments leads to significant bone loss in astronauts.Current research indicates that bone loss under microgravity conditions is the result of the combined effects of various cells,tissues,and systems. OBJECTIVE:To review different biological effects of microgravity on various cells,tissues,or systems,and summarize the mechanisms by which microgravity leads to the development of osteoporosis. METHODS:Databases such as PubMed,Web of Science,and the Cochrane Database were searched for relevant literature from 2000 to 2023.The inclusion criteria were all articles related to tissue engineering studies and basic research on osteoporosis caused by microgravity.Ultimately,85 articles were included for review. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)In microgravity environment,bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells tend to differentiate more into adipocytes rather than osteoblasts,and hematopoietic stem cells in this environment are more inclined to differentiate into osteoclasts,reducing differentiation into the erythroid lineage.At the same time,microgravity inhibits the proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts,promotes apoptosis of osteoblasts,alters cell morphology,and reduces the mineralization capacity of osteoblasts.Microgravity significantly increases the number and activity of osteoclasts.Microgravity also hinders the differentiation of osteoblasts into osteocytes and promotes the apoptosis of osteocytes.(2)In a microgravity environment,the body experiences changes such as skeletal muscle atrophy,microvascular remodeling,bone microcirculation disorders,and endocrine disruption.These changes lead to mechanical unloading in the bone microenvironment,insufficient blood perfusion,and calcium cycle disorders,which significantly impact the development of osteoporosis.(3)At present,the mechanism by which microgravity causes osteoporosis is relatively complex.A deeper study of these physiological mechanisms is crucial to ensuring the health of astronauts during long-term space missions,and provides a theoretical basis for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis.

Objective This study established a model of invasive Aspergillus niger lung disease in immunosuppressed rats to provide theoretical support for the pharmacodynamic evaluation of anti-invasive pulmonary aspergillosis drugs and mechanism studies.Methods Sixty SD rats were randomly divided into a normal control group;cyclophosphamide control group,and cyclophosphamide+fungal infection low,medium,and high dose groups,with 12 animals in each group.General clinical observations were performed daily,and the serum levels of immunoglobulin(Ig)G and IgM and galactomannan(GM)were detected by ELISA on the 3rd and 7th days of modeling.Simultaneously,the ratio of CD4+and CD8+cells,content of white blood cells(WBCs)and neutrophils(Neu)in peripheral blood,the Aspergillus niger load in alveolar lavage,and morphological changes to rat lung tissue were observed.Results Rats in the cyclophosphamide control and cyclophosphamide+fungal infection groups showed reduced voluntary activity and erect hair after modeling,and rats in the cyclophosphamide+fungal infection group also had shortness of breath and audible wet rhonchi in the lungs.Compared with the normal control group,rats in the cyclophosphamide control group showed significant reductions in the levels of CD4+,WBC,Neu,IgG,and IgM in the blood,and their proportion of CD8+cells was significantly higher(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).Compared with the cyclophosphamide control group,rats in the cyclophosphamide+fungal infection medium-and high-dose groups had significantly reduced blood levels of IgG,IgM,and CD4+cells(P＜0.05,P＜0.01);while the cyclophosphamide+fungal infection low-,medium-,and high-dose groups had significantly reduced blood levels of WBC and Neu(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).Additionally,rats in the cyclophosphamide+fungal infection medium-and high-dose groups had significantly increased blood CD8+cells(P＜0.05,P＜0.01),Blood GM levels and the alveolar lavage Aspergillus niger load were significantly increased in rats in the cyclophosphamide+fungal infection low-,medium-,and high-dose groups compared with the cyclophosphamide control group(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).The lung tissues of the cyclophosphamide+fungal infection low-,medium-,and high-dose groups showed mycelial distribution and destruction of alveolar epithelium,increase of bronchial epithelial cup cells in the alveoli,and infiltration of inflammatory cells,and the degree of lesions was positively correlated with the modeling dose.Conclusions In this study,we used Aspergillus niger combined with cyclophosphamide immunosuppressant to construct a model of invasive Aspergillus niger lung disease.The duration of the disease was positively correlated with the concentration of bacterial fluid and modeling time,confirming that cellular immunity plays an important role in the pathogenesis of the disease.At the same time,Ig can also affect the development of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis,and it is speculated that the pathogenesis may be related to the level of Ig produced by humoral immunity.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The study examined the association between homocysteine and diabetes mellitus in patients with H-type hypertension and assessed the possible effect modifiers. SUBJECTS/METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 1,255 eligible participants in the ‘H-type Hypertension Management and Stroke Prevention Strategic International Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Project’ among rural Chinese people with H-type hypertension. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to evaluate the relationship between homocysteine and diabetes mellitus. RESULTS: The mean level of total homocysteine (tHcy) in the diabetes mellitus population was 19.37 μmol/L, which was significantly higher than the non-diabetic patients (18.18 μmol/L). When tHcy was analyzed as a continuous variable, the odds ratio (OR) of diabetes was 1.17 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01–1.35; per interquartile range). When tHcy was stratified according to the quintile, the ORs for diabetes were 2.86 (95% CI, 1.22–6.69) in the highest quintile (tHcy ≥ 20.60 μmol/L) compared to the reference group (tHcy < 12.04 μmol/L). When tHcy was grouped by 15 μmol/L and 20 μmol/L, patients with tHcy ≥ 20 μmol/L had a significantly (P = 0.037) higher risk of diabetes (OR, 2.03; 95% CI, 1.04–3.96) than in those with tHcy < 15 μmol/L. Subgroup analysis showed that the tHcy-diabetes association was unaffected by other variables. CONCLUSION In this study of rural Chinese people with H-type hypertension, the tHcy levels showed a positive association with diabetes mellitus. This independent association is unaffected by other potential risk factors.

The main function of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is to maintain stability of the knee joint and prevent anterior displacement of the tibial plateau. ACL injury accounts for more than 50% of the knee joint injuries. If not timely handled, it will increase the risk of secondary injuries to structures such as the meniscus and cartilage, causing chronic pain and degeneration of the knee joint. Although most ACL injuries can be determined by their direct signs on MRI, the identification of complex situations and partial tears of ACL are still not satisfactory, which subsequently affects treatment strategies. After ACL injury, changes in anatomical relationship of the knee joint can also lead to morphological changes in other structures such as the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) on MRI, and these indirect signs can assist in the diagnosis of ACL injury. The authors reviewed the application of MRI-related indicators of PCL in diagnosing ACL injury, hoping to provide references and new ideas for clinical decision-making.

Objective:To analyze the prognostic risk factors of patients with traumatic pancreatitis (TP) and establish an early combined prediction of multiple indicators model for TP.Methods:Patients admitted to the ICU of the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from June 2017 to June 2022 were collected retrospectively. Based on their prognosis, the patients were divided into two groups: the good prognosis group and the poor prognosis group. The general data such as sex, age, underlying diseases, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), acute physiology and chronic health evaluationⅡ (APACHEⅡ), injury severity score (ISS), bedside index for severity in acute pancreatitis (BISAP), and clinical test indices such as blood routine, blood coagulation, blood gas analysis, and liver and kidney function at admission were compared between the two groups. Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to screen the early independent predictors of poor prognosis of TP, and the prediction model of TP was established by combining all of the independent indicators. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of each independent predictor and prediction model was drawn, and the area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity, specificity, and optimal cut-off value were calculated to examine the diagnostic impact of each independent predictor and the combined prediction model.Results:There were statistically significant differences in the complication rate of mental disorders, GCS, APACHE II, combined craniocerebral injury, combined chest injury, activated partial thromboplastin time, fibrin(pro)degradation products, lactate, aspartate aminotransferase, glomerular filtration rate, amylase, lipase, NT-proBNP, myoglobin, procalcitonin, ISS, and BISAP between the good and poor prognosis groups (all P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that lactate ( OR=1.636, 95% CI: 1.046-2.559), lipase ( OR=1.005, 95% CI: 1.001-1.008), and ISS ( OR=1.161, 95% CI: 1.064-1.266) were independent risk factors influencing the prognosis of patients with TP. Based on the risk factors listed above, a prediction model was created: Logit P=-9.260+0.492×lactate+0.005×lipase+0.149×ISS, and the ROC curve was plotted. The AUC curve of the prediction model was 0.96 (95% CI: 0.91-1.00). Conclusions:Lactate, lipase, and ISS are early independent risk factors associated with the prognosis of TP. Their combined multi-indicator prediction model has an excellent clinical prediction effect, which can provide a clinical reference for early prediction and treatment of TP.

OBJECTIVE: To detect variants of IVD gene among 4 neonates with suspected isovalerate acidemia in order to provide a guidance for clinical treatment. METHODS: 111 986 newborns and 7461 hospitalized children with suspected metabolic disorders were screened for acyl carnitine by tandem mass spectrometry. Those showing a significant increase in serum isovaleryl carnitine (C5) were analyzed for urinary organic acid and variants of the IVD gene. RESULTS: Four cases of isovalerate acidemia were detected, which included 2 asymptomatic newborns (0.018‰, 2/111 986) and 2 children suspected for metabolic genetic diseases (0.268‰, 2/7461). The formers had no obvious clinical symptoms. Analysis of acyl carnitine has suggested a significant increase in C5, and urinary organic acid analysis has shown an increase in isovaleryl glycine and 3-hydroxyisovalerate. Laboratory tests of the two hospitalized children revealed high blood ammonia, hyperglycemia, decreased red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets and metabolic acidosis. The main clinical manifestations have included sweaty foot-like odor, feeding difficulty, confusion, drowsiness, and coma. Eight variants (5 types) were detected, which included c.158G>A (p.Arg53His), c.214G>A (p.Asp72Asn), c.548C>T (p.Ala183Val), c.757A>G (p.Thr253Ala) and 1208A>G (p.Tyr403Cys). Among these, c.548C>T and c.757A>G were unreported previously. None of the variants was detected by next generation sequencing of 2095 healthy newborns, and all variants were predicted to be likely pathogenic based on the guidelines from the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics. CONCLUSION The incidence of isovalerate acidemia in Liuzhou area is quite high. Screening of metabolic genetic diseases is therefore recommended for newborns with abnormal metabolism. The discovery of novel variants has enriched the mutational spectrum of the IVD gene.
Infant, Newborn ; Child ; Humans ; Acidosis ; Carnitine ; Erythrocytes ; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing

Objective:To discuss the clinical curative effect of the minimally invasive percutaneous suture technique of eight times for repairing closed injury extensor tendon zone I of finger.Methods:From February 2017 to January 2020, 12 patients (male 8, female 4) with mallet finger deformity were retrospectively studied, with an average age of 35 years (range, 18-50 years). And all the affected fingers were acute closed rupture of extensor tendon in zone I of single finger, 5 cases of the left finger and 7 cases of the right finger. There were 1 case of the thumb finger, 2 cases of the index finger, 3 cases of the middle finger, 4 cases of the ring finger and 2 cases of the little finger. 12 patients with fresh sputum mallet fingers were with 3-0 thread monofilament suture on extensor tendon zone I of finger in the minimally invasive percutaneous suture technique of eight times, and the distal end of the tendon was fixed to the base of the distal phalanx through the bone hole. Removal of the Kirschner wire 6-8 weeks, the brace was used to fix the affected finger in the dorsal extension. The flexion and extension of the affected finger was gradually strengthened. The function of the affected finger was evaluated according to the Crawford standard after operation and follow-up. The active flexion and extension range of motion of each joint of the affected finger and the contralateral healthy finger were measured, and the total action movement (TAM) of the finger were recorded. Finger function was evaluated according to TAM of the American Association of Hand Surgeons.Results:All operations were successfully completed, the operation time of the patients ranged from 18 to 25 min, with an average of 20.1±0.2 min. There was only a small amount of bleeding in the surgery. All 12 cases were followed up and the follow-up periods ranged from 6 to 14 months, with an average of 10.2±1.1 months. Mallet finger deformities were all corrected postoperatively; there were no knot exposure, skin necrosis and other complications. According to the Crawford standard, 9 cases were excellent, 2 cases were good, and 1 case was fair. The excellent and good rate was 91.7% (11/12). The mean active flexion of distal interphalangeal joints on the wounded finger and healthy finger were 82.11°±2.02° and 84.09°±2.01°, the mean active extension of distal interphalangeal joints on the wounded finger and healthy finger were -2.04°±3.01° and 0.02°±1.02°, there were significant differences between them ( t=2.447, 3.246; P=0.019, 0.004). The degrees of active joint activity of wounded finger were: 91.02°±4.01° of the metacar-pophalangeal joint, 94.04°±2.11° of the proximal interphalangeal joint, 83.01°±2.02° of the distal interphalangeal joint, and 265.05°±13.04° of total active activity; the degrees of active joint activity of healthy finger were: 93.01°±3.21° of the metacar-pophalangeal joint, 94.03°±3.07° of the proximal interphalangeal joint, 85.02°±2.01° of the distal interphalangeal joint, and 269.02°±12.10° of total active activity. The TAMs of the healthy side were 269.02°±12.10°, and the TAMs of the affected side were 265.05°±13.04°, there was no significant difference between them ( P>0.05). According to TAM system assessment criteria: excellent in 9 patients, good in 3 patients, and the excellent and good rate was 100% (12/12). Conclusion:The minimally invasive percutaneous suture technique of eight times can well repair closed injury extensor tendon zone I of finger, can have satisfactory treatment outcome in mallet finger with a simple procedure and good outcome. It is a simple, safe, effective method with minimal invasion.

BACKGROUND: In the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures with percutaneous vertebroplasty, the efficacy and safety of bone cement injection by unipedicular and bipedicular approaches are still controversial. Some studies suggest that bone cement injection via unipedicular approach can shorten operation time and reduce postoperative complications, while the other studies suggest that bone cement injection via bipedicular approach can make bone cement distribute more evenly in the vertebral body and relieve pain better. OBJECTIVE: To systematically assess the efficacy and safety of percutaneous vertebroplasty via unipedicular versus bipedicular approach in the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures. METHODS: Randomized controlled trials about unipedicular versus bipedicular percutaneous vertebroplasty in the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture published before September 18 t h, 2018 were retrieved in the PubMed, Cochrane library, Embase, CNKI, VIP, WanFang data and CBM. Two researchers independently screened all the literatures, carried out data extraction and used improved Jadad to evaluate the methodological quality of the included studies. Meta-analysis using Revam 5.3 was conducted. Egger's test was utilized to evaluate the publication bias. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Totally 14 randomized controlled trials including 900 cases were eventually included, 452 cases in unipedicular approach group and 448 cases in bipedicular approach group. The Meta-analysis results showed that compared with the bipedicular approach, the unipedicular approach required shorter operation time [weighted mean difference (WMD) =-16.59, 95％ confidence interval (CI) (-19.25, -13.94), P < 0.001], smaller amount of bone cement injected [WMD=-1.27, 95％ CI (-1.64, -0.89), P < 0.001], and had lower incidence of cement leakage [relative risk=0.70, 95％ CI (0.53, 0.92), P =0.01]. There were no significant differences in short-and long-term Visual Analogue Scale scores, short-and long-term Oswestry Disability Index scores, and the postoperative incidence of adjacent vertebral fractures between the two groups (P> 0.05). Overall, bone cement injection both via bipedicular and unipedicular approaches can lead to a significant improvement in pain relief and living quality of osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture patients, but bone cement injection via unipedicular approach can shorten operation time, reduce cement volume and lower the incidence of cement leakage compared with the bipedicular approach.

OBJECTIVE: To carry out mutation analysis and prenatal diagnosis for a family affected with primary carnitine deficiency. METHODS: Genomic DNA of the proband was extracted from peripheral blood sample 10 days after birth. The 10 exons and intron/exon boundaries of the SLC22A5 gene were subjected to PCR amplification and Sanger sequencing. The proband's mother was pregnant again two years after his birth. Fetal DNA was extracted from amniocytes and subjected to PCR and Sanger sequencing. RESULTS: Tandem mass spectrometric analysis of the proband revealed low level of plasma-free carnitine whilst organic acids in urine was normal. Compound heterozygous SLC22A5 mutations c.1195C>T (inherited from his father) and c.517delC (inherited from his mother) were detected in the proband. Prenatal diagnosis has detected no mutation in the fetus. The plasma-free carnitine was normal after birth. CONCLUSION Appropriate genetic testing and prenatal diagnosis can prevent further child with carnitine deficiency. The identification of c.517delC, a novel mutation, enriched the spectrum of SLC22A5 mutations.
Cardiomyopathies ; genetics ; Carnitine ; deficiency ; genetics ; Child, Preschool ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperammonemia ; genetics ; Muscular Diseases ; genetics ; Mutation ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; Solute Carrier Family 22 Member 5 ; genetics

Objective A finite element analysis was conducted on the biomechanics of the locking plate and intramedullary nail fixation for the treatment of distal tibial fractures,and the resuhs were verified combined with clinical cases,so as to provide references for clinical treatment.Methods (1) Finite element analysis:the three-dimensional CT data of the lower limbs of a healthy male volunteer were used to establish a finite element model.The internal stress distribution of the tibial plateau was set to 60％ of the total load by intramedullary nail and locking plate respectively,and the tibia end was fixed effectively.400 N axial pressure load which equaled to that of adult knee joint during single axis standing was simulated.The equivalent stress and displacement of the model by different fixations were compared.(2) Clinical verification:a retrospective case control study was performed on the clinical data of 37 cases of distal tibia1 fractures treated with internal fixation from June 2015 to December 2016,including 17 cases in intramedullary nail group and 20 in locking plate group.The operation time,intraoperative blood loss,postoperative fracture healing time,and postoperative Johner-Wruhs score of patients were recorded for comprehensive assessment of recovery.Results (1) The finite element analysis results:the maximum stress value was 5.907 MPa for intramedullary nail and 5.821 MPa for locking plate model (P ＞0.05),respectively.The maximum displacement of intramedullary nail model was 2.313 mm,lower than that of locking plate fixation system (3.854 rmm) (P ＜ 0.05).(2) Clinical verification:the operation time and intraoperative blood loss of intramedullary nail were both lower than those of locking plate [(114.1 ±21.6)minutes):(129.8±21.4)minutes and (152.9 ±64.88)ml:(212.5 ±98.5)ml](P ＜0.05).The average fracture healing time was (17.7 ± 2.8)weeks for intramedullary nail and (20.6 ± 4.1) weeks for locking plate (P ＜ 0.05),respectively.In the intramedullary nail group,the Johner Wruhs score was excellent in 13 cases and good in four cases,with excellent and good rate of 100％,while in the locking plate group,nine cases were excellent,eight were good,and three were fair,with excellent and good rate of 85％ (P ＞ 0.05).Conclusions In terms of biomechanics and clinical effect,intramedullary nail fixation is superior than the medial locking plate fixation for the treatment of the distal tibial fractures.Intramedullary nail fixation can reduce surgical trauma and bone displacement after fixation and promote fracture healing.