OBJECTIVE: To summarize the early clinical results and safety of Stand-alone OLIF application of lumbar lesions, and explored its surgical indications. METHODS: Total of 92 cases of lumbar spine lesions treated with Stand-alone OLIF at two medical centers from October 2014 to December 2018 were retrospectively analyzed, including 30 males and 62 females with an average age of (61.20±12.94) years old ranged from 32 to 83 years old. There were 20 cases of lumbar spinal stenosis, 15 cases of lumbar disc degeneration, 11 cases of lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis, 6 cases of discogenic low back pain, 7 cases of giant lumbar disc herniation, 13 cases of primary lumbar discitis, 6 cases of adjacent vertebral disease after lumbar internal fixation surgery, and 14 cases of degenerative lumbar scoliosis. Pre-operative dual energy X-ray bone density examination 31 cases' T-values ranged from -1 to -2.4, 8 cases' T-values ranged from -2.5 to -3.5, and the rest had normal bone density. The number of fusion segments: 68 cases of single segment, 9 cases of two segment, 12 cases of three segment , and 3 cases of four segment. Fusion site:L_1,2 1 case, L_2,3 4 cases, L_3,4 10 cases, L_4,5 53 cases, L_2,3-L_3,4 3 cases, L_3,4-L_4,5 6 cases, L_1,2L_2,3L_3,4 1 case, L_1,2L_3,4L_4,5 1 case, L_2,3L_3,4L_4,5 10 cases, L_1,2L_2,3L_3,4L_4,5 3 cases. The clinical results and imaging results of this group of cases were observed, as well as the complications. RESULTS: The surgical time ranged from 40 to 140 minutes with an average of (60.92±27.40) minutes. The intraoperative bleeding volume was 20 to 720 ml with an average of (68.22±141.60) ml. The patients had a follow-up period of 6 to 84 months with an average of (38.50±12.75) months. The height of the intervertebral space recovered from (9.23±1.94) mm in preoperative to (12.68±2.01) mm in postoperative, and (9.11±1.72) mm at the last follow-up, there was a statistically significant difference(F=6.641, P=0.008);there was also a statistically significant difference between the postoperative and preoperative height of the intervertebral space(t=9.27, P<0.000 1);and there was also a statistically significant difference (t=10.06, P<0.000 1) between the last follow-up and postoperative height of the intervertebral space. At the last follow-up, cage subsidence grading was as follows:level 0 in 69 cases (76 segments), levelⅠin 17 cases (43 segments), level Ⅱin 5 cases (14 segments), and level Ⅲ in 1 case (1 segment);according to the number of segments, normal subsidence accounts for 56.72%, abnormal subsidence accounts for 43.28%. Bone mineral desity of normal subsidence groups was -0.50±0.07 whinch was better than that the abnormal subsidence groups -2.10±0.43, and the difference was statistically significant(χ²=2.275, P=0.014). As well as there was a statistically significant difference in the patient's VAS of backache from (6.28±2.11) in preoperative to (1.48±0.59) in last follow-up(t=8.56, P<0.05). The ODI recovered from (36.30±7.52)% before surgery to (10.20±2.50)% at the last follow-up, with a statistically significant difference (t=7.79, P<0.000 1). Complications involved 4 cases of intraoperative vascular injury, 21 cases of endplate injury, and 4 cases of combined vertebral fractures. The incision skin has no necrosis or infection. There were 4 cases of left sympathetic chain injury, 4 cases of transient left hip flexion weakness, 2 cases of left thigh anterolateral numbness with quadriceps femoris weakness, and 1 case of incomplete intestinal obstruction;8 cases were treated with posterior pedicle screw fixation due to fusion cage settlement accompanied by stubborn lower back pain, and 6 cases were treated with fusion cage settlement and lateral displacement. According to the actual number of cases, there were 38 complications, with an incidence rate of 41.3%. CONCLUSION The application of Stand alone OLIF in lumbar spine disease fusion has achieved good early results, with obvious clinical advantages, but also there are high probability of complications. It is recommended to choose carefully. It is necessary to continuously summarize and gradually clarify and complete the surgical indications and specific case selection criteria.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Spinal Fusion/methods* ; Lumbar Vertebrae/injuries* ; Aged ; Adult ; Retrospective Studies ; Aged, 80 and over

Compounds isolated from Epimedium include the total flavonoids of Epimedium , icariin, and its metabolites (icaritin, icariside I, and icariside II), which have similar molecular structures. Modern pharmacological research and clinical practice have proved that Epimedium and its active components have a wide range of pharmacological effects, especially in improving sexual function, hormone regulation, anti-osteoporosis, immune function regulation, anti-oxidation, and anti-tumor activity. To date, we still need a comprehensive source of knowledge about the pharmacological effects of Epimedium and its bioactive compounds on the male reproductive system. However, their actions in other tissues have been reviewed in recent years. This review critically focuses on the Epimedium , its bioactive compounds, and the biochemical and molecular mechanisms that modulate vital pathways associated with the male reproductive system. Such intrinsic knowledge will significantly further studies on the Epimedium and its bioactive compounds that protect the male reproductive system and provide some guidances for clinical treatment of related male reproductive disorders.
Male ; Epimedium/chemistry* ; Humans ; Genitalia, Male/drug effects* ; Flavonoids/therapeutic use* ; Animals

BACKGROUND: The atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) has been shown to be positively correlated with cardiovascular disease in previous studies. However, it is unclear whether elderly people with long-term high AIP levels are more likely to develop coronary heart disease (CHD). Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between AIP trajectory and CHD incidence in elderly people. METHODS: 19,194 participants aged ≥ 60 years who had three AIP measurements between 2018 and 2020 were included in this study. AIP was defined as log₁₀ (triglyceride/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol). The group-based trajectory model was used to identify different trajectory patterns of AIP from 2018 to 2020. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) with 95% CI of CHD events between different trajectory groups from 2020 to 2023. RESULTS: Three different trajectory patterns were identified through group-based trajectory model: the low-level group (n = 7410, mean AIP: -0.25 to -0.17), the medium-level group (n = 9981, mean AIP: 0.02-0.08), and the high-level group (n = 1803, mean AIP: 0.38-0.42). During a mean follow-up of 2.65 years, a total of 1391 participants developed CHD. After adjusting for potential confounders, compared with the participants in the low-level group, the HR with 95% CI of the medium-level group and the high-level group were estimated to be 1.24 (1.10-1.40) and 1.43 (1.19-1.73), respectively. These findings remained consistent in subgroup analyses and sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSIONS There was a significant correlation between persistent high AIP level and increased CHD risk in the elderly. This suggests that monitoring the long-term changes in AIP is helpful to identify individuals at high CHD risk in elderly people.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the dynamic changes of glucocorticoid (GC) dose and the feasibility of GC discontinuation in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients under the background of Chinese medicine (CM). METHODS: This multicenter retrospective cohort study included 1,196 RA patients enrolled in the China Rheumatoid Arthritis Registry of Patients with Chinese Medicine (CERTAIN) from September 1, 2019 to December 4, 2023, who initiated GC therapy. Participants were divided into the Western medicine (WM) and integrative medicine (IM, combination of CM and WM) groups based on medication regimen. Follow-up was performed at least every 3 months to assess dynamic changes in GC dose. Changes in GC dose were analyzed by generalized estimator equation, the probability of GC discontinuation was assessed using Kaplan-Meier curve, and predictors of GC discontinuation were analyzed by Cox regression. Patients with <12 months of follow-up were excluded for the sensitivity analysis. RESULTS: Among 1,196 patients (85.4% female; median age 56.4 years), 880 (73.6%) received IM. Over a median 12-month follow-up, 34.3% (410 cases) discontinued GC, with significantly higher rates in the IM group (40.8% vs. 16.1% in WM; P<0.05). GC dose declined progressively, with IM patients demonstrating faster reductions (median 3.75 mg vs. 5.00 mg in WM at 12 months; P<0.05). Multivariate Cox analysis identified age <60 years [P<0.001, hazard ratios (HR)=2.142, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.523-3.012], IM therapy (P=0.001, HR=2.175, 95% CI: 1.369-3.456), baseline GC dose ⩽7.5 mg (P=0.003, HR=1.637, 95% CI: 1.177-2.275), and absence of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs use (P=0.001, HR=2.546, 95% CI: 1.432-4.527) as significant predictors of GC discontinuation. Sensitivity analysis (545 cases) confirmed these findings. CONCLUSIONS RA patients receiving CM face difficulties in following guideline-recommended GC discontinuation protocols. IM can promote GC discontinuation and is a promising strategy to reduce GC dependency in RA management. (Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, No. NCT05219214).
Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid/drug therapy* ; Glucocorticoids/therapeutic use* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between physical activity and genetic risk and their combined effects on the risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. METHODS: This prospective cohort study included 318,085 biobank participants from the UK. Physical activity was assessed using the short form of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. The participants were stratified into low-, intermediate-, and high-genetic-risk groups based on their polygenic risk scores. Multivariate Cox regression models and multiplicative interaction analyses were used. RESULTS: During a median follow-up period of 13 years, 9,209 participants were diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. For low genetic risk, compared to low physical activity, the hazard ratios ( HRs) for moderate and high physical activity were 0.853 (95% confidence interval [ CI]: 0.748-0.972) and 0.831 (95% CI: 0.727-0.950), respectively. For intermediate genetic risk, the HRs were 0.829 (95% CI: 0.758-0.905) and 0.835 (95% CI: 0.764-0.914), respectively. For participants with high genetic risk, the HRs were 0.809 (95% CI: 0.746-0.877) and 0.818 (95% CI: 0.754-0.888), respectively. A significant interaction was observed between genetic risk and physical activity. CONCLUSION Moderate or high levels of physical activity were associated with a lower risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease across all genetic risk groups, highlighting the need to tailor activity interventions for genetically susceptible individuals.
Humans ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/epidemiology* ; Exercise ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Aged ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Risk Factors ; United Kingdom/epidemiology* ; Incidence ; Adult

Objective To explore the effect of PCSK9 inhibitor combined with atorvastatin on carotid atherosclerosis and its anti-inflammatory effect in patients with hypertension complicated with type 2 diabetes mellitus.Methods A total of 100 patients with hypertension complicated with type 2 diabetes mellitus who were treated in Nanchang Third Hospital from October 2022 to August 2023 were selected as the research subjects.They were divided into the control group and the study group by the random number table method,with 50 cases in each group.Both groups of patients received conventional antihypertensive,hypoglycemic,and antiplatelet therapy.The control group took 20 mg of atorvastatin calcium tablets orally,once a night.On the basis of the control group,the study group was additionally given 150 mg of evolocumab injection(a PCSK9 inhibitor)by subcutaneous injection,once every two weeks.Both groups of patients were followed up for 24 weeks.The levels of blood lipids,blood glucose,inflammatory cytokines,carotid intima-media thickness(IMT),atherosclerotic plaque score and adverse reactions of the patients in the two groups before and after treatment were detected and compared.Results The levels of TC,TG and LDL-C in the study group after treatment were lower than those before treatment and those in the control group at the same period,and the differences were statistically significant(P＜0.05).The levels of IL-1,IL-6,TNF-α,hs-CRP,as well as the ca-rotid IMT and atherosclerotic plaque score in the study group after treatment were lower than those before treatment and those in the control group at the same period,and the differences were statistically significant(P＜O.05).During the treatment period,there was no significant difference in the occurrence of adverse reac-tions between the two groups(P＞0.05).Conclusion The combination of PCSK9 inhibitor and atorvastatin can effectively regulate the blood lipid levels of patients with hypertension complicated and type 2 diabetes mellitus,alleviate the inflammatory response,and improve the degree of carotid atherosclerosis in these pa-tients.

ObjectiveTranscription factor NFE2 was observed abnormal expression in myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN) patients. However, how NFE2 is transcriptionally regulated remains ambiguous. This study aims to explore the elements and molecular mechanisms involved in the transcriptional regulation of NFE2. MethodsActive enhancers were predicted by public NGS data and conformed experimentally via dual luciferase reporter assay. After that, PRO-seq and GRO-seq data was used to detect enhancer RNAs transcribed from these enhancers. RACE was utilized to clone the full length enhancer RNA (eRNA) transcripts, and RT-qPCR was used to measure their expression in different leukemia cell lines as well as the transcript levels during induced differentiation. Finally, to investigate the molecular function of the eRNA, overexpression and knockdown of the eRNA via lentivirus system was performed in K562 cells. ResultsWe identified three enhancers regulating NFE2 transcription, which located at -3.6k, -6.2k and +6.3k from NFE2 transcription start site (TSS) respectively. At the -3.6k enhancer, we cloned an eRNA transcript and characterized that as a lncRNA which was expressed and located in the nucleus in three types of leukemia cell lines. When this lncRNA was overexpressed, expression of NFE2 was upregulated and decreases of K562 cell proliferation and migration ability were observed. While knocking down of this lncRNA, the level of NFE2 decreases correspondingly and the proliferation ability of K562 cells increases accordingly. ConclusionWe identified an enhancer lncRNA that regulates NFE2 transcription positively and suppresses K562 cell proliferation.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of iron overload on the transplant outcomes of pediatric patients with severe aplastic anemia (SAA) undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 74 children with SAA who received allo-HSCT at the Hematology Department of Wuhan Children’s Hospital between January 2018 and August 2022. Children with iron overload (serum ferritin >1 000 μg/L) before transplantation had a longer disease course, received more red blood cell transfusions, and had a higher number of CD34 + cells infused. Moreover, iron overload significantly delayed the reconstitution of regulatory T cells after transplantation, increasing the incidence of hemorrhagic cystitis and grade Ⅲ-Ⅳ acute graft-versus-host disease after transplantation. However, iron overload did not significantly affect the overall survival and failure-free survival rates of the children.

"MS/MS spectrum to structure"plays a critical role in the confirmative identification of complicated matrices and is currently regarded as an extremely challenging endeavor.MS/MS information provides vital clues to structural identification.In this study,a strategy was proposed to facilitate unambiguous identification through matching MS3 with MS2 spectra.Initially,MS3 spectra of the featured ions(c-and y-type ions)generated by the decomposition of ester functional group in esters and the MS2 spectrum of the structural unit([M-H]-)were all captured on the Qtrap-MS platform equipped with two tandem-in-space collision cells,including the second quadrupole cell(q2)and linear ion trap(LIT)chambers(actually the third quadrupole unit).Subsequently,the MS/MS spectrum matching between MS3 spectra of the ester compound and MS2 spectra of the structural unit(s)were achieved.As a result,the findings corresponding to MS3 and MS2 spectra matching were summarized.Finally,based on HR-MS/MS information of total salvianolic acid derivatives(TSA),36 kinds of compounds were preliminarily identified through matching with literature information and database retrieval.The applicability of MS3 and MS2 spectra matching strategy was further justified by the confirmative identification of phenolic acid compounds(Rosmarinic acid and salvianolic acid B)in TSA.Above all,MS3 and MS2 spectra matching strategy was quite meaningful towards advancing"MS/MS spectrum to structure"analysis through recognizing and identifying featured fragment ions,and also provided inspiration and new insights for the structural characterization.