Objective:To explore the expression changes of N6-methyladenosine (m6A)-related proteins in the hippocampus of mice with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)-like behavior and the therapeutic effects of sertraline hydrochloride.Methods:Male C57BL/6J mice aged 4-6 weeks were selected to establish a PTSD model using a single prolonged stress and foot shock stimulation. A total of 24 mice were randomly divided into the control group, model group, and sertraline group using a random number table, with 8 mice in each group. Mice in the sertraline group were intraperitoneally injected with sertraline hydrochloride (15 mg/kg, once daily) 24 h after PTSD modelling, continuing for 14 days. Mice in the control group and model group were injected with an equal volume of 0.9% NaCl solution (once daily, for 14 days). The anxiety, despair, and learning and memory functions of the mice were assessed using the open field test, Y-maze test, and forced swimming test. Western blot was performed to measure the protein expression levels of methyltransferase-like protein 3 (METTL3), fat mass and obesity-associated gene (FTO), ALKB homolog 5 (ALKBH5), Wilms tumour 1 associating protein (WTAP), and methyltransferase-like protein 14 (METTL14) in the hippocampus. Immunofluorescence was used to detect the expression levels of METTL3, FTO, and ALKBH5 in the hippocampus. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 26.0 and GraphPad Prism 9.0.Comparisons between two groups were conducted using independent samples t-test, while comparisons among three groups were performed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) or Kruskal-Wallis H test, followed by pairwise comparisons using LSD test. Results:(1) Behavioral results showed that the total distance travelled in the central area ( F=9.231, P<0.05) and the time spent in the central area ( H=8.045, P<0.05) showed statistically significant differences among the control, model, and sertraline groups. Mice in the control and sertraline groups travelled a greater distance((332.68±121.17)cm, (248.56±40.21)cm) and spent more time(24.98(23.08, 26.71)s, 22.52(18.86, 26.20)s) in the central area than those in the model group((131.66±84.90)cm, 9.14(6.56, 18.53)s) (all P<0.05). In the forced swimming test, the number of resting episodes ( F=16.882, P<0.05) and the duration of rest ( H=12.285, P<0.05) differed significantly among the three groups. Mice in the control group ((19.14±8.30) counts, 30.21 (18.98, 52.62) s) and the sertraline group ((17.63±8.14) counts, 25.90 (16.78, 37.56) s) had fewer resting episodes and shorter resting durations compared to those in the model group ((37.75±6.47) counts, 83.37 (64.62, 124.42) s) (all P<0.05). The percentage of alternations in the Y-maze experiment showed significant statistical differences among the three groups( F=6.844, P<0.05). Mice in the control group ((51.33±11.49)%) and the sertraline group ((48.24±3.10)%) exhibited a higher percentage of alternations than that in the model group ((36.70±8.15)%) ( P<0.05). (2) Western blot results showed that the protein expression levels of METTL3, FTO, and ALKBH5 in the hippocampal tissue of the three groups showed significant differences ( F=10.263, 9.010, 6.950, all P<0.05). The METTL3 and FTO protein expression levels in the hippocampus in the control group (0.85±0.07, 0.86±0.04) and the sertraline group (0.93±0.06, 0.95±0.13) were higher than those in the model group (0.74±0.02, 0.68±0.04) (all P<0.05). However, the ALKBH5 protein expression levels in the control group (0.93±0.08) and the sertraline group (0.87±0.13) were lower than that in the model group (1.13±0.04) (both P<0.05). (3) Immunofluorescence results showed that the expression levels of METTL3, FTO, and ALKBH5 proteins in the hippocampal tissue of the three groups showed significant statistical differences ( F=37.912, 62.659, 54.417, all P<0.05). The expression levels of METTL3 and FTO in the hippocampus in the control group (14.03±0.32, 13.85±0.28) and the sertraline group (17.94±0.29, 10.52±0.66) were higher than those in the model group (11.67±1.48, 8.70±0.68) (all P<0.05). The expression levels of ALKBH5 in the control group (12.94±0.38) and the sertraline group (13.30±0.93) were lower than that in the model group (19.24±1.03) (both P<0.05). Conclusion:The expression of m6A-related proteins in the hippocampus of PTSD-like mice is altered. Sertraline treatment can significantly regulate the expression of these proteins and improve anxiety, despair, and learning and memory impairments in the PTSD-like mice.

Objective:To explore the expression changes of N6-methyladenosine (m6A)-related proteins in the hippocampus of mice with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)-like behavior and the therapeutic effects of sertraline hydrochloride.Methods:Male C57BL/6J mice aged 4-6 weeks were selected to establish a PTSD model using a single prolonged stress and foot shock stimulation. A total of 24 mice were randomly divided into the control group, model group, and sertraline group using a random number table, with 8 mice in each group. Mice in the sertraline group were intraperitoneally injected with sertraline hydrochloride (15 mg/kg, once daily) 24 h after PTSD modelling, continuing for 14 days. Mice in the control group and model group were injected with an equal volume of 0.9% NaCl solution (once daily, for 14 days). The anxiety, despair, and learning and memory functions of the mice were assessed using the open field test, Y-maze test, and forced swimming test. Western blot was performed to measure the protein expression levels of methyltransferase-like protein 3 (METTL3), fat mass and obesity-associated gene (FTO), ALKB homolog 5 (ALKBH5), Wilms tumour 1 associating protein (WTAP), and methyltransferase-like protein 14 (METTL14) in the hippocampus. Immunofluorescence was used to detect the expression levels of METTL3, FTO, and ALKBH5 in the hippocampus. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 26.0 and GraphPad Prism 9.0.Comparisons between two groups were conducted using independent samples t-test, while comparisons among three groups were performed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) or Kruskal-Wallis H test, followed by pairwise comparisons using LSD test. Results:(1) Behavioral results showed that the total distance travelled in the central area ( F=9.231, P<0.05) and the time spent in the central area ( H=8.045, P<0.05) showed statistically significant differences among the control, model, and sertraline groups. Mice in the control and sertraline groups travelled a greater distance((332.68±121.17)cm, (248.56±40.21)cm) and spent more time(24.98(23.08, 26.71)s, 22.52(18.86, 26.20)s) in the central area than those in the model group((131.66±84.90)cm, 9.14(6.56, 18.53)s) (all P<0.05). In the forced swimming test, the number of resting episodes ( F=16.882, P<0.05) and the duration of rest ( H=12.285, P<0.05) differed significantly among the three groups. Mice in the control group ((19.14±8.30) counts, 30.21 (18.98, 52.62) s) and the sertraline group ((17.63±8.14) counts, 25.90 (16.78, 37.56) s) had fewer resting episodes and shorter resting durations compared to those in the model group ((37.75±6.47) counts, 83.37 (64.62, 124.42) s) (all P<0.05). The percentage of alternations in the Y-maze experiment showed significant statistical differences among the three groups( F=6.844, P<0.05). Mice in the control group ((51.33±11.49)%) and the sertraline group ((48.24±3.10)%) exhibited a higher percentage of alternations than that in the model group ((36.70±8.15)%) ( P<0.05). (2) Western blot results showed that the protein expression levels of METTL3, FTO, and ALKBH5 in the hippocampal tissue of the three groups showed significant differences ( F=10.263, 9.010, 6.950, all P<0.05). The METTL3 and FTO protein expression levels in the hippocampus in the control group (0.85±0.07, 0.86±0.04) and the sertraline group (0.93±0.06, 0.95±0.13) were higher than those in the model group (0.74±0.02, 0.68±0.04) (all P<0.05). However, the ALKBH5 protein expression levels in the control group (0.93±0.08) and the sertraline group (0.87±0.13) were lower than that in the model group (1.13±0.04) (both P<0.05). (3) Immunofluorescence results showed that the expression levels of METTL3, FTO, and ALKBH5 proteins in the hippocampal tissue of the three groups showed significant statistical differences ( F=37.912, 62.659, 54.417, all P<0.05). The expression levels of METTL3 and FTO in the hippocampus in the control group (14.03±0.32, 13.85±0.28) and the sertraline group (17.94±0.29, 10.52±0.66) were higher than those in the model group (11.67±1.48, 8.70±0.68) (all P<0.05). The expression levels of ALKBH5 in the control group (12.94±0.38) and the sertraline group (13.30±0.93) were lower than that in the model group (19.24±1.03) (both P<0.05). Conclusion:The expression of m6A-related proteins in the hippocampus of PTSD-like mice is altered. Sertraline treatment can significantly regulate the expression of these proteins and improve anxiety, despair, and learning and memory impairments in the PTSD-like mice.

Objective:To explore the factors associated with the efficacy of high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in the treatment of neuropathic pain (NP) following spinal cord injury (SCI).Methods:This was a retrospective study of 89 SCI survivors with NP receiving high-frequency rTMS. Those with a ≥30% reduction in their Numeric Rating Scales (NRS) scores after 2 weeks of treatment were termed Responders ( n=36), with the others classified as non-responders ( n=53). Demographic data (gender, education level, age), SCI characteristics (injury etiology, injury severity, neurological injury level, injury duration), NP characteristics (pain type, pain intensity, analgesic use), functional assessment (Modified Ashworth Scale score, Spinal Cord Independence Measure score, Modified Barthel Index score, American Spinal Injury Association motor/sensory score) were collected. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression was used for variable selection, followed by binary logistic regression to identify factors associated with treatment efficacy. Results:Among the 89 patients, 36 (40.4%) were Responders to high-frequency rTMS. Binary logistic regression revealed that those with a cervical spinal cord injury and/or spasticity and women were more likely to respond to high-frequency rTMS.Conclusions:Female gender, cervical spinal cord injury, and spasticity are independent factors predicting rTMS efficacy in treating SCI, with spasticity demonstrating the strongest association.

Objective:To explore the factors associated with the efficacy of high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in the treatment of neuropathic pain (NP) following spinal cord injury (SCI).Methods:This was a retrospective study of 89 SCI survivors with NP receiving high-frequency rTMS. Those with a ≥30% reduction in their Numeric Rating Scales (NRS) scores after 2 weeks of treatment were termed Responders ( n=36), with the others classified as non-responders ( n=53). Demographic data (gender, education level, age), SCI characteristics (injury etiology, injury severity, neurological injury level, injury duration), NP characteristics (pain type, pain intensity, analgesic use), functional assessment (Modified Ashworth Scale score, Spinal Cord Independence Measure score, Modified Barthel Index score, American Spinal Injury Association motor/sensory score) were collected. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression was used for variable selection, followed by binary logistic regression to identify factors associated with treatment efficacy. Results:Among the 89 patients, 36 (40.4%) were Responders to high-frequency rTMS. Binary logistic regression revealed that those with a cervical spinal cord injury and/or spasticity and women were more likely to respond to high-frequency rTMS.Conclusions:Female gender, cervical spinal cord injury, and spasticity are independent factors predicting rTMS efficacy in treating SCI, with spasticity demonstrating the strongest association.

Objective:To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of rubber band-assisted endoscopic submucosal excavation (RB-ESE) for gastric submucosal tumors (SMT).Methods:A retrospective study was conducted on data of gastric SMT patients who underwent ESE in Affiliated Hospital of Yangzhou University from January 2017 to August 2022. A total of 48 patients were selected and divided into two groups: RB-ESE group ( n=20) and the conventional ESE (C-ESE) group ( n=28). The operation time, bleeding rate and perforation rate during operation, the retention rate of the mucosal cap, the number of clips, postoperative complications, and the hospitalization time were analyzed. Additionally, correlations between complications and tumor size/location and between bleeding and perforation were evaluated. Results:No significant difference was found in the general conditions between the two groups ( P>0.05). The operation time of RB-ESE group (14.82±2.31 min) was significantly shorter than that of C-ESE group (23.70±3.67 min) ( t=-9.539, P<0.001). The intraoperative bleeding rates were 20.0% (4/20) and 42.9% (12/28) in the RB-ESE group and C-ESE group respectively ( χ2=2.743, P=0.098), while the intraoperative perforation rates were 25.0% (5/20) and 46.4% (13/28) respectively ( χ2=2.286, P=0.131). Furthermore, the mucosal cap preservation rate was notably higher in the RB-ESE group at 60.0% (12/20) compared with 7.1% (2/28) in the C-ESE group ( χ2=15.777, P<0.001). The number of clips applied to close the wound was 8.05±1.40 and 10.43±1.96 in the RB-ESE group and C-ESE group respectively ( t=4.925, P<0.001). The postoperative hospital stays were 4.35±0.75 days and 5.00±0.86 days respectively in two groups ( t=2.724, P=0.009). No postoperative bleeding or perforation occurred in either group. The results showed that the occurrence of perforation and bleeding were associated with tumor diameter. Patients with tumor size ≥2 cm showed increased proportions of intraoperative bleeding [68.4% (13/19), P<0.001] and perforation [78.9% (15/19), P<0.001]. There was a correlation between intraoperative bleeding and perforation ( P<0.001). Conclusion:RB-ESE proves to be an effective and safe approach for managing gastric SMT, offering advantages such as reduced operation time and hospital stays, improved retention of the mucosal cap post-operation, and less clips use. The results suggest that RB-ESE could be widely adopted for treating SMT.

Spinal surgical site infection (SSI), especially deep SSI after internal fixation is difficult in treatment, with long course of disease and poor prognosis. At present, there are many controversies in the diagnosis and treatment of spinal SSI, with unsatisfactory overall efficacy of its diagnosis and treatment. Besides, no diagnosis and treatment guideline based on evidence-based medicine has been in existence. To this end, the Spinal Infection Group of the Orthopedic Branch of the Chinese Medical Doctor Association and the Spinal Infection Group of the Spinal Surgery Branch of the Chinese Rehabilitation Medicine Association jointly organized relevant experts to formulate Evidence-based clinical guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of surgical site infection in spinal trauma ( version 2024) based on an evidence-based approach. A total of 10 recommendations were proposed on the diagnosis and treatment of spinal SSI, so as to provide a clinical reference for the diagnosis and treatment of spinal SSI.

Spinal surgical site infection (SSI), especially deep SSI after internal fixation is difficult in treatment, with long course of disease and poor prognosis. At present, there are many controversies in the diagnosis and treatment of spinal SSI, with unsatisfactory overall efficacy of its diagnosis and treatment. Besides, no diagnosis and treatment guideline based on evidence-based medicine has been in existence. To this end, the Spinal Infection Group of the Orthopedic Branch of the Chinese Medical Doctor Association and the Spinal Infection Group of the Spinal Surgery Branch of the Chinese Rehabilitation Medicine Association jointly organized relevant experts to formulate Evidence-based clinical guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of surgical site infection in spinal trauma ( version 2024) based on an evidence-based approach. A total of 10 recommendations were proposed on the diagnosis and treatment of spinal SSI, so as to provide a clinical reference for the diagnosis and treatment of spinal SSI.

Objective:To explore the risk factors for lower extremity deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in patients with a spinal cord injury (SCI).Methods:The medical records of 276 hospitalized SCI patients were analyzed retrospectively. They were divided into a DVT group ( n=63) and a no-DVT group ( n=213). Gender, age, blood type, smoking history, surgical history, the time from SCI to admission, cause of SCI, fracture, SCI segments, American Spinal Cord Injury Association grade and complications were compared between the two groups. Binomial logistic regression was used to isolate the risk factors for lower extremity DVT among such patients. Results:Among 84% of the 63 with a lower extremity DVT, it was a calf muscle venous thrombosis. Anemia, hyponatremia and time from SCI to admission (which ranged from 74 to 195 days) were the most serious DVT risk factors.Conclusions:SCI patients are of high risk for DVT, with anemia and hyponatremia being independent risk factors.

Objective:To explore the risk factors for urinary tract infection (UTI) after a spinal cord injury (SCI).Methods:The medical records of 403 SCI patients were analyzed retrospectively. They were divided into UTI group and no-UTI group according to whether they had a UTI at admission. Gender, age, cause of injury, injury level of the spinal cord, voluntary anal contraction, time from injury to admission, American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) grade, axillary temperature at admission, complications at admission (diabetes, hypertension, fracture of the pelvis, pressure sores or anemia), white blood cell count and urinary bacteria were compared between the two groups. Binary logistic regression was used to highlight the risk factors for a UTI after an SCI.Results:Of the 354 patients included in the final analysis, 62 (17.51%) had a UTI at admission. The regression showed that UTI after an SCI was closely related to an inability to voluntarily contract the anus, anemia, elevated white blood cell count and a high level of bacteria in the urine.Conclusions:Inability to contract the anus, fever, anemia and an elevated white blood cell count are independent indicators of a UTI after an SCI. A temperature ≥37.3°C is a simple indicator of a concentration of bacteria in the urine ≥1266/μL.

Objective:To investigate the prognostic value of proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) and blood lipid indexes in patients with sepsis.Methods:Patients with sepsis or septic shock who were ≥ 18 years old and met the Sepsis-3.0 diagnostic criteria admitted to the department of critical care medicine of Binzhou Medical University Hospital from January to October 2021 were enrolled. Healthy adults at the same period were selected as healthy control group. Baseline characteristics, acute physiology and chronic health evaluation Ⅱ (APACHE Ⅱ) and sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score were recorded. Venous blood samples were collected within 24 hours after diagnosis, and serum PCSK9 was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) at 1, 3 days and 5 days. Meanwhile, high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG) and lipoprotein A were detected. The differences of each index between sepsis group (28-day death group and survival group) and healthy control group were compared. Meanwhile, the indexes of patients with different severity and 28-day prognosis in sepsis group were compared. Receiver operator characteristic curve (ROC curve) was drawn to evaluate the predictive value of PCSK9 and blood lipid for the prognosis of sepsis. Multivariate Logistic regression was used to analyze the influencing factors for the prognosis of sepsis, and the Kaplan-Meier survival curve at 28th day was drawn.Results:There were 50 patients in sepsis group (including 19 patients with sepsis, 31 patients with septic shock) and 27 patients in healthy control group. In the sepsis group, 19 patients died and 31 patients survived within 28 days. The serum PCSK9 in the sepsis group was significantly higher than that in the healthy control group [μg/L: 223.09 (198.47, 250.82) vs. 188.00 (165.27, 214.90), P < 0.01], and HDL-C, LDL-C, TC and lipoprotein A were significantly lower than those in the healthy control group [HDL-C (mmol/L): 0.82±0.35 vs. 1.45±0.24, LDL-C (mmol/L): 1.53 (1.14, 2.47) vs. 2.89 (2.55, 3.19), TC (mmol/L): 2.03 (1.39, 2.84) vs. 4.24 (3.90, 4.71), lipoprotein A (g/L): 8.80 (5.66, 17.56) vs. 27.03 (14.79, 27.03), all P < 0.01]. PCSK9 in the sepsis death group was higher than that in the survival group [μg/L: 249.58 (214.90, 315.77) vs. 207.01 (181.50, 244.95), P < 0.01], and the HDL-C, LDL-C and TC were lower than those in the survival group [HDL-C (mmol/L): 0.64±0.35 vs. 0.93±0.30, LDL-C (mmol/L): 1.32±0.64 vs. 2.08±0.94, TC (mmol/L): 1.39 (1.01, 2.23) vs. 2.69 (1.72, 3.81), all P < 0.01]. With the progression of the disease, the PCSK9 in the sepsis death group and the survival group was significantly lower than that within 1 day of diagnosis (all P < 0.05). ROC curve analysis showed that PCSK9 had higher predictive value of 28-day death than HDL-C, LDL-C, TC [area under ROC curve (AUC) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 0.748 (0.611-0.885) vs. 0.710 (0.552-0.868), 0.721 (0.575-0.867), 0.702 (0.550-0.854)]. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that PCSK9 was an independent risk factor affecting the 28-day prognosis of sepsis (β value was 1.014, P = 0.020). Kaplan-Meier survival curve analysis showed that when PCSK9 ≥ 208.97 μg/L, with the increase of PCSK9, the 28-day survival rate of sepsis patients decreased significantly. Conclusions:PCSK9, HDL-C, LDL-C and TC can all predict the 28-day prognosis of patients with sepsis. The prognostic value of PCSK9 is the highest. PCSK9 is an independent risk factor affecting the prognosis of sepsis. In the early stage of the disease, PCSK9 may have a good predictive value for the prognosis of sepsis. When PCSK9 ≥ 208.97 μg/L, the 28-day survival rate decreased significantly.