Objective To investigate the risk factors for re-fracture after percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) in elderly patients with osteoporotic thoracolumbar compression fractures and to construct a line graph prediction model. Methods One hundred and eighty-two elderly patients with osteoporotic thoracolumbar compression fractures treated with PKP from January 2016 to November 2019 were selected for the study‚ and the patients were continuously followed up for 3 years after surgery. Clinical data were collected from both groups; Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed on the measures; Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the independent risk factors affecting postoperative re-fracture in PKP; the R language software 4. 0 “rms” package was used to construct a predictive model for the line graph‚ and the calibration and decision curves were used to internally validate the predictive model for the line graph and for clinical evaluation of predictive performance. Results The differences between the two groups were statistically significant (P<0. 05) in terms of bone mineral density (BMD)‚ number of injured vertebrae‚ single-segment cement injection‚ type of cement distribution‚ cement leakage‚ difference in vertebral body height before and after PKP‚ and change in posterior convexity angle. The area under the curve (AUC) for BMD‚ number of injured vertebrae‚ single-segment cement injection volume‚ cement leakage‚ pre-and post-PKP vertebral height difference‚ and posterior convexity change were 0. 772‚ 0. 732‚ 0. 722‚ 0. 801‚ and 0. 813‚ respectively‚ and the best cutoff values were -3. 1‚ 2‚ 3. 9 ml‚ 0. 4 mm‚ and 8. 7°‚ respectively. BMD‚ number of injured vertebrae‚ single-segment cement injection volume‚ cement leakage‚ pre-and post-PKP vertebral height difference‚ and posterior convexity change were independent risk factors for re-fracture after PKP in elderly patients with osteoporotic thoracolumbar compression fractures. The calibration curve of the column line graph prediction model was close to the original curve and the ideal curve with a C-index of 0. 818 (95% CI: 0. 762-0. 883)‚ and the model fit was good; the threshold value of the column line graph prediction model was >0. 22‚ which could provide a net clinical benefit‚ and the net clinical benefit was higher than the independent predictors. Conclusion BMD‚ number of injured vertebrae‚ single-segment cement injection‚ cement leakage‚ pre-and post-PKP vertebral height difference‚ and posterior convexity angle change are independent risk factors affecting the recurrent fracture after PKP in elderly patients with osteoporotic thoracolumbar compression fracture‚ and this study constructs a column line graph model to predict the recurrent fracture after PKP in elderly patients with osteoporotic thoracolumbar compression fracture as a predictor for clinical. This study provides an important reference for clinical prevention and treatment‚ and has clinical application value.

Objective:To determine the differential expressions of long non-coding RNA(lncRNA)and messenger RNA(mRNA)in normal and asthenospermia(AS)men and analyze their biological significance in AS.Methods:We isolated and ex-tracted total RNAs from 9 normal and 9 AS sperm samples,determined the expressions of RNAs in the sperm using the DNBSEQ se-quencing platform,and analyzed their relevant functions by gene ontology enrichment(GO)and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and ge-nomes pathway(KEGG)analyses.Results:An average of 10.64G data was generated per group,with 282 185 RNAs detected,in-cluding 107 009 lncRNAs.Among the total number of lncRNAs,15 157 were differentially expressed,2 190 upregulated and 12 967 downregulated;and among the 19 514 mRNAs,13 736 were differentially expressed,4 995 upregulated and 8 741 downregulated.Differentially expressed genes were enriched mainly in the sperm cell membrane and the pathways related to the ion channel functions,sperm development and fertilization.Conclusion:Differentially expressed lncRNAs and mRNAs can be identified by sequencing a-nalysis of AS and normal sperm.Regulation of sperm function through membrane ion channels may contribute to the development of AS,which provides a molecular basis for further research on AS.

Objective To compare the effect of patient-controlled intravenous analgesia(PCIA)and superior inguinal liga-ment iliac fascia block combined with PCIA after hip replacement in the elderly.Methods Total of 82 elderly patients were treated with hip arthroplasty from June 2019 to June 2021 and randomly divided into observation group and control group.There were 42 patients in control group,including 18 males and 24 females,aged from 60 to 78 years old with an average of(70.43±3.67)years old,28 femoral neck fractures and 14 femoral head necrosis,who received PCIA.The study group consist-ed of 42 cases,including 20 males and 22 females,aged from 61 to 76 years old with an average of(69.68±3.74)years old,25 femoral neck fractures and 17 femoral head necrosis,who received superior inguinal ligament iliac fascia block combined with PCIA.Pain visual analogue scale(VAS)and Ramesay sedation scores at2h,6h,12h,24h and 48 h after operation were e-valuated.In addition,the follow-up results of the total consumption of sufentanil and the total number of PCIA compressions at 48 hours after operation,the first time of landing after surgery,the time of hospital stay,the incidence of adverse reactions,the satisfaction with analgesia of two groups were observed.Results All patients were followed up for 9 to 24 months with an aver-age of(13.85±2.67)months.There was no significant difference in operation time and intraoperative bleeding between two groups(P＞0.05).There was no difference in VAS between two groups at 2 hours after operation(P＞0.05),and the VAS of the study group at 6 h,12 h,24 h and 48 h after operation were lower than those of the control group(P＜0.05).The Ramesay seda-tion scores of the study group at 2 h,6 h and 12 h after operation were higher than those of the control group(P＜0.05),and there were no differences in Ramesay score between two groups at 24 h and 48 h after operation(P＞0.05).The consumption of sufentanil in the study group within 48 hours after operation was lower than that in the control group(P＜0.05),and PCIA com-pression times were lower than those in the control group(P＜0.05),and the time of first landing was earlier than that in the control group(P＜0.05).There was no significant difference in hospital stay,adverse reaction rate,complications between two groups(P＞0.05).The satisfaction of analgesia in the study group was higher than that in the control group(P＜0.05).Conclu-sion Superior iliac fascia block of inguinal ligament combined with PCIA has significant analgesic and sedative effects after hip arthroplasty in the elderly.It can reduce the amount of sufentanil used and the total number of PCIA compressions,which is conducive to the early activity of patients out of bed,improve the satisfaction of analgesia.

Objective To evaluate the clinical value of Bugan Yishen Qianggu Formula for the treatment of elderly patients with unstable intertrochanteric femur fractures of liver and kidney deficiency type.Methods A total of 138 elderly patients with unstable femoral intertrochanteric fracture of liver and kidney deficiency type were randomly divided into observation group and control group,with 69 cases in each group.The control group was treated with routine western medicine,and the observation group was treated with Bugan Yishen Qianggu Formula on the basis of treatment for the control group.The course of treatment for the two groups lasted for 12 weeks.Before and after treatment,the two groups were observed in the changes of Harris score,overall score of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)symptoms,and serum levels of interleukin 6(IL-6),D-dimer(D-D),prostaglandin E2(PGE2),vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF),transforming growth factor β1(TGF-β1),osteoprotegerin(OPG),total procollagen type 1 intact N-terminal propeptide(tPINP)and bone morphogenetic protein 2(BMP-2).The clinical efficacy,postoperative weight-bearing time and fracture healing time were compared between the two groups.Results(1)After 12 weeks of treatment,the total effective rate of the observation group was 94.20％(65/69)and that of the control group was 82.61％(57/69).The intergroup comparison showed that the efficacy of the observation group was significantly superior to that of the control group(x2=9.173,P＜0.05).(2)After treatment,the Harris scores in the two groups were increased(P＜0.05)and the total scores of TCM symptoms were decreased compared with those before treatment(P＜0.05),and the increase of the Harris scores and the decrease of the total scores of TCM symptoms in the observation group were superior to those in the control group(P＜0.05).(3)The fracture healing time and postoperative weight-bearing time of the observation group were significantly shorter than those of the control group,and the differences between the two groups were statistically significant(P＜0.05).(4)After treatment,the levels of serum IL-6,D-D and PGE2 in the two groups were lower(P＜0.05)and the levels of serum VEGF and TGF-β1 were higher than those before treatment(P＜0.05).The decrease of serum IL-6,D-D and PGE2 levels and the increase of serum VEGF and TGF-β1 levels in the observation group were significantly superior to those in the control group(P＜0.05).(5)After treatment,the levels of serum BMP-2,OPG and tPINP in the two groups were higher than those before treatment(P＜0.05),and the increase of serum BMP-2,OPG and tPINP levels in the observation group was significantly superior to that in the control group(P＜0.05).Conclusion For the treatment of elderly patients with unstable intertrochanteric femur fractures of liver and kidney deficiency type,the combined use of Bugan Yishen Qianggu Formula is beneficial to relieve the inflammatory response,regulate bone metabolism,and promote the improvement of hip joint function,thus to enhance the clinical efficacy.

Background/Aims: Chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients who failed antiviral therapy are at increased risk for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study assessed the potential role of metformin and statins, medications for diabetes mellitus (DM) and hyperlipidemia (HLP), in reducing HCC risk among these patients. Methods: We included CHC patients from the T-COACH study who failed antiviral therapy. We tracked the onset of HCC 1.5 years post-therapy by linking to Taiwan’s cancer registry data from 2003 to 2019. We accounted for death and liver transplantation as competing risks and employed Gray’s cumulative incidence and Cox subdistribution hazards models to analyze HCC development. Results: Out of 2,779 patients, 480 (17.3%) developed HCC post-therapy. DM patients not using metformin had a 51% increased risk of HCC compared to non-DM patients, while HLP patients on statins had a 50% reduced risk compared to those without HLP. The 5-year HCC incidence was significantly higher for metformin non-users (16.5%) versus non-DM patients (11.3%; adjusted sub-distribution hazard ratio [aSHR]=1.51; P=0.007) and metformin users (3.1%; aSHR=1.59; P=0.022). Statin use in HLP patients correlated with a lower HCC risk (3.8%) compared to non-HLP patients (12.5%; aSHR=0.50; P<0.001). Notably, the increased HCC risk associated with non-use of metformin was primarily seen in non-cirrhotic patients, whereas statins decreased HCC risk in both cirrhotic and non-cirrhotic patients. Conclusions Metformin and statins may have a chemopreventive effect against HCC in CHC patients who failed antiviral therapy. These results support the need for personalized preventive strategies in managing HCC risk.

This study aims to investigate the mechanism of berberine in regulating the metabolism network via clock-controlled genes represented by brain and muscle arnt-like 1(BMAL1) to ameliorate insulin resistance(IR) of hepatocytes in vitro. The HepG2 cell model of dexamethasone-induced IR(IR-HepG2) was established and treated with 5, 10, and 20 μmol·L~(-1) berberine, respectively, for 24 h. The glucose oxidase method and cell counting kit-8(CCK-8) assay were employed to measure extracellular glucose concentration and cell viability, respectively. Periodic acid-Schiff(PAS) staining and lipid fluorescence method were used to detect glycogen and lipids. The immunofluorescence(IF) assay was employed to detect the nuclear localization of BMAL1 and circadian locomotor output cycles kaput(CLOCK) in IR-HepG2 cells. Western blot was employed to determine the protein levels of BMAL1, CLOCK, period circadian clock 2(PER2), cryptochrome circadian regulator 1(CRY1), Rev-Erbα, carbohydrate response element-binding protein(ChREBP), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors alpha and gamma(PPARα/γ), sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1C(SREBP-1C), mammalian target of rapamycin(mTOR), protein kinase B(Akt), glycogen synthase kinase-3β(GSK3β), acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase 1(ACC1), fatty acid synthase(FASN), carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1α(CPT1α), nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase(NAMPT), silent information regulator 1(SIRT1), adiponectin(ADPN), insulin receptor substrate 2(IRS2), and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase regulatory subunit p85(PI3Kp85). In addition, the levels of phosphorylated adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase alpha(AMPKα), Akt, GSK3β, BMAL1, and mTOR were determined. Furthermore, 20 μmol·L~(-1) CLK8 was added to measure the glucose consumption as well as the protein levels of ChREBP, PPARα, and mTOR in IR-HepG2 cells. The results showed that berberine increased the glucose consumption, lowered the lipid levels, increased the expression and nuclear localization of BMAL1 and CLOCK, and up-regulated the level of BMAL1 in IR-HepG2 cells. Furthermore, berberine up-regulated the levels of ADPN, IRS2, PI3Kp85, p-Akt(Ser473)/Akt, p-mTOR(Ser2448)/mTOR, PPARα, and CPT1α, and down-regulated the levels of p-GSK3β(Ser9)/GSK3β, ChREBP, SREBP-1C, ACC1, and FASN. The addition of CLK8 reduced glucose consumption in IR-HepG2 cells, up-regulated the ChREBP level, and down-regulated PPARα and mTOR levels by inhibiting the BMAL1 and CLOCK interaction. In summary, berberine regulated glucose and lipid metabolism via clock-controlled genes with BMAL1 at the core to ameliorate IR of hepatocytes.
Humans ; Hepatocytes/drug effects* ; Lipid Metabolism/drug effects* ; Glucose/metabolism* ; Berberine/pharmacology* ; Insulin Resistance ; Hep G2 Cells ; CLOCK Proteins/genetics* ; ARNTL Transcription Factors/genetics*

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical features, laboratory and imaging results, treatment and outcomes of eosinophilic fasciitis (EF) and assess the value of ultrasound in the diagnosis of EF. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 45 patients with EF treated in our center from January 1, 2006 to February 28, 2022. The consistency between the diagnoses of EF based on ultrasound and MRI findings was assessed. RESULTS: In the 45 EF patients (male/female ratio 3.5:1), the age of onset ranged from 16 to 64 years with a mean disease course of 22.6 months. The average time from symptom onset to diagnosis was 16 months. The most common possible trigger of the disease was vigorous exercise (10/45), causing symmetrical lesions in the limbs, most commonly in the forearms (86.7%) and lower legs (80%). Clinical features of EF included subcutaneous swelling and induration (95.6%), arthralgia and arthritis (55.6%), groove sign (42.2%), hand joint contractures (42.2%), skin pigmentation (37.8%), and peau d'orange appearance (13.3%). Eosinophilia was found in 31 patients (68.9%). Hypergammaglobulinemia was seen in 23/44 (52.3%) and positive antinuclear antibodies in 9 (20%) of the patients. Twentyone of the patients were treated with high-dose methylprednisolone (≥200 mg daily for 3 to 5 consecutive days), and compared with the patients who did not receive this treatment, these patients more frequently experienced relapse before admission, had more extensive involvement, and had a higher rate of hypergammaglobulinemia without fever, but these differences were not statistically significant. Of the 31 patients (68.9%) with follow-up data (for a median of 3.2 years [range 0.2-15.9]), complete remission was achieved in 12 (38.7%) patients, and the accumulative complete remission rate was 44.1% at 5.5 years. No specific baseline characteristics or immunosuppressants were found to correlate with the treatment response. A total of 26 patients underwent both ultrasound and MRI examination, and the Kappa value of the diagnostic results between ultrasound and MRI was 0.91. CONCLUSION EF is characterized by symmetrical subcutaneous swelling and induration in the limbs, accompanied by eosinophilia and hypergammaglobulinemia. Glucocorticoid is effective for treating EF. Ultrasound examination can identify thickening of subcutaneous fascia for an early diagnosis of EF.
Humans ; Female ; Male ; Infant ; Child, Preschool ; Retrospective Studies ; Hypergammaglobulinemia ; Eosinophilia ; Ultrasonography ; Hand ; Contracture ; Treatment Outcome

Abstract: Objective　To analyze the emergency response and long-term intervention effects after the detection of infectious snails epidemic by loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assays in Hannan District, Wuhan City, and to explore the application of LAMP in early surveillance and early-warning of schistosomiasis transmission. Methods Snails picked up by the risk monitoring system in Hannan District were examined by anatomical microscopy and LAMP technology to identify the schistosomiasis infection. Emergency response and intensive intervention were initiated in the environment where positive snails appeared, and the long-term effects were evaluated. Results In May 2018, the infectious snails were detected by LAMP technology in Hannan District, and the positive snails were located in Zhujiacha, Dongzhuang Village, Obstacles and weeds were removed and buried by machine in Zhujiacha. 12 700 m2 of snails were killed by drugs, and the mortality rate of snails was more than 80%; no new seropositive persons were found in the emergency examination within 500 m of the positive snail sites. 506 people were examined in Dong Zhuang Village at the end of the year, and 30 positive IHA cases were detected with a blood positive rate of 5.93%, no positive fecal test was found, and all positive blood test patients took preventive medication. The monitoring results of sentinel rats and wild feces were all negative. Health education was carried out, 7 warning signs were deployed and refreshed, and 500 publicity brochures were distributed. After nearly three years of intensified intervention and monitoring in the villages where the positive environment is located, and the density of snails on the stubborn snail has dropped from 0.094/frame to 0.027/frame, and the positive rate of blood test in Dongzhuang Village has steadily dropped from 5.93% to 3.74%. Conclusions The infected snails missed by microscopy were detected by LAMP in Hannan District, which created conditions for the rapid emergency treatment of environment and elimination of positive snail and improved the sensitivity of the surveillance and early warning system in transmission-interrupted areas.

Objective: Compare and analyze the results of the domestic Lanyi AH600 glycated hemoglobin analyzer and other different detection systems to understand the comparability of the detection results of different detectors, and establish the best cut point of Lanyi AH600 determination of haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) in the diagnosis of diabetes. Methods: Multi center cohort study was adopted. The clinical laboratory departments of 18 medical institutions independently collected test samples from their respective hospitals from March to April 2022, and independently completed comparative analysis of the evaluated instrument (Lanyi AH600) and the reference instrument HbA1c. The reference instruments include four different brands of glycosylated hemoglobin meters, including Arkray, Bio-Rad, DOSOH, and Huizhong. Scatter plot was used to calculate the correlation between the results of different detection systems, and the regression equation was calculated. The consistency analysis between the results of different detection systems was evaluated by Bland Altman method. Consistency judgment principles: (1) When the 95% limits of agreement (95% LoA) of the measurement difference was within 0.4% HbA1c and the measurement score was≥80 points, the comparison consistency was good; (2) When the measurement difference of 95% LoA exceeded 0.4% HbA1c, and the measurement score was≥80 points, the comparison consistency was relatively good; (3) The measurement score was less than 80 points, the comparison consistency was poor. The difference between the results of different detection systems was tested by paired sample T test or Wilcoxon paired sign rank sum test; The best cut-off point of diabetes was analyzed by receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC). Results: The correlation coefficient R² of results between Lanyi AH600 and the reference instrument in 16 hospitals is≥0.99; The Bland Altman consistency analysis showed that the difference of 95% LoA in Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital in Jiangsu Province (reference instrument: Arkray HA8180) was -0.486%-0.325%, and the measurement score was 94.6 points (473/500); The difference of 95% LoA in the Tibetan Traditional Medical Hospital of TAR (reference instrument: Bio-Rad Variant II) was -0.727%-0.612%, and the measurement score was 89.8 points; The difference of 95% LoA in the People's Hospital of Chongqing Liang Jiang New Area (reference instrument: Huizhong MQ-2000PT) was -0.231%-0.461%, and the measurement score was 96.6 points; The difference of 95% LoA in the Taihe Hospital of traditional Chinese Medicine in Anhui Province (reference instrument: Huizhong MQ-2000PT) was -0.469%-0.479%, and the measurement score was 91.9 points. The other 14 hospitals, Lanyi AH600, were compared with 4 reference instrument brands, the difference of 95% LoA was less than 0.4% HbA1c, and the scores were all greater than 95 points. The results of paired sample T test or Wilcoxon paired sign rank sum test showed that there was no statistically significant difference between Lanyi AH600 and the reference instrument Arkray HA8180 (Z=1.665,P=0.096), with no statistical difference. The mean difference between the measured values of the two instruments was 0.004%. The comparison data of Lanyi AH600 and the reference instrument of all other institutions had significant differences (all P<0.001), however, it was necessary to consider whether it was within the clinical acceptable range in combination with the results of the Bland-Altman consistency analysis. The ROC curve of HbA1c detected by Lanyi AH600 in 985 patients with diabetes and 3 423 patients with non-diabetes was analyzed, the area under curve (AUC) was 0.877, the standard error was 0.007, and the 95% confidence interval 95%CI was (0.864, 0.891), which was statistically significant (P<0.001). The maximum value of Youden index was 0.634, and the corresponding HbA1c cut point was 6.235%. The sensitivity and specificity of diabetes diagnosis were 76.2% and 87.2%, respectively. Conclusion: Among the hospitals and instruments currently included in this study, among these four hospitals included Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital in Jiangsu Province (reference instrument: Arkray HA8180), Tibetan Traditional Medical Hospital of TAR (reference instrument: Bio-Rad Variant Ⅱ), the People's Hospital of Chongqing Liang Jiang New Area (reference instrument: Huizhong MQ-2000PT), and the Taihe Hospital of traditional Chinese Medicine in Anhui Province (reference instrument: Huizhong MQ-2000PT), the comparison between Lanyi AH600 and the reference instruments showed relatively good consistency, while the other 14 hospitals involved four different brands of reference instruments: Arkray, Bio-Rad, DOSOH, and Huizhong, Lanyi AH600 had good consistency with its comparison. The best cut point of the domestic Lanyi AH600 for detecting HbA1c in the diagnosis of diabetes is 6.235%.
Pregnancy ; Child ; Humans ; Female ; Glycated Hemoglobin ; Cohort Studies ; Diabetes Mellitus/diagnosis* ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; ROC Curve

Objective: To compare the efficacies between open surgery and axillary non-inflatable endoscopic surgery in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on 343 patients with unilateral PTC treated by traditional open surgery (201 cases) and transaxillary non-inflating endoscopic surgery (142 cases) from May 2019 to December 2021 in the Head and Neck Surgery of Sichuan Cancer Hospital. Among them, 97 were males and 246 were females, aged 20-69 years. 1∶1 propensity score matching (PSM) was performed on the enrolled patients, and the basic characteristics, perioperative clinical outcomes, postoperative complications, postoperative quality of life (Thyroid Cancer-Specific Quality of Life), aesthetic satisfaction and other aspects of the two groups were compared after successful matching. SPSS 26.0 software was used for statistical analysis. Results: A total of 190 patients were enrolled after PSM, with 95 cases in open group and 95 cases in endoscopic group. Intraoperative blood losses for endoscopic and open groups were [20 (20) ml vs. 20 (10) ml, M (IQR), Z=-2.22], postoperative drainage volumes [170 (70)ml vs. 101 (55)ml, Z=-7.91], operative time [135 (35)min vs. 95 (35)min, Z=-7.34], hospitalization cost [(28 188.7±2 765.1)yuan vs. (25 643.5±2 610.7)yuan, x¯±s, t=0.73], postoperative hospitalization time [(3.1±0.9)days vs. (2.6±0.9)days, t=-3.24], and drainage tube placement time [(2.5±0.8) days vs. (2.0±1.0)days, t=-4.16], with statistically significant differrences (all P<0.05). There was no significant difference in surgical complications (P>0.05). There were significant diffferences between two groups in the postoperative quality of life scores in neuromuscular, psychological, scar and cold sensation (all P<0.05), while there were no statistically significant differences in other quality of life scores (all P>0.05). In terms of aesthetic satisfaction 6 months after surgery, the endoscopic group was better than the open group, with statistically significant difference (χ²=41.47, P<0.05). Conclusion: Endoscopic thyroidectomy by a gasless unilateral axillary approach is a safe and reliable surgical method, which has remarkable cosmetic effect and can improve the postoperative quality of life of patients compared with the traditional thyroidectomy.
Male ; Female ; Humans ; Thyroid Cancer, Papillary/surgery* ; Retrospective Studies ; Quality of Life ; Thyroid Neoplasms/pathology* ; Endoscopy ; Thyroidectomy/methods*