Objective To comparatively evaluate the diagnostic value of metagenomic next-generation sequencing(mNGS)versus conventional microbial culture in spinal infections.Methods A cross-section design was conducted on 82 consecutive patients with suspected spinal infections treated between February 2022 and January 2024 at Jiangbei Branch of First Affiliated Hospital of Army Medical University(Third Military Medical University).Microbiological culture,histopathological examination,and mNGS results from infected specimens were analyzed.Clinical diagnosis,primarily based on clinical manifestations,laboratory tests and radiologic features combined with medical history,was defined as the gold standard,and then the diagnostic performance,including sensitivity and specificity,were compared between mNGS and microbial culture.Results Among the 82 patients,definitive microbiological evidence was identified in 70 cases,and mNGS demonstrated a significantly higher detection rate than microbial culture(64 vs 36 cases,78.05％vs 43.9％,P<0.05).mNGS also obtained obviously higher sensitivity,accuracy,and negative predictive value(NPV),and notably lower positive predictive value(PPV)when compared to conventional microbial culture(all P<0.05).When stratified by infection type,mNGS obtained significantly higher sensitivity and accuracy compared to microbial culture in tuberculous spinal infections(P<0.05).For non-tuberculous spinal infections,mNGS also showed superior sensitivity to microbial culture(P<0.05).Conclusion In patients with spinal infections,mNGS demonstrates a significantly higher pathogen detection rate than conventional microbial culture.This technique can provide early and broad-spectrum pathogenic microbiological evidence for spinal infection.

Objective To investigate the effects of different operation methods for the treatment of distal tibial pilon fractures.Methods 40 cases of distal tibial pilon fractures were randomly divided into study group and control group,each of 20 cases.The research group used percutaneous insertion of the distal tibia locking plate internal fixation,the control group used the traditional open reduction and anatomical locking plate fixation.The average healing time,the incidence of complications and high rate of fracture healing were compared between the two group.Results The average healing time of the fracture study group(3.0±0.2)months was significantly shorter than that in the control group(4.0±0.3)months.Complication rate in the study group 5.0％ was significantly lower than that in the control group 35.0％.Fracture healing rate of study group 95.0％ was significantly higher than that of control group 65.0％.There was significant difference(P＜0.05).Conclusion The insertion of percutaneous locking plate fixation in the treatment of distal tibia has less trauma,simple operation,ankle joint function recovery,and the complication rate is low.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of Matrine on apoptosis of fibroblasts and the expression of apoptotic modulation related protein in the hypertrophic scar.

METHODSHypertrophic scar was produced on the ear of 24 New Zealand white rabbits, which were employed as the model, and were randomly and equally divided into control (CC) and Matrine (M) groups (12 in each group). Matrine (50 g/L) was injected into the ear scar in M group and with normal saline in C group once every four days. At 2, 4, 6, 8 and 12 weeks after the injection, the apoptotic fibroblast count in the scar was determined by TUNEL method, and the expressions of apoptosis related modulation proteins p53, bcl-2, bax were detected by immunohistochemistry method.

RESULTSThe apoptotic fibroblast count was much larger in M group than that in C group at all test time points (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the bax expression was increased and that of p53 and bcl-2 was decreased significantly in M group. In adding, the scar became flat in M group.

CONCLUSIONMatrine might obviously enhance the fibroblast apoptosis in rabbit ear hypertrophic scar, and up-regulate the expression of apoptosis related modulation protein bax and down-regulate the expression of p53 and Bcl-2.

Alkaloids ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cicatrix, Hypertrophic ; metabolism ; pathology ; Female ; Fibroblasts ; drug effects ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins ; analysis ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; analysis ; Quinolizines ; Rabbits ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 ; analysis ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein

Objective To study the effect of matrine on the cell cycle and DNA content of fibroblasts derived from hypertrophic scarring tissues. Methods The fibroblasts were derived from 3～5 generations of the cultured hypertrophic scarring tissues. After the cells were treated with different concentration of matrine, the population doubling time was calculated and the cell cycle and DNA content were measured with flow cytometry. The fibroblasts treated with normal saline were as control. Results Compared with the control group, the distributions in cell cycle showed that the percentage of G 2 M and S phase cells decreased, and the percentage of G 0 G 1 phase cells increased significantly ( P