Objective To evaluate and compare the maturity of autografts and allografts as well as the postoperative clinical outcomes 10 years after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction(ACLR).Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on 64 patients who underwent anterior cruciate liga-ment reconstruction,with an average follow-up period of about 10 years.Autografts were used in 36 cases(56.2%),and allografts in 28 cases(43.8%).Both groups were recorded the knee Lysholm scores,IKDC subjective scores,and stability tests results(KT-1000 side-to-side difference and Lach-man test).Moreover,graft maturity was assessed using the knee magnetic resonance imaging(MRI),and the Signal-to-Noise Quotient(SNQ)for both types of grafts was measured.Results No significant differences were observed between the autograft and allograft groups in the average follow-up time(10.1±2.1 and 10.5±1.8 years)(P=0.376),the SNQ value(24.1±8.8 and 23.2±8.7)(P= 0.652),the Lysholm score(90±10.3 and 89.4±8.9)(P=0.805)and the anterior joint stability dur-ing follow-up(P=0.923).Moreover,the average IKDC score and incidence of abnormal tension of the ligament measured by KT1000 of the autograft group were higher than the allograft group[(84.5±8.3)vs.(80.4±7.8),P=0.075;14.3%vs.8.3%,P=0.724].Meanwhile,ACL re-tear occurred to two cas-es in the autograft group(5.6%)and the allograft group(7.1%),respectively,showing no significant dif-ference(P=0.795).Conclusion Ten years after ACLR,no significant differences are found in graft ma-turity,clinical outcomes,or joint stability between patients using autografts and allografts.Moreover,the rate of graft re-tear is comparable between the two groups.

Objective:To investigate clinical characteristics of and genetic variants in the NF1 gene in children with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) .Methods:Clinical data were collected from 22 children with NF1, who were admitted to the Department of Dermatology, Children's Hospital, Capital Institute of Pediatrics from January 2022 to September 2023, and were analyzed. Next-generation sequencing was performed to detect NF1 mutations in the probands, and the variants were verified in the family members by Sanger sequencing. A homology modeling software was used to predict the three-dimensional protein structure, and analyze the characteristics of gene mutations.Results:Among the 22 children with NF1, there were 14 males and 8 females, and they were aged from 3 months to 12 years at the clinic visit. All the 22 children presented with multiple café-au-lait spots, and their age at onset ranged from birth to 2 years. Nine patients were accompanied by freckles in the axillary or inguinal regions, 2 by cutaneous neurofibromas, 2 by juvenile xanthogranuloma, 2 by learning disabilities, and Lisch nodules of the iris, central precocious puberty and scoliosis occurred in 1 case each; 5 cases showed characteristic manifestations of neurofibroma on brain magnetic resonance imaging. A total of 5 types of NF1 gene variants were identified in the 22 patients, including complete heterozygous deletion of the NF1 gene (1 patient), missense variants (4 patients, one of whom carried 2 types of missense variants), frameshift variants (8 patients), nonsense variants (6 patients), and classical splicing variants (3 patients). Among the 22 variants, 7 were unreported variants, including c.758T>A (p.Val253Glu), c.2360dupC (p.Thr788Asnfs*5), c.5513T>G (p.Leu1838*), c.2774dupT (p.Leu925Phefs*11), c.6894dupT (p.Val2299Cysfs*7), c.6882_6883delCT (p.Phe2295Leufs*10), and c.6448A>T (p.Lys2150*). Of the unreported variants, 6 were frameshift or nonsense variants leading to different degrees of truncated protein expression, and severely affecting protein function; based on the three-dimensional protein structure prediction analysis, it was uncertain if the missense variant c.758T>A (p.Val253Glu) affected protein conformation. In 2 children, the NF1 variants were inherited from their mothers; 1 child carried 2 NF1 missense variants, 1 of which was a spontaneous mutation potentially causing the disease, while the other one with unknown pathogenicity was inherited from the phenotypically normal father; the remaining 19 children all carried spontaneous mutations.Conclusions:Children with NF1 mainly present with multiple café-au-lait spots at the early stage, and some characteristic manifestations such as cutaneous neurofibroma, juvenile xanthogranuloma, and Lisch nodules of the iris can also occur. NF1 gene pathogenic variants are complex and diverse, and 22 variants were identified in this study, enriching the spectrum of NF1 gene variants.

The development of acute liver injury can result in liver cirrhosis, liver failure, and even liver cancer, yet there is currently no effective therapy for it. The purpose of this study was to investigate the protective effect and therapeutic mechanism of Lyciumbarbarum polysaccharides (LBPs) on acute liver injury induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄). To create a model of acute liver injury, experimental canines received an intraperitoneal injection of 1 mL/kg of CCl₄ solution. The experimental canines in the therapy group were then fed LBPs (20 mg/kg). CCl₄-induced liver structural damage, excessive fibrosis, and reduced mitochondrial density were all improved by LBPs, according to microstructure data. By suppressing Kelch-like epichlorohydrin (ECH)-associated protein 1 (Keap1), promoting the production of sequestosome 1 (SQSTM1)/p62, nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), and phase II detoxification genes and proteins downstream of Nrf2, and restoring the activity of anti-oxidant enzymes like catalase (CAT), LBPs can restore and increase the antioxidant capacity of liver. To lessen mitochondrial damage, LBPs can also enhance mitochondrial respiration, raise tissue adenosine triphosphate (ATP) levels, and reactivate the respiratory chain complexes I‒V. According to serum metabolomics, the therapeutic impact of LBPs on acute liver damage is accomplished mostly by controlling the pathways to lipid metabolism. 9-Hydroxyoctadecadienoic acid (9-HODE), lysophosphatidylcholine (LysoPC/LPC), and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) may be potential indicators of acute liver injury. This study confirmed that LBPs, an effective hepatoprotective drug, may cure acute liver injury by lowering oxidative stress, repairing mitochondrial damage, and regulating metabolic pathways.
Animals ; Dogs ; Antioxidants/metabolism* ; Carbon Tetrachloride ; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury/drug therapy* ; Kelch-Like ECH-Associated Protein 1/metabolism* ; Liver ; Metabolic Networks and Pathways ; Mitochondria/metabolism* ; NF-E2-Related Factor 2/metabolism* ; Oxidative Stress ; Polysaccharides/pharmacology* ; Lycium/chemistry*

The development of acute liver injury can result in liver cirrhosis, liver failure, and even liver cancer, yet there is currently no effective therapy for it. The purpose of this study was to investigate the protective effect and therapeutic mechanism of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBPs) on acute liver injury induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). To create a model of acute liver injury, experimental canines received an intraperitoneal injection of 1 mL/kg of CCl4 solution. The experimental canines in the therapy group were then fed LBPs (20 mg/kg). CCl4-induced liver structural damage, excessive fibrosis, and reduced mitochondrial density were all improved by LBPs, according to microstructure data. By suppressing Kelch-like epichlorohydrin (ECH)-associated protein 1 (Keap1), promoting the production of sequestosome 1 (SQSTM1)/p62, nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), and phase Ⅱ detoxification genes and proteins downstream of Nrf2, and restoring the activity of anti-oxidant enzymes like catalase (CAT), LBPs can restore and increase the antioxidant capacity of liver. To lessen mitochondrial damage, LBPs can also enhance mitochondrial respiration, raise tissue adenosine triphosphate (ATP) levels, and reactivate the respiratory chain complexes I?V. According to serum metabolomics, the therapeutic impact of LBPs on acute liver damage is accomplished mostly by controlling the pathways to lipid metabolism. 9-Hydroxyoctadecadienoic acid (9-HODE), lysophosphatidylcholine (LysoPC/LPC), and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) may be potential indicators of acute liver injury. This study confirmed that LBPs, an effective hepatoprotective drug, may cure acute liver injury by lowering oxidative stress, repairing mitochondrial damage, and regulating metabolic pathways.

Objective:To measure and analyze the distribution characteristics of the micro-hardness of the middle-upper thoracic vertebrae (T 1-T 10) in the human body. Methods:T 1-T 10 vertebrae from three fresh cadavers were divided into vertebral body area and attachment area. 3 mm specimens were cut by a high-precision slow saw and 11 regions were selected and measured on each vertebrae by a Vickers microhardness tester (cortical bone: 1-9, cancellous bone: 10-11). The micro-hardness distribution of T 1-T 10 vertebrae was recorded and analyzed. Results:A total of 330 measurement areas from 30 vertebrae were measured, and 1 650 hardness values were collected. The average hardness values of the overall cortical bone of the middle-upper thoracic vertebrae of the 3 cadavers were 30.55±5.44 HV, 29.94±4.86 HV, and 29.55±4.36 HV, respectively. The difference among the groups was statistically significant ( F=4.680, P=0.009). The average hardness values of the overall cancellous bone were 27.93±5.61 HV, 28.21±4.96 HV, 27.98±3.94 HV, respectively. There was no significant difference among the groups ( F=0.091, P=0.913). There were statistically significant differences between the hardness values in the attachment area and vertebral body area of each cadaver ( t=7.467, 4.750, 6.621, P<0.001); the hardness of the cancellous bone in the attachment area of each cadaver was higher than that of the cancellous bone in the vertebral body ( t=1.785, 3.159, 3.103, P=0.077, 0.002, 0.003). The distribution of microhardness in 11 measurement areas of 3 cadavers were similar: the hardness of the cortical bone of pedicle, lamina and inferior endplate cortex (1, 2, 7) were higher; the hardness of the cortical bone of upper endplate and peripheral cortex (6, 8, 9) were lower. The distribution patterns of the microhardness in different vertebral segments of the 3 cadavers were similar: The hardness values gradually increased from T 1 to T 10. The vertebra with the largest hardness of the cortical bone was T 8; and the vertebra with the largest hardness of the cancellous bone were T 7, T 7 and T 6, respectively. Conclusion:The hardness of the upper endplate and peripheral cortex was low, which could disperse the load to protect the fragile cancellous bone. The hardness of the pedicle was the highest. The hardness of the cortical bone was higher than that of the cancellous bone, and the values of different segments gradually increased from top to bottom, which may be related to the physiological and anatomical morphology, and the gradual increase of the load of muscle force and body weight.

Objective: To investigate the distribution characteristics and significance of bone hardness in different segments and layers of clavicle. Methods: The right clavicles of three fresh Chinese corpses were taken and then divided into proximal, middle and distal segments according to Allman's classification. The clavicles were cut with diamond saw in the vertical of long axis equidistant exactly into 15 layers (proximal: 3 layers; midshaft: 7 layers; distal: 5 layers), and each layer was divided into four directions: superior, inferior, anterior, and posterior. The bone hardness were measured by Vickers microindentation, HV(kgf/mm²). The distribution of bone hardness was recorded and analyzed. Results: A total of 180 parts of cortical bone were measured, generating 900 measurements. Meanwhile, a total of 45 parts of cancellous bone were measured, generating 225 measurements. We found that: (1)The average hardness of cortical bone was (35.9±8.1)HV, and the midshaft segment [(41.3±6.8)HV] was harder than the proximal segment [(33.8±6.1)HV] and the distal segment [(29.7±5.4)HV](P<0.05); (2)The average hardness of cancellous bone was (30.7±6.2)HV, and there were significant differences among the midshaft segment [(34.5±5.5)HV], the proximal segment [(29.2±2.9)HV] and the distal segment [(26.3±5.1)HV](P<0.05); (3)for cortical bone, the hardest segment was the fifth layer of the midshaft segment [(44.8±8.6)HV] while the most soft segment was the fourth layer of the distal segment [(28.0±3.5)HV](P<0.05); (4)for cancellous bone, the hardest segment was the fifth layer of the midshaft segmnet [(36.8±5.1)HV] while the most soft was the fifth layer of the distal segment [(23.0±4.4)HV](P<0.05); (5)There were no statistically significant differences among four directions of segments(P>0.05). Conclusion The microindentation hardness varies greatly among different segments and layers of the clavicles. The cortical bone and cancellous bone have consistent hardness changes, which shows that the middle segment is obviously harder than the proximal and distal segments with a gradually gradient decreasing trend from the middle to both ends. The data can be used to guide the design of 3D printing implants that conform to the stress conduction characteristics of the clavicle under physiological conditions, and provide good data support for the modeling and finite element analysis of the clavicle under simulated physiological conditions.

Objective: To investigate the microhardness distribution of cancellous bone in the proximal tibia and its clinical significance. Methods: Three fresh tibias were obtained and examined by X-ray and CT to exclude skeletal pathologies, such as osteoporosis, osteoarthritis. According to the Heim's square, the proximal tibias were cut off. Each of the proximal tibias was divided into three parts, the medial condyle, the intercondylar area and the lateral condyle. Each part was divided into three sections, proximal, middle and distal sections. Each of the proximal tibias was divided into 9 regions. Bone specimens with a thickness of 3 mm were taken from each region using a high precision low-speed saw and fixed on flat sheets. The microhardness of the bone tissue was measured using a Vickers microhardness tester after polish. Ten effective micro-indentation tests were conducted in each region. After measurement the diagonal length of the indentations, the microhardness values were calculated via software provided by the hardness tester. Analysis of variance and Tukey method were used to compare the microhardness values of different parts, sections and regions of cancellous bone. The microhardness distribution of the proximal tibia was analyzed. Results: A total of 270 effective indentations were made in the specimens, and the microhardness values were obtained. The average microhardness of the three proximal tibias was 40.98±3.44, 34.92±4.64 and 39.49±3.86 HV, respectively. There was a significant difference among the groups (F=55.87, P=0.000). The microhardness distribution of bone tissue in the three proximal tibias was similar. In the comparison of different parts, the microhardness of medial condyle was greater than that of the lateral condyle, which was larger than that of the intercondylar area. The difference between the parts was statistically significant (F=18.42, 8.236, 10.877; P=0.000, 0.001, 0.000). In the comparison of different sections, the microhardness of the distal section was greater than that of the proximal section, which was larger than that of the middle section. The difference between the sections was statistically significant (F=8.720, 17.140, 6.142; P=0.000, 0.000, 0.003). The microhardness distribution was similar among different regions. The region with the highest microhardness is the medial condyle of the distal section with microhardness of 44.87±3.25 HV (range 39.2-49.7 HV). The lowest microhardness was in the intercondylar area of the middle section with hardness of 29.41±4.53 HV (range 24.8-36.2 HV). Conclusion The microhardness value of cancellous bone near the articular surface at the proximal tibia was smaller, which could disperse the load and protect the fragile of articular cartilage. Furthermore, the microhardness of the transition zone is larger. The microhardness value of the cancellous bone in medial tibia condyle is the greatest, which is related to load-bearing.

Aim To investigate the effect of curcumin against high-fat-diet induced C57BL/6J mice bone changes and the correlation between the expression of cathepsin K and curcumin.Methods Curcumin treated C57BL/6J mice had been on high fat diet for 12 weeks.The HE, Alizarin red S staining and Safranin O/fast green staining of femur were employed to evaluate bone microstructure, bone metabolism and bone development.The expressions of cathepsin K were assessed by Western blot and immunohistochemical staining.Results Histopathological results showed that curcumin could improve the destruction of trabecular bone structure, cartilage development and bone calcification.Biomechanical results proved that curcumin could improve the bone strength of the type 2 diabetic mice induced by high fat.The results of immunohistochemistry and Western blot assay indicated that curcumin could significantly inhibit the expression of cathepsin K in bone tissues of mice.Conclusion Curcumin can increase bone strength, improve bone microstructure, and enhance the degree of bone calcification, which may be achieved by inhibiting the expression of cathepsin K.

BACKGROUND:Due to special physiological and anatomical location, stability of the spine is very complicated during thoracolumbar fractures. It is difficult to identify the stability of the spine. It should be based on their individual circumstances, to explore more effective internal fixation repair method.
OBJECTIVE:To explore the Cobb’s angle and vertebral height of patients with thoracolumbar fracture and spinal cord compression treated with posterior laminectomy and screw fixation, and compared with anterior laminectomy.
METHODS:One hundred patients with thoracolumbar fracture and spinal cord compression, who were treated in the Panyu District Central Hospital from January 2013 to November 2014, were enroled in this study. The patients were equaly and randomly divided into posterior laminectomy fixation group and anterior laminectomy fixation group. Tactile and sports of American Spinal Injury Association scores, Cobb’s angle and vertebral height were assessed before treatment and 1 month after treatment, and fixation effects were compared between the twogroups.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1) No significant difference in each index was detected between the two groups preoperatively (P> 0.05). (2) Tactile and sports of American Spinal Injury Association scores, Cobb’s angle and vertebral height were better in the posterior laminectomy fixation group than in the anterior laminectomy fixation group at 1 month postoperatively (P< 0.05). (3) These findings indicated that compared with the anterior laminectomy fixation, posterior laminectomy fixation for thoracolumbar fracture combined with spinal cord compression obtained better outcomes, and could obviously relieve spinal cord compression. Posterior laminectomy fixation isasafe and effective treatment method for thoracolumbar fracture and spinal cord compression.

This study was aimed to observe the influence of β-sitosterol (BSS) on estrogen receptor (ER) positive the human breast cancer cell line T47D and to study its mechanisms. ER antagonist ICI182 780 was employed to observe the influence on the proliferation. Proliferations of T47D cells influenced by different concentrations of BSS were analyzed by MTT assay. Cell cycle analyses were examined by flow cytometry. The protein expression of cyclin D1 was measured by western blot analysis and cyclin D1 mRNA was quantified by real-time PCR assay. The results showed that BSS in high dose exhibited significant inhibitory effects that were partly antagonized by ICI182 780 and decreased the proliferative index on T47D cells. However, BSS in low dose obviously promoted the proliferation that was completely inhibited by ICI182 780 and increased the proliferative index on T47D cells. The mRNA and protein levels of cyclin D1 were increased in low-dose BSS. The effect was blocked by ICI182 780. It was concluded that BSS in low concentration had phytoestrogenic effect by up-regulating the expression of cyclin D1 via ER pathway.