Mesangial cell proliferation is an early pathological indicator of diabetic nephropathy (DN). Growing evidence highlights the pivotal role of paired-related homeobox 1 (Prrx1), a key regulator of cellular proliferation and tissue differentiation, in various disease pathogenesis. Notably, Prrx1 is highly expressed in mesangial cells under DN conditions. Both in vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated that Prrx1 overexpression promotes mesangial cell proliferation and contributes to renal fibrosis in db/m mice. Conversely, Prrx1 knockdown markedly suppresses hyperglycemia-induced mesangial cell proliferation and mitigates renal fibrosis in db/db mice. Mechanistically, Prrx1 directly interacts with the Yes-associated protein 1 (YAP) promoter, leading to the upregulation of YAP expression. This upregulation promotes mesangial cell proliferation and exacerbates renal fibrosis. These findings emphasize the crucial role of Prrx1 upregulation in high glucose-induced mesangial cell proliferation, ultimately leading to renal fibrosis in DN. Therefore, targeting Prrx1 to downregulate its expression presents a promising therapeutic strategy for treating renal fibrosis associated with DN.

Objective To observe the effects of Yiqi Huoxue Tuodu Prescription on Keap1Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway in rats with chronic nonbacterial prostatitis(CNP);To explore its mechanism for the treatment of CNP.Methods CNP rat model was prepared using castration combined with estrogen induction method.Totally 48 SD rats were divided into blank group,model group,celecoxib group and Yiqi Huoxue Tuodu Prescription group according to the random number table method,with 12 rats in each group.In the celecoxib group,celecoxib suspension was instilled 0.035 g/kg,and in the Yiqi Huoxue Tuodu Prescription group,Yiqi Huoxue Tuodu Prescription water decoction was instilled 8.64 g/kg,and the blank group and the model group were instilled with equal volume of normal saline for 28 days.Mechanical pain threshold in rats was measured using Von Frey fiber optic pain gauge,HE staining was used to observe pathological changes in prostate tissue and pathological scoring,the content of reactive oxygen species(ROS)in prostate tissue were detected by chemical fluorescence method and the glutathione peroxidase(GSH-Px)activity and malondialdehyde(MDA)content in prostate tissue were detected by colorimetric method,Western blot was used to detect the expressions of Kelch like ECH related protein 1(Keap1),nuclear factor E2 related factor 2(Nrf2),and heme oxygenase-1(HO-1)protein in prostate tissue.Results Compared with the blank group,rats in the model group had significantly lower mechanical pain threshold and significantly decreased prostate index(P<0.01);the size of the glandular cavity in prostate tissue varied,with the disappearance of secretions in the cavity,interstitial looseness and edema,a large amount of fibrous tissue hyperplasia and inflammatory cell infiltration,and a significant increase in pathological scores(P<0.01);the contents of ROS and MDA in prostate tissue significantly increased,the activity of GSH-Px significantly decreased(P<0.01),the expression of Keap1 and Nrf2 proteins significantly decreased,and the expression of HO-1 protein significantly increased(P<0.01,P<0.05).Compared with the model group,the mechanical pain threshold of the rats in the Yiqi Huoxue Tuodu Prescription group was significantly higher(P<0.01);there was mild damage to prostate tissue,with a small amount of fibrous hyperplasia and inflammatory cell infiltration,and a significant decrease in pathological scores(P<0.01,P<0.05);the contents of ROS and MDA in prostate tissue significantly decreased,and the GSH-Px activity significantly increased(P<0.01),the Keap1 and Nrf2 protein expressions significantly increased and HO-1 protein expression significantly decreased in prostate tissue(P<0.01,P<0.05).Conclusion Yiqi Huoxue Tuodu Prescription can effectively improve the histopathological morphology and increase the pain threshold of the prostate gland in CNP rats,and its mechanism of action may be related to the regulation of Keap1/Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway and reduction of oxidative stress damage in prostate tissue of rats.

Diabetic foot(DF)is a common chronic complication in patients with diabetes.Fibrosis and degeneration occurred in fasciae in long term hyperglycemia and inflammatory environment.Fibrosis in fasciae may aggravate the development of diabetic foot due to the special cellular and molecular structure,physiological and biomechanical effects.Thus,we aimed at reviewing the research progress of fascial fibrosis in diabetic foot.

Objective:To investigate the prognosis and influencing factors of endoscopic surgery for early glottic carcinoma.Methods:In this retrospective study, we applied the Cox proportional hazards regression model and the random survival forest model to analyze the clinical characteristics of 385 patients [362 males, 23 females, age ranging from 33 to 91 years (62.0±9.6)] who visited the Sixth Medical Center of the General Hospital of the People's Liberation Army from January 2009, to December 2022 and diagnosed with early glottic carcinoma, encompassing variables such as age, gender, T stage, surgical approach, pathological typing, etc. The primary evaluation indicators were overall survival(OS) and disease-free survival rates (DFS). The follow-up duration ranged from 30 to 5,557 days (with a median follow-up time of 1,596 days).Results:After a three-year follow-up, the OS rate for the 385 patients was 95.83%, while the DSF rate was 82.98%. The Cox proportional hazards regression analysis revealed age ( HR=2.35, 95% CI: 1.75 to 3.15, P<0.001) and T staging ( HR=1.59, 95% CI: 1.13 to 2.23, P=0.019) as predominant factors affecting the OS and DFS. The random survival forest model identified poor tumor differentiation, and high expression of P53 and Ki-67 as predictors of inferior prognosis. Conclusion:Endoscopic surgery for early glottic carcinoma yields favorable short-term OS and reduces short-term recurrence rates, with T-stage emerging as a pivotal factor influencing recurrence. Tumors with poor differentiation and elevated expression of P53 may be indicative of an increased risk of recurrence.

Objective:To observe the efficacy of vocal cord botulinum toxin type A injection in the treatment of refractory laryngeal contact granuloma and to analyze the factors affecting the curative effect.Methods:Fifty-two patients with refractory laryngeal contact granuloma who received vocal cord botulinum toxin type A injection under topical anesthesia from May 2021 to May 2023 were analyzed retrospectively. Among them, 51 were males and 1 was female, aged 22-66 (48.98±8.87)years old. All patients were followed up for a minimum of 12 months. Outcome measures in terms of patient cure rate, total effective rate, complications and recurrence rate were calculated. The median [ M ( Q1, Q3)] was used to represent non-normally distributed measurement data, and Logistic regression analysis was used to determine independent risk factors affecting efficacy. Results:The cure rate of 52 patients with refractory laryngeal contact granuloma treated by vocal cord botulinum toxin type A injection was 78.8% (41/52), and the total effective rate (including cure, marked and effective) was 90.4% (47/52). The median number of injections was 1[1,2]. Following a single injection, the cure rate was 69.2% (36/52), and the median treatment duration for cured patients was 3 [3,3] months. Hoarseness occurred in 88.5% (46/52) of patients, with recovery within 3 months in all cases. Additionally, 21.2% (11/52) of the patients experienced cough, sore throat, dyspnea, all of whom recovered within 3 months. One patient among the 41 cured cases was lost to follow-up, and the recurrence rate at the 12th month was 17.5% (7/40). Multivariate regression analysis indicated that age, granuloma size, history of PPI treatment, previous corticosteroid injections, prior surgical excision, pharyngeal reflux, chronic cough, pharyngeal reflux, chronic cough and vocal overuse were not independent risk factors for cure and recurrence.Conclusion:Vocal cord botulinum toxin type A injection is an alternative for the treatment of refractory laryngeal contact granuloma, which offers benefits such ashigh cure rate, short treatment cycle and less injection times.

Pharyngology and laryngology is an important subspecialty of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery. It involves congenital diseases, trauma and foreign bodies, inflammatory diseases, obstructive sleep apnea, benign lesions, laryngeal nerve and cricoarytenoid joint diseases, swallowing disorders, laryngopharyngeal reflux diseases, voice medicine, as well as laryngeal microsurgery and endoscopic surgical treatment of benign and malignant tumors of this area. The disease spectrum is wide and involves many surgical techniques and methods.
Humans ; Otolaryngology ; Larynx/surgery*

The clinical data of a child with ABCB1 rs1045642 T/T genotype and skin photosensitivity induced by Voriconazole were analyzed retrospectively in Beijing Children′s Hospital, Capital Medical University in September 2020.Literature was reviewed to discuss the relationship between ABCB1 genetic polymorphism and Voriconazole pharmacokinetics.The patient was a 6.8-year-old boy, who was diagnosed with primary immunodeficiency disease.Long-term oral Voriconazole was administered for prevention and treatment of fungal infections.Skin photodistributed erythema and pigmentation occurred about 3-4 weeks after treatment.The skin lesions were significantly alleviated about 1 month after the withdrawal of Voriconazole.Gene test showed ABCB1 rs1045642 T/T in the patient.Some studies reported that ABCB1 rs1045642 T/T genotype reduced the clearance rate of Voriconazole.Monitoring such adverse reaction of Voriconazole in clinical practice is important. ABCB1 gene polymorphism is possible to correlate with the pharmacokinetics and adverse reactions of Voriconazole.However, further large-scale clinical studies are warranted to verify it.

Currently, titanium alloys are widely used in the field of stomatology; however, owing to long-term exposure to a complex microbial environment, dental plaques easily form on the surface of the materials, affecting the use efficiency and the service life of the materials. The antibacterial titanium alloy is a new kind of titanium alloy with antimicrobials added through surface modification or overall modification. Based on the location of antibacterial agents in titanium alloy materials, antibacterial titanium alloys can be divided into coating and alloy types. The antibacterial effect of coated antibacterial titanium alloy is good, but the disadvantage is that most of the coatings are not wear-resistant. The widely-used antibacterial agent of the alloy type is metal elements, which can be evenly distributed in the alloy, and the antibacterial properties are stable and long-lasting. Based on whether antibacterial agents can be released, antibacterial titanium alloys can be further divided into active antibacterial and passive antibacterial types. Active antibacterial type titanium alloys can release loaded antibacterial agents, and the antibacterial effect is more obvious, but the release duration of antibacterial agents is relatively short. Passive antibacterial titanium alloys exhibit an antibacterial effect by contact sterilization or inhibition of bacterial adhesion instead of releasing antibacterial agents. The antibacterial titanium alloy can inhibit the adhesion of bacteria on the surface of the material and prolong the service life of oral orthodontic appliances, implants and titanium plates. Moreover, the mechanical properties of the titanium alloy after antibacterial modification are not significantly affected, and the addition of antibacterial agents such as hydroxyapatite can increase the osteogenic function of the material. Therefore, the alloy has good application prospects in the fields of dental implant, orthodontic treatment and oral and maxillofacial surgery. However, most of the current studies on antibacterial titanium alloys are in vitro experiments, and their long-term clinical effects and antibacterial mechanisms are still unclear and need further study.

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy of the endoscopic bilateral posterior transverse partial cordotomy in patients with upper airway obstruction due to bilateral vocal fold paralysis.Methods:A retrospective analysis of 48 cases of upper airway obstruction due to bilateral vocal fold paralysis, who were admitted to Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, the Sixth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital from July 2009 to July 2019, was performed, including 13 males and 35 females. Patients’ ages ranged from 27 to 83 years old. All patients underwent bilateral vocal fold posterior resection.Results:Among the 48 patients, 1 patient was lost to follow-up, and the remaining 47 patients were followed up for 5 months to 10 years . None of the 47 patients had a recurrence or severe complications. 89.58% (43/48) patients reconstructed a reliable and effective airway and 88.89% (40/45) patients were decannulated in 1-3 months postoperatively, with the median decannulation time of 1 month. Recovery rate of swallowing function and satisfactory pronunciation were 97.92% (47/48) and 95.35% (41/43) respectively.Conclusions:Endoscopic bilateral posterior transverse partial cordotomy can establish a reliable and effective airway and maximize the protection of swallowing and voice functions. At the same time, it is a safe, reliable, simple and minimally invasive treatment option.

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of pepsin strip test in the diagnosis of laryngopharyngeal reflux. Methods: From August 2017 to September 2018,80 patients in Department of Otorhniolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery,Chinese People′s Liberation Army General Hospital-Six Medical Centre, underwent pepsin strip test and 24-hour multichannel intraluminal impedance(MII)-pH monitoring. The results of the two methods were analyzed for consistency,and 24-hour MII-pH monitoring was used as a statistical reference for the sensitivity and specificity of pepsin strip test in the diagnosis of laryngopharyngeal reflux. Data were analyzed by SPSS 19.0 software. Results: There were 57 patients with positive pepsin test strip and 23 patients with negative pepsin test strip. The score of reflux symptoms and signs, and the positive rate of laryngopharyngeal reflux events in patients with positive pepsin strip test were significantly higher than those in patients with negative pepsin test strip. If there was one or more throat reflux events (including acid reflux,weak acid reflux and alkali reflux) as the positive results of 24-hour MII-pH monitoring,the consistency between the results of pepsin strip and 24-hour MII-pH was moderate (Kappa=0.614). The sensitivity and specificity of pepsin strip were 86.9% (53/61) and 78.9% (15/19) respectively. Conclusions Pepsin strip detection has the advantages of non-invasive,cheap and easy to operate.As an objective method for early diagnosis of laryngopharyngeal reflux, pepsin strip detectionis feasible,but can not be the final diagnosis for laryngopharyngeal reflux disease.