Objective To compare the clinical outcomes of subxiphoid robot-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (SRATS) and intercostal robot-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (IRATS) in the treatment of anterior mediastinal tumors. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on patients with anterior mediastinal tumors who underwent robot-assisted surgery in the Department of Thoracic Surgery, Gansu Provincial Hospital, from May 2020 to July 2022. According to the surgical approach, patients were divided into an SRATS group and an IRATS group. Perioperative data were compared between the two groups. Results A total of 87 patients were included. There were 41 patients in the SRATS group [23 males, 18 females; mean age, (44.51±11.28) years] and 46 patients in the IRATS group [21 males, 25 females; mean age, (46.67±8.76) years]. Compared with the IRATS group, the SRATS group had significantly less intraoperative blood loss [(24.41±6.67) mL vs. (37.93±9.23) mL, P<0.001], shorter postoperative drainage duration [(1.73±0.59) days vs. (2.54±0.50) days, P<0.001], lower postoperative drainage volume [(94.46±34.08) mLvs. (116.72±24.90) mL, P=0.001], lower visual analogue scale (VAS) pain scores on postoperative day 1 [(3.66±0.76) points vs. (4.15±0.84) points, P=0.005] and day 3 [(2.41±0.59) points vs. (2.89±0.82) points, P=0.003], shorter postoperative hospital stay [(4.12±0.81) days vs. (4.98±1.02) days, P<0.001], and lower hospitalization costs [(4.51±0.65) ten thousand yuan vs. (4.86±0.68) ten thousand yuan, P=0.020]. There were no statistical differences between the two groups in operative time or incidence of postoperative complications (P>0.05). Conclusion Both SRATS and IRATS are safe and effective for the treatment of anterior mediastinal tumors. However, SRATS is less invasive and more conducive to enhanced postoperative recovery.

Osteoarthritis (OA), a highly prevalent degenerative joint disease worldwide, is defined by articular cartilage degradation, abnormal bone remodeling, and persistent chronic inflammation. It severely compromises patients’ quality of life, and currently, there is no radical cure. Abnormal mechanical stress is widely regarded as a core driver of OA pathogenesis, and the exploration of mechanical signal perception and transduction mechanisms has become crucial for deciphering OA’s pathophysiological processes. Piezo1, a key mechanosensitive cation channel belonging to the Piezo protein family, has recently gained significant attention due to its pivotal role in mediating cellular responses to mechanical stimuli in joint tissues. This review systematically examines Piezo1’s expression patterns, regulatory mechanisms, and pathological functions in OA, with a particular focus on its dual roles in modulating chondrocyte homeostasis and bone metabolism disorders, while also delving into the underlying molecular signaling pathways and potential therapeutic implications. Piezo1, consisting of approximately 2 500 amino acids and forming a unique trimeric propeller-like structure, is widely expressed in chondrocytes, osteocytes, mesenchymal stem cells, and synovial cells. It exhibits permeability to cations such as Ca²⁺, K⁺, and Na⁺, and directly responds to membrane tension changes induced by mechanical stimuli like fluid shear stress and mechanical overload. In OA patients and animal models, Piezo1 expression is significantly upregulated, especially in cartilage regions subjected to abnormal mechanical stress (e.g., human temporomandibular joint cartilage). This overexpression is closely associated with aggravated cartilage degeneration, increased chondrocyte apoptosis, accelerated cellular senescence, and intensified inflammatory responses. Mechanical overload and pro-inflammatory cytokines (e.g., IL-1β) are key inducers of Piezo1 upregulation: IL-1β activates the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway to enhance Piezo1 expression, forming a pathogenic positive feedback loop that inhibits chondrocyte autophagy, promotes apoptosis, and further accelerates joint degeneration. Mechanistically, Piezo1 mediates OA progression through multiple interconnected pathways. When activated by mechanical stress, Piezo1 triggers excessive Ca²⁺ influx, leading to endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) and mitochondrial dysfunction, which directly induce chondrocyte apoptosis. This process involves the activation of downstream signaling cascades such as cGAS-STING and YAP-MMP13/ADAMTS5. YAP, a transcriptional regulator, upregulates the expression of matrix metalloproteinase 13 (MMP13) and aggrecanase (ADAMTS5), thereby accelerating cartilage matrix degradation. Additionally, Piezo1-driven Ca²⁺ overload promotes the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and upregulates senescence markers (p16 and p21), accelerating chondrocyte senescence via the p38MAPK and NF-κB pathways. Senescent chondrocytes secrete senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) factors (e.g., IL-6, IL-1β), further amplifying joint inflammation. In terms of bone metabolism, Piezo1 maintains joint homeostasis by promoting the differentiation of fibrocartilage stem cells into chondrocytes and balancing bone formation and resorption through regulating the FoxC1/YAP axis and RANKL/OPG ratio. Therapeutically, targeting Piezo1 shows promising potential. Preclinical studies have demonstrated that Piezo1 inhibitors (e.g., GsMTx4) can reduce joint damage and alleviate pain in OA mice. Simultaneously, siRNA-mediated co-silencing of Piezo1 and TRPV4 (another mechanosensitive channel) decreases intracellular Ca²⁺ concentration, inhibits chondrocyte apoptosis, and promotes cartilage repair. Conditional knockout of Piezo1 using Gdf5-Cre transgenic mice alleviates cartilage degeneration in post-traumatic OA models by downregulating MMP13 and ADAMTS5 expression. Despite existing challenges, such as off-target effects of inhibitors, inefficient local drug delivery, and interindividual genetic variability, strategies like developing selective Piezo1 antagonists, optimizing targeted nanocarriers, and combining Piezo1-targeted therapy with physical therapy provide viable avenues for clinical translation. The authors propose that Piezo1 serves as a critical therapeutic target for OA, and future research should focus on deciphering its context-dependent regulatory networks, developing tissue-specific intervention strategies, and validating their efficacy and safety in clinical trials to address the unmet medical needs of OA patients.

Background and Objectives: The Fractional Flow Reserve and Intravascular UltrasoundGuided Intervention Strategy for Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Intermediate Stenosis (FLAVOUR) trial demonstrated non-inferiority of fractional flow reserve (FFR)-guided percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) compared with intravascular ultrasound (IVUS)-guided PCI. We sought to investigate the cost-effectiveness of FFR-guided PCI compared to IVUS-guided PCI in Korea. Methods: A 2-part cost-effectiveness model, composed of a short-term decision tree model and a long-term Markov model, was developed for patients who underwent PCI to treat intermediate stenosis (40% to 70% stenosis by visual estimation on coronary angiography).The lifetime healthcare costs and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) were estimated from the healthcare system perspective. Transition probabilities were mainly referred from the FLAVOUR trial, and healthcare costs were mainly obtained through analysis of Korean National Health Insurance claims data. Health utilities were mainly obtained from the Seattle Angina Questionnaire responses of FLAVOUR trial participants mapped to EQ-5D. Results: From the Korean healthcare system perspective, the base-case analysis showed that FFR-guided PCI was 2,451 U.S. dollar lower in lifetime healthcare costs and 0.178 higher in QALYs compared to IVUS-guided PCI. FFR-guided PCI remained more likely to be cost-effective over a wide range of willingness-to-pay thresholds in the probabilistic sensitivity analysis. Conclusions Based on the results from the FLAVOUR trial, FFR-guided PCI is projected to decrease lifetime healthcare costs and increase QALYs compared with IVUS-guided PCI in intermediate coronary lesion, and it is a dominant strategy in Korea.

Objective To investigate the protective effects and potential mechanisms of tetrahydrocurcumin(THC)on thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection(TAAD)in mice.Methods TAAD was induced in 3-week-old C57BL/6J mice by oral administration of β-aminopropionitrile(BAPN)(diluted in drinking water,1 g/(kg·d)).Eighty mice were divided randomly into Con,BAPN,BAPN+THC,and BAPN+THC+3-TYP(SIRT3 inhibitor)groups(n=20 mice per group).The survival rate of mice in each group was recorded after 4 weeks.The maximum diameter of the aorta was measured and the histomorphology and aortic wall elastin integrity were evaluated by hematoxylin and eosin and elastin van Gieson staining.Macrophage infiltration was detected by immunohistochemical staining and α-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA)and osteopontin(OPN)expression were detected by immunofluorescence staining.The production of reactive oxygen species(ROS)was measured by dihydroethidium staining and superoxide dismutase(SOD)activity and malondialdehyde(MDA)levels were determined using kits.Protein expression levels of matrix metalloproteinase(MMP)2,MMP9,interleukin(IL)-6,tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α,nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2(NRF2),NADPH oxidase 2(NOX2),α-SMA,OPN,sirtuin 3(SIRT3),Ac-SOD2,and SOD2 were measured by Western Blot.Results Mice in the BAPN+THC group showed significantly higher survival and a lower incidence of TAAD compared with the BAPN group and the degree of aortic dilatation and morphology and structure were improved(P＜0.05).Infiltration of CD68-positive macrophages and MMP2,MMP9,IL-6,and TNF-α expression levels were lower(P＜0.05),ROS generation,MDA content,and NOX2 expression in aortic tissue were also significantly decreased,while SOD activity and NRF2 expression were increased(P＜0.05).α-SMA expression was also increased,while OPN expression was reduced(P＜0.05).SIRT3 expression was increased while the Ac-SOD2/SOD2 ratio was decreased(P＜0.01).Treatment with the SIRT3-specific inhibitor and silencing of SIRT3 counteracted the ability of THC to resist TAAD via the SIRT3 signaling pathway(all P＜0.05).Conclusions THC alleviated inflammation and oxidative stress in aortic tissues by activating the SIRT3 signaling pathway,thus inhibiting the phenotypic transformation of vascular smooth muscle cells and resisting the formation of TAAD in mice.

Objective To investigate the protective effects and potential mechanisms of tetrahydrocurcumin(THC)on thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection(TAAD)in mice.Methods TAAD was induced in 3-week-old C57BL/6J mice by oral administration of β-aminopropionitrile(BAPN)(diluted in drinking water,1 g/(kg·d)).Eighty mice were divided randomly into Con,BAPN,BAPN+THC,and BAPN+THC+3-TYP(SIRT3 inhibitor)groups(n=20 mice per group).The survival rate of mice in each group was recorded after 4 weeks.The maximum diameter of the aorta was measured and the histomorphology and aortic wall elastin integrity were evaluated by hematoxylin and eosin and elastin van Gieson staining.Macrophage infiltration was detected by immunohistochemical staining and α-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA)and osteopontin(OPN)expression were detected by immunofluorescence staining.The production of reactive oxygen species(ROS)was measured by dihydroethidium staining and superoxide dismutase(SOD)activity and malondialdehyde(MDA)levels were determined using kits.Protein expression levels of matrix metalloproteinase(MMP)2,MMP9,interleukin(IL)-6,tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α,nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2(NRF2),NADPH oxidase 2(NOX2),α-SMA,OPN,sirtuin 3(SIRT3),Ac-SOD2,and SOD2 were measured by Western Blot.Results Mice in the BAPN+THC group showed significantly higher survival and a lower incidence of TAAD compared with the BAPN group and the degree of aortic dilatation and morphology and structure were improved(P＜0.05).Infiltration of CD68-positive macrophages and MMP2,MMP9,IL-6,and TNF-α expression levels were lower(P＜0.05),ROS generation,MDA content,and NOX2 expression in aortic tissue were also significantly decreased,while SOD activity and NRF2 expression were increased(P＜0.05).α-SMA expression was also increased,while OPN expression was reduced(P＜0.05).SIRT3 expression was increased while the Ac-SOD2/SOD2 ratio was decreased(P＜0.01).Treatment with the SIRT3-specific inhibitor and silencing of SIRT3 counteracted the ability of THC to resist TAAD via the SIRT3 signaling pathway(all P＜0.05).Conclusions THC alleviated inflammation and oxidative stress in aortic tissues by activating the SIRT3 signaling pathway,thus inhibiting the phenotypic transformation of vascular smooth muscle cells and resisting the formation of TAAD in mice.

Objective·To observe the impact of hip synovitis on the long-term outcomes of free vascularized fibular grafting(FVFG)for osteonecrosis of femoral head(ONFH).Methods·Between October 2001 and December 2013,370 patients diagnosed with ONFH(556 hips)underwent FVFG.Preoperative synovitis was assessed using magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)and quantified with the Hip Inflammation MRI Scoring System(HIMRISS).Patients were divided into no synovitis group,moderate synovitis group,and severe synovitis group.Harris hip scores and the incidence of total hip arthroplasty were collected with an average follow-up duration of 90.5 months(range:5-215 months).Hip survival failure(defined as a Harris hip score lower than 80 at the final follow-up or the occurrence of total hip arthroplasty)was calculated.Multivariable Cox regression analysis was adopted to compare the influence of different degrees of synovial inflammation on long-term prognosis.Results·The proportion of hip survival failure was 28.0％in patients without synovitis and 28.5％in those with moderate synovitis,whereas it was significantly higher(60.4％)in patients with severe synovitis.The results of multivariable Cox regression analysis showed that severe synovitis was an independent risk factor for poor prognosis(HR 2.06,95％CI 1.21-3.53)after adjusting for age,gender,education level,marital status,ONFH type,affected side of ONFH,smoking history,baseline Harris hip score and other hip MRI-based covariates(collapse,bone marrow edema,and degeneration).Conclusion·Severe synovitis in patients with ONFH significantly increases the failure rate of hip preservation after FVFG,and the severity of synovitis should be considered in surgical decision-making.

Objective:To investigate the impacts of preoperative regional arterial infusion chemotherapy(PRAC)combined with laparoscopic surgery on the efficacy,safety,immune function,and serum levels of matrix metallopro-teinase-7(MMP-7)and human cartilage glycoprotein(YKL-40)in patients with colorectal cancer.Methods:This study retrospectively selected 164 patients with colorectal cancer(January 2014 to December 2016)as the research subjects.Patients who underwent conventional treatment and laparoscopic surgery were included into control group(81 cases);patients undergoing PRAC+laparoscopic surgery were included into observation group(83 cases).The clinical efficacy,stress response indicators,immune function related indicators,changes in serum MMP-7 and YKL-40 levels,and occurrence of adverse reactions in two groups were observed before treatment(T0)and after 4 cycles of chemotherapy(T1).Results:At T1,the total effective rate of observation group(85.54%)was greatly higher than that of control group(67.90%)(P<0.05).The levels of cortisol(Cor),neutrophile granulocyte(NE),white blood cell count(WBC),and interleukin(IL)-6 were prominently increased in both groups(P<0.05),but the levels of these indicators in observation group were greatly lower than those in control group(P<0.05).The levels of IgM and IgA in both groups were greatly reduced(P<0.05),but the levels of IgM and IgA in observation group were prominently higher than those in control group(P<0.05).The levels of MMP-7 and YKL-40 decreased in both groups(P<0.05),and the level in observation group was prominently lower than that in control group(P<0.05).There was no significant difference in the overall incidence of adverse reactions and 5-year survival rate between control group and observation group(P>0.05).Conclusion:The combination of PRAC and laparoscopic surgery has prominent healing effects and certain safety in patients with colorectal cancer.It can effectively improve immune function,reduce serum MMP-7 and YKL-40 levels.

Objective:To investigate the impacts of preoperative regional arterial infusion chemotherapy(PRAC)combined with laparoscopic surgery on the efficacy,safety,immune function,and serum levels of matrix metallopro-teinase-7(MMP-7)and human cartilage glycoprotein(YKL-40)in patients with colorectal cancer.Methods:This study retrospectively selected 164 patients with colorectal cancer(January 2014 to December 2016)as the research subjects.Patients who underwent conventional treatment and laparoscopic surgery were included into control group(81 cases);patients undergoing PRAC+laparoscopic surgery were included into observation group(83 cases).The clinical efficacy,stress response indicators,immune function related indicators,changes in serum MMP-7 and YKL-40 levels,and occurrence of adverse reactions in two groups were observed before treatment(T0)and after 4 cycles of chemotherapy(T1).Results:At T1,the total effective rate of observation group(85.54%)was greatly higher than that of control group(67.90%)(P<0.05).The levels of cortisol(Cor),neutrophile granulocyte(NE),white blood cell count(WBC),and interleukin(IL)-6 were prominently increased in both groups(P<0.05),but the levels of these indicators in observation group were greatly lower than those in control group(P<0.05).The levels of IgM and IgA in both groups were greatly reduced(P<0.05),but the levels of IgM and IgA in observation group were prominently higher than those in control group(P<0.05).The levels of MMP-7 and YKL-40 decreased in both groups(P<0.05),and the level in observation group was prominently lower than that in control group(P<0.05).There was no significant difference in the overall incidence of adverse reactions and 5-year survival rate between control group and observation group(P>0.05).Conclusion:The combination of PRAC and laparoscopic surgery has prominent healing effects and certain safety in patients with colorectal cancer.It can effectively improve immune function,reduce serum MMP-7 and YKL-40 levels.

Background and Objectives: The Fractional Flow Reserve and Intravascular UltrasoundGuided Intervention Strategy for Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Intermediate Stenosis (FLAVOUR) trial demonstrated non-inferiority of fractional flow reserve (FFR)-guided percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) compared with intravascular ultrasound (IVUS)-guided PCI. We sought to investigate the cost-effectiveness of FFR-guided PCI compared to IVUS-guided PCI in Korea. Methods: A 2-part cost-effectiveness model, composed of a short-term decision tree model and a long-term Markov model, was developed for patients who underwent PCI to treat intermediate stenosis (40% to 70% stenosis by visual estimation on coronary angiography).The lifetime healthcare costs and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) were estimated from the healthcare system perspective. Transition probabilities were mainly referred from the FLAVOUR trial, and healthcare costs were mainly obtained through analysis of Korean National Health Insurance claims data. Health utilities were mainly obtained from the Seattle Angina Questionnaire responses of FLAVOUR trial participants mapped to EQ-5D. Results: From the Korean healthcare system perspective, the base-case analysis showed that FFR-guided PCI was 2,451 U.S. dollar lower in lifetime healthcare costs and 0.178 higher in QALYs compared to IVUS-guided PCI. FFR-guided PCI remained more likely to be cost-effective over a wide range of willingness-to-pay thresholds in the probabilistic sensitivity analysis. Conclusions Based on the results from the FLAVOUR trial, FFR-guided PCI is projected to decrease lifetime healthcare costs and increase QALYs compared with IVUS-guided PCI in intermediate coronary lesion, and it is a dominant strategy in Korea.

Objective:To report the nationwide surveillance results of pathogenic profiles and antimicrobial resistance patterns of Gram-positive bloodstream infections in China in 2023.Methods:The clinical isolates of Gram-posttive bacteria from blood cultures were collected in member hospitals of National Bloodstream Infection Bacterial Resistant Investigation Collaborative System（BRICS）during January to December 2023. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using the dilution method recommended by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute（CLSI）. Statistical analyses were conducted using WHONET 5.6 and SPSS 25.0 software.Results:A total of 4 385 Gram-positive bacterial isolates were obtained from 60 participating center. The top five pathogens were Staphylococcus aureus（ n=1 544，35.2%），coagulase-negative Staphylococci（ n=1 441，32.9%）， Enterococcus faecium（ n=574，13.1%）， Enterococcus faecalis（ n=385，8.8%），and α-hemolytic Streptococci（ n=187，4.3%）. The prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus（MRSA）and methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative Staphylococci（MRCNS）was 26.2%（405/1 544）and 69.8%（1 006/1 441），respectively. Notably，all Staphylococci remained susceptible to glycopeptide or daptomycin. Staphylococcus aureus demonstrated excellent susceptibility（>97.0%）to cephalobiol，rifampicin，trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole，linezolid，minocycline，tigecycline，and eravacycline. No Enterococcus exhibiting resistance to linezolid were detected. Glycopeptide resistance was uncommon but more frequent in Enterococcus faecium（resistance to vancomycin and teicoplanin：both 1.7%）compared to Enterococcus faecalis（both 0.3%）. The detection rates of MRSA and MRCNS exhibited significant regional variations across the country（ χ2=17.674 and 148.650，respectively，both P<0.001）. No vancomycin-resistant Enterococci were detected in central China. Institutional comparison demonstrated higher prevalence of MRSA（ χ2=14.111， P<0.001）and MRCNS（ χ2=4.828， P=0.028）in provincial hospitals than that in municipal hospitals. Socioeconomic analysis identified elevated detection rates of both MRSA（ χ2=18.986， P<0.001）and MRCNS（ χ2=4.477， P=0.034）in less developed regions（per capita GDP