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.

Objective: To explore the effects of Cldn14 gene knockout on renal metabolism and stone formation in rats，so as to provide reference for research in the field of urinary calium metabolism and stone formation. Methods: Cldn14 gene knockout homozygous rats and wild-type rats of the same age were randomly divided into 4 groups：wild-type control (WC) group，wild-type ethylene glycol (WE) group，gene knockout control (KC) group and gene knockout ethylene glycol (KE) group，with 10 rats in each group.The WE and KE groups were induced with ethylene glycol + ammonium chloride to form kidney stones，while the WC and KC groups received normal saline gavage.After 4 weeks of standard maintenance feeding，the urine samples were collected to detect the venous blood.The kidneys were collected for HE，Pizzolatto's staining and transmission electron microscopy.The protein in renal tissues was extracted to detect the expressions of Claudin16 and Claudin19. Results: Crystal deposition was observed in the renal tubular lumen of the WE and the KE groups，and more crystals were detected in the KE group.The WE group had a large number of intracytoplasmic black crystalline inclusions observed in renal tubular epithelial cells under transmission electron microscope，followed by the KE and KC groups.Compared with WC and WE groups，KC and KE groups had significantly decreased serum calcium and magnesium levels but significantly increased urinary calcium level.In addition，the urinary calcium level was higher in the WE group than in the WC group and higher in the KE group than in the KC group.The KE group had lower level of Claudin16，but there was no significant difference in the level of Claudin19 among the 4 groups(P>0.05). Conclusion: Knockout of Cldn14 gene alone cannot effectively reduce urinary calcium excretion or reduce the risk of stone formation in rats，which may be related to the decrease of Claudin16 level.

Objective:To investigate the protective effects of resveratrol (RSV) on human sperm cryopreservation and explore its underlying protective mechanisms.Methods:A total of 165 normal fresh semen samples were collected from the Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Human Sperm Bank of the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University between December 2022 and December 2024. Among them, 65 samples were used to obtain semen parameters before and after conventional freezing. Each sample of the other 104 samples was mixed at a 2∶1 volume ratio with cryoprotectant containing 0, 10 -?, 10 -?, or 10 -? mol/L RSV, followed by cryopreservation in liquid nitrogen for 24 h. Post-thaw assessments included routine sperm parameters, sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI) evaluated by sperm chromatin dispersion assay, reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels measured via flow cytometry, RSV and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) interactions examined by molecular docking and cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA), NRF2 protein contents analyzed by immunofluorescence and Western blotting, mRNA levels of NRF2 and downstream antioxidant proteins Heme Oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) quantified by qRT-PCR and effects of NRF2 inhibitor ML385 on sperm parameters. Results:Compared with fresh samples, conventional cryopreservation significantly reduced sperm motility (all P<0.001). The addition of 10 -? mol/L RSV significantly improved the percentage of forward motile sperm after freezing (26.98%±8.98% vs. 19.61%±8.03%, P<0.001) while reducing DFI (9.84%±3.81% vs. 15.06%±4.22%, P<0.001) and ROS levels ( P<0.001) compared with the post-freezing group without the addition of RSV. Both molecular docking analysis and CETSA confirmed that RSV interacted with NRF2. Notably, sperm cryopreserved with 10 -? mol/L RSV exhibited significantly higher contents of NRF2 and its downstream effectors HO-1 and NQO1 compared with the post-freezing group without the addition of RSV (all P<0.001). This protective effect was markedly attenuated by co-treatment with the NRF2 inhibitor ML385, as evidenced by a significant decline in sperm motility ( P<0.001). Conclusion:RSV exerts cryoprotective effects likely through NRF2-mediated antioxidant pathways, reducing oxidative stress and enhancing post-thaw sperm quality.

Objective To understand the current situation of healthcare-associated infection(HAI)in China,pro-vide data support and decision-making basis for formulating scientific and effective strategies for HAI prevention and control.Methods A nationwide cross-sectional survey on HAI was conducted among various types and levels of medical institutions in China according to a unified protocol of bedside surveys and case investigations.Results In 2024,a total of 5 736 medical institutions and 2 751 765 patients were surveyed.Among them,34 889 HAI cases were identified,with a prevalence rate of 1.27％.The number of HAI episodes was 38 032,and case prevalence rate was 1.38％.The prevalence rate of HAI in medical institutions in different regions of China ranged from 0.66％to 2.35％.Among medical institutions of different scales,those with a bed capacity of ≥900 had the high-est incidence of HAI,reaching 1.65％.The most common infection site was the lower respiratory tract(44.66％),followed by the urinary tract(12.94％),surgical site(9.32％),upper respiratory tract(7.02％),and bloodstream infection(5.78％).The top 3 departments with the highest HAI rates were the general intensive care unit(10.02％),department of neurosurgery(5.51％),and department(group)of hematology(5.34％).A total of 23 238 strains of HAI pathogens were detected,with 10 714 strains(46.10％)from lower respiratory tract speci-mens.The top 5 detected strains were Klebsiella pneumoniae(14.76％),Pseudomonas aeruginosa(13.33％),Escherichia coli(12.79％),Acinetobacter baumannii(9.23％),and Staphylococcus aureus(7.88％).231 944 pa-tients underwent class Ⅰ incision surgery were monitored,with 1 647 cases experienced surgical site infection,and the prevalence rate of surgical site infection was 0.71％.The number of patients who should undergo pathogen de-tection(patients receiving therapeutic and therapeutic combined prophylactic antimicrobial agents)was 715 179,while the actual number was 480 492,with a pathogen detection rate of 67.18％.425 225 patients received patho-genic detection before treatment,with a detection rate of 59.46％.Conclusion The overall HAI prevalence in Chi-na is lower,showing disparities among medical institutions of different regions and scales.Therefore,precise imple-mentation of measures is necessary for HAI prevention and control,with a focus on high-risk institutions and high-risk departments,key areas,and critical procedures.All levels of medical institutions should continuously reduce the incidence of HAI by strengthening monitoring,standardizing the use of antimicrobial agents,and reinforcing basic HAI prevention and control measures.

Objective:To observe the effect of modified autologous skull defect repair in patients with traumatic brain injury and its influence on neurological function and living ability.Methods:104 patients with traumatic brain injury who were admitted to our hospital from March 2022 to August 2024 were included,they were divided into Group A[37 cases,poly ether ether ketone(PEEK)skull defect repair],Group B(35 cases,traditional titanium mesh skull defect repair),and Group C(32 cases,modified autologous skull defect repair).Perioperative indicators,neurological function,activity of daily living,quality of life,satisfaction,and incidence of postoperative complications were compared among three groups.Results:There were no differences in the operation time,operation blood loss and postoperative hospital stay among the three groups(P＞0.05).The hospitalization costs of Group A,Group B and Group C decreased successively(P＜0.05).Activity of Daily Living(ADL)scores at 3 and 6 months after surgery increased among three groups,while National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale(NIHSS)scores decreased(P＜0.05).There was no significant difference in physiological function,social function,psychological function,and material life among the three groups at 6 months after surgery(P＞0.05).The overall satisfaction rate in Group C was higher than that of Group A and Group B(P＜0.05).The overall incidence of complications in Group C was lower than that in Group A and Group B(P＜0.05).Conclusion:PEEK,traditional titanium mesh,and modified autologous skull are used in skull defect repair,operation time,operation blood loss and postoperative hospital stay are comparable,they can also reduce neurological function damage,improve living ability,and enhance the quality of life of patients,however,PEEK is relatively expensive,the satisfaction of traditional titanium mesh is low,andincidence of postoperative complications are relatively high.

Objective:To investigate the protective effects of resveratrol (RSV) on human sperm cryopreservation and explore its underlying protective mechanisms.Methods:A total of 165 normal fresh semen samples were collected from the Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Human Sperm Bank of the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University between December 2022 and December 2024. Among them, 65 samples were used to obtain semen parameters before and after conventional freezing. Each sample of the other 104 samples was mixed at a 2∶1 volume ratio with cryoprotectant containing 0, 10 -?, 10 -?, or 10 -? mol/L RSV, followed by cryopreservation in liquid nitrogen for 24 h. Post-thaw assessments included routine sperm parameters, sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI) evaluated by sperm chromatin dispersion assay, reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels measured via flow cytometry, RSV and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) interactions examined by molecular docking and cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA), NRF2 protein contents analyzed by immunofluorescence and Western blotting, mRNA levels of NRF2 and downstream antioxidant proteins Heme Oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) quantified by qRT-PCR and effects of NRF2 inhibitor ML385 on sperm parameters. Results:Compared with fresh samples, conventional cryopreservation significantly reduced sperm motility (all P<0.001). The addition of 10 -? mol/L RSV significantly improved the percentage of forward motile sperm after freezing (26.98%±8.98% vs. 19.61%±8.03%, P<0.001) while reducing DFI (9.84%±3.81% vs. 15.06%±4.22%, P<0.001) and ROS levels ( P<0.001) compared with the post-freezing group without the addition of RSV. Both molecular docking analysis and CETSA confirmed that RSV interacted with NRF2. Notably, sperm cryopreserved with 10 -? mol/L RSV exhibited significantly higher contents of NRF2 and its downstream effectors HO-1 and NQO1 compared with the post-freezing group without the addition of RSV (all P<0.001). This protective effect was markedly attenuated by co-treatment with the NRF2 inhibitor ML385, as evidenced by a significant decline in sperm motility ( P<0.001). Conclusion:RSV exerts cryoprotective effects likely through NRF2-mediated antioxidant pathways, reducing oxidative stress and enhancing post-thaw sperm quality.

Objective:To observe the effect of modified autologous skull defect repair in patients with traumatic brain injury and its influence on neurological function and living ability.Methods:104 patients with traumatic brain injury who were admitted to our hospital from March 2022 to August 2024 were included,they were divided into Group A[37 cases,poly ether ether ketone(PEEK)skull defect repair],Group B(35 cases,traditional titanium mesh skull defect repair),and Group C(32 cases,modified autologous skull defect repair).Perioperative indicators,neurological function,activity of daily living,quality of life,satisfaction,and incidence of postoperative complications were compared among three groups.Results:There were no differences in the operation time,operation blood loss and postoperative hospital stay among the three groups(P＞0.05).The hospitalization costs of Group A,Group B and Group C decreased successively(P＜0.05).Activity of Daily Living(ADL)scores at 3 and 6 months after surgery increased among three groups,while National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale(NIHSS)scores decreased(P＜0.05).There was no significant difference in physiological function,social function,psychological function,and material life among the three groups at 6 months after surgery(P＞0.05).The overall satisfaction rate in Group C was higher than that of Group A and Group B(P＜0.05).The overall incidence of complications in Group C was lower than that in Group A and Group B(P＜0.05).Conclusion:PEEK,traditional titanium mesh,and modified autologous skull are used in skull defect repair,operation time,operation blood loss and postoperative hospital stay are comparable,they can also reduce neurological function damage,improve living ability,and enhance the quality of life of patients,however,PEEK is relatively expensive,the satisfaction of traditional titanium mesh is low,andincidence of postoperative complications are relatively high.

Objective:To investigate whether the immunohistochemical results of two markers PMS2 and MSH6 (2-MMR) could replace the four markers MLH1, PMS2, MSH2 and MSH6 (4-MMR) to detect mismatch repair deficient (dMMR) cancers.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted with summary of immunohistochemical data from 7 867 cases of gastric cancer, colorectal cancer, endometrial cancer, and other diseases in the Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China, from March 2018 to March 2023. The consistency of 2-MMR and 4-MMR results was examined. Microsatellite instability (MSI) and next-generation sequencing (NGS) were performed in patients with specific phenotypes.Results:The Cohen κ values of 2-MMR and 4-MMR in gastric cancer, colorectal cancer, endometrial cancer and other diseases were 0.88, 0.99, 0.88 and 1.00, respectively. The overall consistency, sensitivity and specificity were 0.97, 99.6%, and 100.0%, respectively. Both 2-MMR and 4-MMR could detect the difference between various clinicopathological features. 24 (0.3%) of the 7 867 patients were found to have a special phenotype of MMR, and 6 of them were selected for MSI and NGS molecular testing. MSI analysis showed MSI-H in all cases, while NGS found that 5 of them had MMR-related gene mutations and 1 had POLE p.S297F mutation.Conclusions:Compared with 4-MMR, 2-MMR has high consistency, specificity and sensitivity. The cases with special phenotype only account for extremely low proportion. Therefore, 4-MMR may be replaced with 2-MMR in dMMR screening.

Objective:To investigate whether the immunohistochemical results of two markers PMS2 and MSH6 (2-MMR) could replace the four markers MLH1, PMS2, MSH2 and MSH6 (4-MMR) to detect mismatch repair deficient (dMMR) cancers.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted with summary of immunohistochemical data from 7 867 cases of gastric cancer, colorectal cancer, endometrial cancer, and other diseases in the Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China, from March 2018 to March 2023. The consistency of 2-MMR and 4-MMR results was examined. Microsatellite instability (MSI) and next-generation sequencing (NGS) were performed in patients with specific phenotypes.Results:The Cohen κ values of 2-MMR and 4-MMR in gastric cancer, colorectal cancer, endometrial cancer and other diseases were 0.88, 0.99, 0.88 and 1.00, respectively. The overall consistency, sensitivity and specificity were 0.97, 99.6%, and 100.0%, respectively. Both 2-MMR and 4-MMR could detect the difference between various clinicopathological features. 24 (0.3%) of the 7 867 patients were found to have a special phenotype of MMR, and 6 of them were selected for MSI and NGS molecular testing. MSI analysis showed MSI-H in all cases, while NGS found that 5 of them had MMR-related gene mutations and 1 had POLE p.S297F mutation.Conclusions:Compared with 4-MMR, 2-MMR has high consistency, specificity and sensitivity. The cases with special phenotype only account for extremely low proportion. Therefore, 4-MMR may be replaced with 2-MMR in dMMR screening.