Numerous techniques for C2 screw fixation have been recently reported. However, concerns remain regarding the risk of spinal cord or vertebral artery injury and inadequate biomechanical stability. To our knowledge, the specific transforaminal “in-out-in” screw fixation technique has not been previously reported. This study aimed to investigate the feasibility and preliminary clinical outcomes of a transforaminal “in-out-in” multi-cortical purchase screw for posterior C2 screw fixation. Between October 2022 and March 2023, 10 patients underwent posterior atlantoaxial internal fixation. All patients had severe hypoplasia of the C2 pedicle on at least one side, precluding the use of standard C2 pedicle screws. A transforaminal “in-out-in” screw was used as an alternative. No spinal cord injury, vascular injury, or other major complications were observed. No implant failure was noted at the final follow-up. In conclusion, the transforaminal “in-out-in” screw may achieve rigid three-column fixation with multiple cortical purchases. It represents a safe and effective alternative for posterior C2 fixation in patients with severely narrow C2 pedicles where traditional pedicle screw placement is not feasible.

As the population is aging rapidly,the incidence of Alzheimer's disease(AD)is increasing year by year.The World Health Organization stresses that early prevention plays a key role in reducing the incidence of AD.Subjective cognitive decline(SCD)is an early window of AD development,and timely intervention can effectively slow down the progression of the disease or prevent it from developing into dementia,thus reducing the burden on the society.White matter hyperintensity(WMH)can effectively reflect white matter changes and provide strong evidence to identify SCD.In this paper,we review the recent research progress in WMH and SCD,reveal the problems in the current research on WMH,explain the correlation between WMH and SCD in terms of physiopathology and cognitive function,and put forward several suggestions for the future research.
Humans ; White Matter/pathology* ; Cognitive Dysfunction/pathology* ; Alzheimer Disease/pathology* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Objective To evaluate the diagnostic value of transrectal contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) for rectal cancer with intestinal stenosis caused by tumors. Methods Forty-nine patients with rectal cancer underwent transrectal CEUS and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) before surgery.Intraoperative tumor localization and postoperative pathological results were taken as the gold standard for diagnosis.The differences in T stage,localization,and tumor length of rectal cancer were compared between the two methods. Results The total accuracy rates of transrectal CEUS and MRI in diagnosing T stage were 75.5% (36/49) and 67.3% (33/49),which had no significant difference (χ²=0.8,P=0.371).The total accuracy rates of transrectal CEUS and MRI in judging tumor localization were 79.5% (39/49) and 77.5% (38/49),which had no significant difference (χ²=0.061,P=0.806).The measurement results of tumor length in pathological examination had no significant difference from the transrectal CEUS results (t=1.42,P=0.162) but a significant difference from the MRI results (t=3.38,P=0.001).Furthermore,transrectal CEUS detected 8 (16.3%) cases of colonic polyps among the 49 patients,while MRI did not detect colon lesions. Conclusions Transrectal CEUS has good consistency with MRI in T staging and localization judgement of rectal cancer with intestinal stenosis,and this method can more accurately evaluate the tumor length and simultaneously evaluate whether there is a lesion in the entire colon at the proximal end of stenosis.It can be used as a supplementary examination before rectal cancer treatment in clinical practice.
Humans ; Rectal Neoplasms/complications* ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Female ; Aged ; Contrast Media ; Ultrasonography ; Adult ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Constriction, Pathologic/diagnostic imaging* ; Aged, 80 and over ; Intestinal Obstruction/etiology*

In the 1950s and 1960s,Japan's implementation of policies prioritizing economic develop-ment caused a lack of effective supervision over the discharge of industrial wastewater and exhaust gases,which led to the occurrence of the"Four Major Pollution Diseases",including Minamata disease,causing serious social and public health problems.To more effectively address public nuisances and pro-vide compensation to victims,the Japanese government gradually established an environmental damage compensation system with administrative relief characteristics since the 1970s.Through long-term prac-tice and system optimization,this system has evolved into a mature institutional framework with a clear division of labor and efficient collaboration.This paper systematically reviews the development process of Japan's environmental damage compensation system and deeply analyzes its legal frame-work and supporting policies,aiming to provide useful references for the construction and improve-ment of China's environmental damage compensation system.Meanwhile,through the case analysis of Minamata disease,the paper explores the specific mechanisms and effects in the compensation practices,further revealing the system's operational characteristics and implications,and providing a reference ba-sis for the construction of China's environmental governance legal system.

Objective:Previous studies have shown that insomnia is closely related to erectile dysfunction(ED).However,the causal relationship between them is still unclear.Mendelian randomization(MR)provides a new method for studying the relationship between the two,and the theory of heart-kidney interaction in TCM provides a new idea for exploring the causal relationship between them.Methods:Based on the statistical data collected by genome-wide association studies(GWAS),the causal relationship be-tween insomnia and ED was discussed by MR.Inverse variance weighted(IVW)is the main analysis method,and weighted median(WME),simple mode(SM),weighted mode(WM)and MR Egger method were the supplementary analysis to evaluate the causal effect.MR-Egger intercept test,Cochran Q test and leave-one-out method were used in sensitivity analysis to verify the reliability of MR results.Results:Thirty-nine SNPs significantly related to insomnia were finally included for MR analysis.The results of IVW method in MR analysis showed that insomnia had a significant causal relationship with the increased risk of ED(OR=3.111,95％CI=1.566-6.181,P=1.193 × 10-3).The results obtained by MR-Egger method,WME method,WM method and SM method were consistent with IVW method in the direction of effect.The sensitivity results suggested that the results of this study were robust.Conclusion:Our study reveals the causal relationship between insomnia and ED,which provides a new basis for future clinical practice and prevention and treatment of ED.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the molecular mechanism of Shenmai Injection (SMI) against doxorubicin (DOX) induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis. METHODS: A total of 40 specific pathogen-free (SPF) male Sprague Dawley (SD) male rats were divided into 5 groups based on the random number table, including the control group, the model group, miR-30a agomir group, SMI low-dose (SMI-L) group, and SMI high-dose (SMI-H) group, with 8 rats in each group. Except for the control group, the rats were injected weekly with DOX (2 mg/kg) in the tail vein for 4 weeks to induce myocardial injury, and were given different regimens of continuous intervention for 2 weeks. Cardiac function was detected by echocardiography and myocardial pathological changes were observed by Van Gieson (VG) staining. Myocardial injury serum markers, including creatine kinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), troponin T (cTnT), N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), soluble ST2 (sST2), and growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15) were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Cardiomyocyte apoptosis was observed by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated biotinylated dUTP triphosphate nick end labeling (TUNEL) and transmission electron microscopy, and the expressions of target proteins and mRNA were detected by Western blot and quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-RCR), respectively. RESULTS: The treatment with different doses of SMI reduced rat heart mass index and left ventricular mass index (P<0.05), significantly improved the left ventricular ejection fraction (P<0.05), decreased the levels of serum CK, LDH, cTnT, and NT-proBNP (P<0.05 or P<0.01), reduced the levels of serum sST2 and GDF-15 (P<0.05 or P<0.01), decreased the collagen volume fraction, reduced the expressions of rat myocardial type I and type III collagen (P<0.05 or P<0.01), and effectively alleviated myocardial fibrosis. And the study found that SMI promoted the expression levels of miR-30a and Bcl-2 in myocardium, and down-regulated the expression of Bax, which inhibited the activation of Caspase-3 and Caspase-9 (P<0.05 or P<0.01), and improved myocardial cell apoptosis. CONCLUSIONS SMI can alleviate myocardial injury and apoptosis caused by DOX, and its mechanism possibly by promoting the targeted expression of myocardial Bcl-2 protein through miR-30a.
Animals ; Myocytes, Cardiac/metabolism* ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; MicroRNAs/genetics* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Male ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Doxorubicin/pharmacology* ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2/genetics* ; Drug Combinations ; Injections ; Rats

Neurofibromatosis Type 1 （NF1） is an autosomal dominant hereditary neurological disorder. One of the typical manifestations of NF1 is neurofibroma, which can develop gradually over time. When the volume exceeds 100 cm², it is referred to as giant neurofibroma, representing a tumor-like proliferation of Schwann cells within the nerve fiber sheath. The Department of Otolaryngology at the Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University received a rare case involving a patient with giant neurofibromatosis affecting the maxillofacial region, neck, and chest. The patient underwent successful surgical treatment with the collaboration of various medical disciplines.
Humans ; Head and Neck Neoplasms/surgery* ; Neck ; Neurofibromatoses ; Neurofibromatosis 1/surgery* ; Thoracic Neoplasms/surgery*

Recurrent syncopal episodes associated with head and neck lymphoma are rarely reported. Through a typical case study, this article analyzes the clinical features of patients with neck lymphoma presenting with syncope as the initial symptom, aiming to improve understanding of this type of disease. By reviewing the clinical data of this patient with neck masses admitted for recurrent syncope in June 2023 and integrating findings with relevant literature, the clinical characteristics of this patient population is presented. The first symptoms of lymphoma presenting as syncope are relatively rare and often lead to misdiagnosis. Diagnosis is mainly based on pathological and immunohistochemical analysis.
Humans ; Head and Neck Neoplasms/diagnosis* ; Lymphoma/diagnosis* ; Recurrence ; Syncope/etiology* ; Young Adult ; Diagnostic Errors

Cemental tear is a rare and indetectable condition unless obvious clinical signs present with the involvement of surrounding periodontal and periapical tissues. Due to its clinical manifestations similar to common dental issues, such as vertical root fracture, primary endodontic diseases, and periodontal diseases, as well as the low awareness of cemental tear for clinicians, misdiagnosis often occurs. The critical principle for cemental tear treatment is to remove torn fragments, and overlooking fragments leads to futile therapy, which could deteriorate the conditions of the affected teeth. Therefore, accurate diagnosis and subsequent appropriate interventions are vital for managing cemental tear. Novel diagnostic tools, including cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT), microscopes, and enamel matrix derivatives, have improved early detection and management, enhancing tooth retention. The implementation of standardized diagnostic criteria and treatment protocols, combined with improved clinical awareness among dental professionals, serves to mitigate risks of diagnostic errors and suboptimal therapeutic interventions. This expert consensus reviewed the epidemiology, pathogenesis, potential predisposing factors, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, differential diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of cemental tear, aiming to provide a clinical guideline and facilitate clinicians to have a better understanding of cemental tear.
Humans ; Dental Cementum/injuries* ; Consensus ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Cone-Beam Computed Tomography ; Tooth Fractures/therapy*