BACKGROUND:Periprosthetic joint infection is the most common cause of early failure after total knee replacement.The current methods of preventing periprosthetic joint infection by improving the surface of the prosthesis have limitations to varying degrees.OBJECTIVE:To construct a coating material that can stably improve the surface of the implant,prevent the initial floating bacterial infection of periprosthetic infection,and regulate the bone transfer function around the implant.METHODS:(1)Material preparation:YGF polypeptide(which promotes bone formation),LL-37 polypeptide(with antibacterial properties)and YGF+LL-37 composite peptide were prepared by Fmoc solid phase peptide synthesis technology.The titanium-based materials were immersed in the three polypeptide solutions for 2 hours to obtain YGF coating,LL-37 coating and composite peptide coating coated titanium sheets.(2)In vitro experiment:Uncoated titanium sheets and coated titanium sheets were co-cultured with Escherichia coli(or Staphylococcus aureus)and the colonies were counted by plate method.MC3T3 cells were inoculated on the surface of uncoated titanium sheet and coated titanium sheet,respectively.Alizarin red staining was used to observe the calcium salt deposition on the surface of the material.Western blot assay was used to detect the protein expression of RUNX2,osteocalcin,osteopontin,and bone morphogenetic protein 2.(3)Animal experiment:24 SD rats were randomly divided into three groups:the blank group(n=8)was implanted with uncoated titanium nails in the femoral medullary canal;the control group(n=8)was implanted with uncoated titanium nails in the femoral medullary canal+intra-articular injection of Staphylococcus aureus suspension;the experimental group(n=8)was implanted with composite peptide coated titanium nails in the femoral medullary canal+intra-articular injection of Staphylococcus aureus suspension.After 5 weeks of implantation,micro-CT examination,hematoxylin-eosin staining and immunohistochemical staining of femur specimens were performed.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)In vitro experiment:Compared with uncoated titanium sheet and YGF coated titanium sheet,LL-37 coated and composite peptide coated titanium sheet could significantly inhibit the growth and reproduction of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus.Compared with uncoated titanium sheets and LL-37-coated titanium sheets,YGF-coated and composite peptide-coated titanium sheets could promote calcium salt deposition in osteoblasts and increase the protein expression of RUNX2,osteocalcin,osteopontin and bone morphogenetic protein 2.(2)Animal experiment:Micro-CT test showed that the control group had less bone mass than the blank group and the experimental group.Hematoxylin-eosin staining showed that there was a large amount of fibrous tissue around the nail channel in the control group,only a small amount of tissue fibrosis around the nail channel in the blank group,and only a small amount of tissue fibrosis around the nail channel in the experimental group.Immunohistochemical staining showed that the protein expression of interleukin 1β and tumor necrosis factor α in the control group was higher than that in the blank group and the experimental group,and the expression of osteocalcin,RUNX2 and osteopontin in the experimental group was higher than that in the blank group and the control group.(3)The results show that the titanium-based material coated with YGF+LL-37 composite peptide coating has good antibacterial ability and can promote bone transfer around the implant.

BACKGROUND:Periprosthetic joint infection is the most common cause of early failure after total knee replacement.The current methods of preventing periprosthetic joint infection by improving the surface of the prosthesis have limitations to varying degrees.OBJECTIVE:To construct a coating material that can stably improve the surface of the implant,prevent the initial floating bacterial infection of periprosthetic infection,and regulate the bone transfer function around the implant.METHODS:(1)Material preparation:YGF polypeptide(which promotes bone formation),LL-37 polypeptide(with antibacterial properties)and YGF+LL-37 composite peptide were prepared by Fmoc solid phase peptide synthesis technology.The titanium-based materials were immersed in the three polypeptide solutions for 2 hours to obtain YGF coating,LL-37 coating and composite peptide coating coated titanium sheets.(2)In vitro experiment:Uncoated titanium sheets and coated titanium sheets were co-cultured with Escherichia coli(or Staphylococcus aureus)and the colonies were counted by plate method.MC3T3 cells were inoculated on the surface of uncoated titanium sheet and coated titanium sheet,respectively.Alizarin red staining was used to observe the calcium salt deposition on the surface of the material.Western blot assay was used to detect the protein expression of RUNX2,osteocalcin,osteopontin,and bone morphogenetic protein 2.(3)Animal experiment:24 SD rats were randomly divided into three groups:the blank group(n=8)was implanted with uncoated titanium nails in the femoral medullary canal;the control group(n=8)was implanted with uncoated titanium nails in the femoral medullary canal+intra-articular injection of Staphylococcus aureus suspension;the experimental group(n=8)was implanted with composite peptide coated titanium nails in the femoral medullary canal+intra-articular injection of Staphylococcus aureus suspension.After 5 weeks of implantation,micro-CT examination,hematoxylin-eosin staining and immunohistochemical staining of femur specimens were performed.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)In vitro experiment:Compared with uncoated titanium sheet and YGF coated titanium sheet,LL-37 coated and composite peptide coated titanium sheet could significantly inhibit the growth and reproduction of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus.Compared with uncoated titanium sheets and LL-37-coated titanium sheets,YGF-coated and composite peptide-coated titanium sheets could promote calcium salt deposition in osteoblasts and increase the protein expression of RUNX2,osteocalcin,osteopontin and bone morphogenetic protein 2.(2)Animal experiment:Micro-CT test showed that the control group had less bone mass than the blank group and the experimental group.Hematoxylin-eosin staining showed that there was a large amount of fibrous tissue around the nail channel in the control group,only a small amount of tissue fibrosis around the nail channel in the blank group,and only a small amount of tissue fibrosis around the nail channel in the experimental group.Immunohistochemical staining showed that the protein expression of interleukin 1β and tumor necrosis factor α in the control group was higher than that in the blank group and the experimental group,and the expression of osteocalcin,RUNX2 and osteopontin in the experimental group was higher than that in the blank group and the control group.(3)The results show that the titanium-based material coated with YGF+LL-37 composite peptide coating has good antibacterial ability and can promote bone transfer around the implant.

Metastatic dissemination is the major cause of death from breast-cancer (BC). Fusobacterium nucleatum (F.n) is widely enriched in BC and has recently been identified as one of the high-risk factors for promoting BC metastasis. Here, with an experimental model, we demonstrated that intratumoral F.n induced BC aggressiveness by transcriptionally activating Epithelial-mesenchymal transition-associated genes. Therefore, the F.n may be a potential target to prevent metastasis. Given the fact that cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are abundant in BC and located near blood vessels, we report an optogenetic system that drives CAF to in situ produce human antibacterial peptide LL37, with the characteristics of biosafety and freely intercellular trafficking, for depleting intratumoral F.n, leading to a 72.1% reduction in lung metastatic nodules number without affecting the balance of the systemic flora. Notably, mild photothermal treatment was found that could normalize CAF, contributing to synergistically inhibiting BC metastasis. In addition, the system can also simultaneously encode a gene of TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand to suppress the primary tumor. Together, our study highlights the potential of local elimination of tumor pathogenic bacteria to prevent BC metastasis.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most prevalent neurodegenerative disorder worldwide, causing dementia and affecting millions of individuals. One prominent characteristic in the brains of AD patients is glucose hypometabolism. In the context of galactose metabolism, intracellular glucose levels are heightened. Galactose mutarotase (GALM) plays a crucial role in maintaining normal galactose metabolism by catalyzing the conversion of β-D-galactose into α-D-galactose (α-D-G). The latter is then converted into glucose-6-phosphate, improving glucose metabolism levels. However, the involvement of GALM in AD progression is still unclear. In the present study, we found that the expression of GALM was significantly increased in AD patients and model mice. Genetic knockdown of GALM using adeno-associated virus did not change the expression of amyloid precursor protein (APP) and APP-cleaving enzymes including a disintegrin and metalloprotease 10 (ADAM10), β-site APP-cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1), and presenilin-1 (PS1). Interestingly, genetic overexpression of GALM reduced APP and Aβ deposition by increasing the maturation of ADAM10, although it did not alter the expression of BACE1 and PS1. Further electrophysiological and behavioral experiments showed that GALM overexpression significantly ameliorated the deficits in hippocampal CA1 long-term potentiation (LTP) and spatial learning and memory in AD model mice. Importantly, direct α-D-G (20 mg/kg, i.p.) also inhibited Aβ deposition by increasing the maturation of ADAM10, thereby improving hippocampal CA1 LTP and spatial learning and memory in AD model mice. Taken together, our results indicate that GALM shifts APP processing towards α-cleavage, preventing Aβ generation by increasing the level of mature ADAM10. These findings indicate that GALM may be a potential therapeutic target for AD, and α-D-G has the potential to be used as a dietary supplement for the prevention and treatment of AD.
Animals ; ADAM10 Protein/metabolism* ; Alzheimer Disease/pathology* ; Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases/metabolism* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Humans ; Mice ; Amyloid beta-Peptides/metabolism* ; Male ; Mice, Transgenic ; Membrane Proteins/metabolism* ; Cognitive Dysfunction/pathology* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor/metabolism* ; Female ; Hippocampus/metabolism* ; Long-Term Potentiation/physiology*

Objective Based on the radiomics features extracted from the unenhanced CT images of the lower abdomen, a variety of machine learning models were constructed to explore their application value in the assessment of split renal function. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the unenhanced CT images from 240 single kidneys in patients with clinically suspected renal dysfunction. Based on the results of single-photon emission computed tomography renal dynamic imaging, the cases were classified into the normal glomerular filtration rate group (n=118) and the decreased glomerular filtration rate group (n=122). The region of interest was outlined on the unenhanced CT images and the radiomics features were extracted. The features were selected by correlation analysis and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator, and the machine learning models were constructed based on the algorithms of decision tree, support vector machine, random forest, logistic regression, and extreme gradient boosting. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity were calculated to compare the performance of different models. Results Sixteen radiomics features were selected for constructing the machine learning models. The support vector machine model showed relatively high performance for the assessment of split renal function on the test set, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve value of 0.883 (95% confidence interval: 0.804-0.961), an accuracy of 0.778, a sensitivity of 0.811, and a specificity of 0.743. Conclusion The machine learning models constructed based on unenhanced CT radiomics can be used to preliminarily assess split renal function, which provides an innovative, convenient, and safe method for clinical diagnosis and has positive significance for treatment.

The paper reports a 32-year-old female acute myeloid leukemia patient who developed graft-versus-host disease after paternal hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, which subsequently led to renal thrombotic microangiopathy. She subsequently required a kidney transplant from the same donor 5 years later due to renal failure. Considering that both the bone marrow and kidney were from the same donor and the recovery of renal function was favorable, immunosuppressive therapy was discontinued after a short course of anti-rejection treatment, with maintained stable kidney function. This case suggests that under the condition of high chimerism, allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and kidney transplantation from the same donor can achieve immune tolerance, potentially improving solid organ transplantation success rate. The findings provide a novel therapeutic approach for solid organ transplantation following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Objective:To explore a new surgical approach [anteromedial approach of the hip (AMA)] for Pipkin Ⅰ and Ⅱ femoral head fractures through an imaging and anatomical study.Methods:The hip imaging data were collected of the 38 patients who had undergone lower limb CT angiography for open tibiofibular fractures at Department of Orthopaedics, The Sixth People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University from June 2023 to January 2024. There were 20 males aged (40.9±3.5) years and 18 females aged (41.5±3.3) years. The origins and shapes of the femoral artery and its main branches were observed. The distances between the femoral head and the femoral artery, the medial femoral circumflex artery, and the lateral femoral circumflex artery were measured. Four fresh adult cadavers were collected, including 2 males and 2 females. Their ages of death were 56, 65, 72 and 78 years old, respectively. An incision was made along the axis of the limb at the midpoint of the inguinal ligament at the 4 fresh cadavers. After the femoral head was exposed through the gap between the femoral artery and the femoral nerve, the range of the femoral head exposed was marked.Results:The femoral artery ran along the anteromedial side of the femoral head. The shortest distance between the medial femoral circumflex artery and the femoral head was (13.1±5.7) mm, and the shortest distance between the origin of the lateral femoral circumflex artery and the femoral head (21.6±8.6) mm. On the lateral view of CT angiography, the distance between the femoral artery and the femoral head was (20.6±4.9) mm at the level of the apex of greater trochanter. Gross observation on the cadavers found only small branches of vessels between the femoral artery and the femoral nerve. After the femoral artery and femoral nerve were respectively pulled medially and laterally, the anterior-inferior part of the femoral head was exposed directly by pulling the muscles to open the joint capsule. The exposure range of the femoral head was further expanded through internal and external rotation of the hip joint under traction. The anatomical gap between the femoral artery and the femoral nerve was named the AMA.Conclusion:AMA utilizes the potential gap between the femoral artery and the femoral nerve, providing a new surgical approach for exposure and fixation of Pipkin type Ⅰ and Ⅱ femoral head fractures.

Objective:To investigate the value of MRI radiomics model in evaluating the pathological complete response (pCR) status of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2(HER-2) positive breast cancer after neoadjuvant therapy.Methods:The study was a cross-sectional study. The clinical, pathological, and MRI data of 243 HER-2 positive breast cancer patients who received neoadjuvant therapy in Shanxi Province Cancer Hospital from January 2021 to June 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. All patients were female, aged 26?75 years. All patients were randomly divided into training set (146 cases) and validation set (97 cases) at a ratio of 6∶4 according to the simple random sampling method. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were used to screen independent predictors of pCR. Radiomics features were extracted from the early-phase (the 2nd phase) images of breast dynamic contrast-enhanced-MRI after neoadjuvant therapy.The four-step procedure was adopted for feature screening. The radiomics model was constructed by logistic regression. A combined model was constructed by integrating radiomics features and independent predictors. Two radiologists (Reader 1 with 10 years experience and Reader 2 with 13 years experience) who major in breast MRI visually evaluated the pCR status of breast cancer after neoadjuvant therapy. The receiver operating characteristic curve and area under the curve (AUC) were used to evaluate the efficacy of Reader 1, Reader 2, the radiomics model, and the combined model in predicting pCR status. The Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test was used to evaluate the calibration of the model.Results:Among 243 HER-2 positive breast cancer patients, totally 118 achieved pCR. In clinical and pathological features, HER-2 3+ was an independent predictor of pCR ( OR=2.71, 95% CI 1.03?7.12, P=0.043). In the training set and validation set, the AUCs of the radiomics model in predicting pCR status were 0.899 and 0.853, respectively.The AUCs of the combined model were 0.917 and 0.890, respectively. In the validation set, the AUC value of the radiomics model in predicting pCR status was higher than that of Reader 1 and Reader 2. Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test showed that there was no significant difference between the prediction of pCR status by the combined model and radiomics model and the actual results in the training set and validation set, and the fitting was good ( P>0.05). Conclusion:The MRI-based radiomics model can be used to predict pCR status in HER-2 positive breast cancer and outperforms the visual qualitative assessments of radiologists.

Objective:To explore the relationship between spindle and kinetochore-associated protein 3(SKA3), dual-specificity phosphatase 26(DUSP26), and prognosis in elderly patients with non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC).Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on case samples from elderly patients with NSCLC at Xinxiang Central Hospital between January 2020 and May 2023.During surgery, specimens of cancerous and adjacent non-cancerous tissues were collected.The expressions of SKA3 and DUSP26 in these tissues were assessed using immunohistochemistry, and their correlations with clinicopathological characteristics were analyzed.The relationship between SKA3 and DUSP26 in cancer tissues was examined using the Spearman correlation coefficient.After one year of follow-up, the association between SKA3 and DUSP26 expressions in cancer tissues and patient prognosis was evaluated using Kaplan-Meier curves, and prognostic factors were analyzed using the Cox proportional hazards model.Results:In this cohort of 145 elderly patients aged 65 to 85 years(mean age: 72.61±3.87), including 91 males, we observed that the positive expression rates of SKA3 and DUSP26 in cancer tissues were 66.21%(96/145)and 71.03%(103/145), respectively.These rates were significantly higher than those found in para-carcinoma tissues, which were 16.55%(24/145)and 13.79%(20/145), with a P-value of <0.05.Spearman correlation analysis revealed a positive correlation between SKA3 and DUSP26 expression in cancer tissues( r=0.571, P<0.001).Moreover, the proportions of low differentiation, clinical staging at stages Ⅰ-Ⅱ, and lymph node metastasis were significantly higher in the SKA3-positive group compared to the SKA3-negative group( P<0.05), and similarly, these proportions were higher in the DUSP26-positive group than in the DUSP26-negative group( P<0.05).Kaplan-Meier survival analysis indicated that after one year of follow-up, the cumulative survival rates for patients with positive expressions of SKA3 and DUSP26 were 61.46%(59/96)and 58.25%(60/103), respectively, which were significantly lower than those with negative expressions[87.76%(43/49)and 92.86%(39/42), P<0.05].Cox regression analysis identified low differentiation( HR=1.817, 95% CI: 1.294-2.550), clinical staging at stage Ⅲ( HR=1.939, 95% CI: 1.315-2.858), lymph node metastasis( HR=1.898, 95% CI: 1.350-2.670), as well as positive expressions of SKA3( HR=2.071, 95% CI: 1.317-3.257)and DUSP26( HR=2.136, 95% CI: 1.402-3.256)as significant risk factors for prognosis( P<0.05). Conclusions:The expression rates of SKA3 and DUSP26 in cancer tissues are significantly elevated in elderly patients with NSCLC.Furthermore, these two biomarkers are correlated with the degree of differentiation, clinical staging, and lymph node metastasis, indicating their potential utility in evaluating the prognosis of elderly NSCLC patients.

Nonunion of osteoporotic vertebral fractures (OVF), predominantly affecting the elderly, can lead to intractable pain, vertebral collapse, progressive kyphotic deformity, and neurological impairment, significantly compromising patients′ quality of life. There exists considerable debate on diagnosis and management of OVF, encompassing key issues such as clinical diagnosis and staging criteria for nonunion, surgical indications and procedure selection, and postoperative rehabilitation planning. Currently, there lacks standardized clinical guideline and expert consensus on the diagnosis and management of OVF nonunion in China. To address this gap, Minimally Invasive Surgery Group of Chinese Orthopedic Association, Osteoporosis Committee of Chinese Association of Orthopedic Surgeons, Prevention and Rehabilitation Committee for Osteoporosis of Chinese Association of Rehabilitation Medicine and Minimally Invasive Orthopedic Surgery Branch of China Association for Geriatric Care jointly organized domestic experts in spinal surgery, endocrinology, and rehabilitation to formulate the Clinical guideline for the diagnosis and treatment for nonunion of osteoporotic vertebral fractures ( version 2025), based on existing literature and clinical experience and adhering to principles of scientific rigor and practicality. The guideline provided 13 evidence-based recommendations encompassing diagnosis and treatment of OVF nonunion, aiming to standardize its clinical management.