OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of ultrasound-guided needle knife release with different pathways for carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). METHODS: Sixty CTS patients were randomly divided into a transverse group and a longitudinal group, with 30 patients in each group. The transverse group received the needle knife release under ultrasound above and below the median nerve along the short axis, while the longitudinal group received the needle knife release under ultrasound above the median nerve along the long axis. The patients' visual analogue scale (VAS) scores, Levine scores, and median nerve cross-section area (CSA) were assessed before treatment, on the 7th, 14th, and 30th days after treatment. The median nerve conduction indexes (motor conduction: latency [Lat], amplitude[Amp], motor conduction velocity [MCV]; sensory conduction: Lat, Amp, sensory conduction velocity [SCV]) were evaluated before treatment and on the 30th day after treatment. RESULTS: Compared before treatment, the VAS scores, Levine scores, and median nerve CSA were reduced in both groups on the 7th, 14th, and 30th days after treatment (P<0.05); the transverse group showed lower VAS and Levine scores and smaller CSA than those in the longitudinal group (P<0.05). On the 30th day after treatment, motor and sensory Lat was reduced (P<0.05), motor and sensory Amp was increased (P<0.05), and MCV and SCV were faster (P<0.05) in both groups. The transverse group had shorter Lat, higher Amp, and faster MCV and SCV than those in the longitudinal group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION The ultrasound-guided needle knife release with transverse and longitudinal pathways could both effectively alleviate pain and improve median nerve conduction in CTS patients, with the transverse pathway showing superior efficacy to longitudinal pathway.
Humans ; Carpal Tunnel Syndrome/therapy* ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Male ; Adult ; Median Nerve/physiopathology* ; Acupuncture Therapy/instrumentation* ; Treatment Outcome ; Neural Conduction ; Aged ; Ultrasonography

Objective To observe the value of chocolate balloon(controlled dilatation technique)for vascular preparation of endovascular treatments for lower extremity arteriosclerosis obliterans(ASO).Methods Data of 110 patients with lower extremity ASO who underwent vascular preparation with chocolate balloon were retrospectively analyzed.The type of ASO,with calcification or not and so on were recorded,and the success rate of vascular preparation with chocolate balloon and the therapeutic effect of endovascular treatments for ASO were evaluated.Results Among 110 patients,unilateral lower extremity ASO were found in 100 cases,while bilateral lower extremities ASO were noticed in 10 cases,including 100(100/120,83.33%)chronic occlusive lesions,8(8/120,6.67%)stenotic lesions and 12(12/120,10.00%)thrombotic lesions.Calcification with grade 3-4 were observed in 50 lesions(50/120,41.67%).The technical success rate of vascular preparation with chocolate balloon was 92.50%(111/120),while 7(7/120,5.83%)lesions developed flow-limiting dissection after chocolate balloon dilatation and 2(2/120,1.67%)lesions had significant residual stenosis that did not meet the technical success criteria,which underwent stent implantation without drug-coated balloon(DCB).Besides,flow-limiting dissection were noticed in 15 lesions after DCB,hence salvage stents were implanted.The success rate of endovascular treatments of ASO was 100%.Conclusion Chocolate balloon(controlled dilation technique)was valuable for vascular preparation of endovascular treatments for lower extremity ASO.

Objectives:To investigate the relationship between paraspinal muscle degeneration and isthmic spondylolisthesis in L5/S1.Methods:The clinical data of 108 patients with L5/S1 bilateral isthmic spondylolysis admitted and treated at the Department of Orthopedics,the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from January 1,2020 to December 31,2023 were retrospectively analyzed.There were 62 females and 46 males,aged 26-86(52.8±10.4)years.All the patients had complete imaging data,including lateral and dynamic lumbar X-ray,lumbar CT and lumbar MRI.According to the presence or absence of spondylolisthesis and Meyerding grading,the patients were divided into non-spondylolisthesis group(28 cases),grade Ⅰ spondylolisthesis group(46 cases)and grade n spondylolisthesis group(34 cases).Venebral body cross-sectional area(V CSA),erector spinae muscle cross-sectional area(ES CSA),multifidus muscle cross-sectional area(MF CSA),and facet joint angle(FJA)were measured at the inferior vertebral endplate of L5 vertebral body on the axial view of lumbar spine MRI.And the mean FJA(mFJA),relative MF CSA(MF rCSA),relative ES CSA(ES rCSA),fat infiltration rate of multifidus muscle(MF FIR)and fat infiltration rate of erector spinae muscle(ES FIR)were calculated.The differences in age,gender,body mass index(BMI),disease duration,V CSA,mFJA,MF CSA,ES CSA,MF rCSA,ES rCSA,MF FIR and ES FIR between the three groups were compared.Ordinal logistics regression was used to analyze the relationship between age,gender,disease duration,BMI,mFJA,MF rCSA,ES rCSA,MF FIR,ES FIR and the isthmic spondylolisthesis.Results:There were no statistical differences in age,body weight,BMI,V CSA,and mFJA between the three groups(P＞0.05).The proportion of female patients in the non-spondylolisthesis group(29％)was significantly lower than that in grade Ⅰ spondylolisthesis group(61％)and grade Ⅱ spondylolisthesis group(76％)(P＜0.05).The height of non-spondylolisthesis group(1.68±0.06m)was higher than that of grade Ⅰ spondylolisthesis group(1.64±0.75m)and grade Ⅱ spondylolisthesis group(1.63±0.54m)(P＜0.05),and the disease duration in the non-spondylolisthesis group was shorter than that of grade Ⅰ spondylolisthesis group and grade Ⅱspondylolisthesis group(P＜0.05).There was no significant difference in MF CSA,MF rCSA and ES FIR between the three groups(P＞0.05).ES CSA and ES rCSA in grade Ⅱ spondylolisthesis group(3183.2±1196.38mm2 and 2.14±1.11)were significantly greater than that in grade Ⅰ spondylolisthesis group(2579.28±896.56mm2 and 1.65±0.65)and non-spondylolisthesis group(2401.40±742.98mm2 and 1.56±0.58)(P＜0.05).The MF FIR of grade Ⅱ spondylolisthesis group(40.70±14.05)％was significantly higher than that of grade Ⅰspondylolisthesis group(30.39±12.98)％and non-spondylolisthesis group(26.69±9.96)％(P＜0.05).There were no significant differences in ES CSA,ES rCSA and MF FIR between grade Ⅰ spondylolisthesis group and non-spondylolisthesis group(P＞0.05).Ordinal logistics regression analysis showed that female(OR=2.81;95％CI:1.120-7.062;P=0.028)and increased MF FIR(OR=1.044;95％CI:1.003-1.088;P=0.034)were the independent risk factors for the progression of isthmic spondylolisthesis(P＜0.05).Conclusions:Patients with a higher degree of isthmic spondylolisthesis have more severe fat infiltration of multifidus muscle and hypertrophy of erector spinae muscle.Female and increased MF FIR are independent risk factors for the progression of isthmic spondylolisthesis.

Objective: To analyze clinical characteristics and risk factors in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) complicated with cardiac rupture (CR) and to explore the prevention and treatment strategy in clinical practice. Methods: A case control study was conducted in 2 groups: CR group, the patients with coronary angiography conifrmed AMI with CR,n=44 and Control group, the patients with simultaneous STEAMI and by 1:3 pair-matched ratio,n=132. Clinical information was compared between 2 groups and the relevant risk factors for predicting CR were studied by Logistic regression analysis. Results: Compared with Control group, CR group had the lower ratio of β-receptor blocker application (22.7% vs 81.4%),P<0.05. Univariate regression analysis indicated that lower body mass index, incipient MI, anterior MI, no-reperfusion therapy, delayed reperfusion therapy, lower blood pressure at admission, post-infarction angina, ventricular aneurysm, higher Gensini score, high blood levels of cretinine and BNP, low ejection fraction were the risk factors for CR occurrence in STEAMI patients, allP<0.05. Multivariate regression analysis presented that incipient MI (P<0.049, OR=7.462), post-infarction angina (P<0.000, OR=8.591), ventricular aneurysm (P<0.005, OR=4.617) and higher Gensini score (P<0.001, OR=2.788) were risk factors for CR occurrence in STEAMI patients. Conclusion: Incipient MI, post-infarction angina, ventricular aneurysm and higher Gensini score are the risk factors for CR occurrence in STEAMI patients.

Cytoplasmic male sterility is an important way to utilize wheat heterosis. The purpose of thisstudy was to identify cytoplasmic type of three wheat male sterile lines. Amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) marker technique was used to analyze the wheat mitochondrial DNA. We isolated mitochondria by differential centrifugation and density gradient ultracentrifugation. The results show that the extracted mitochondrial DNA was pure. It was suitable for PCR and genetic analysis. We got 4 pairs of specific primers from 64 primers combinations. Primer E1/M7 amplified 3 specific fragments in ms(Kots)-90-110. Primer E4/M2 generated 2 specific fragments in ms(Ven)-90-110. Primer E7/M6 amplified 2 specific fragments in ms(S)-90-110. Primer E6/M4 produced 2 specific fragments in ms(Kots)-90-110. Four specific primers could be used to identify three cytoplasmic types of Aegilops kotschyi, Ae. ventricosa and Triticum spelta. It provided the molecular basis to further study the mechanism of wheat cytoplasmic male sterility.
Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism Analysis ; methods ; Cytoplasm ; metabolism ; DNA, Mitochondrial ; genetics ; DNA, Plant ; genetics ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Genotype ; Plant Infertility ; genetics ; Triticum ; genetics