OBJECTIVE To investigate the mechanism of Xibining Ⅱ formula in alleviating synovial inflammation and fibrosis in knee osteoarthritis （KOA） rats based on Janus kinase 2 （JAK2）/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 （STAT3） pathway. METHODS Seventy-five male SD rats were randomly divided into sham operation group （Sham group）， KOA group， Xibining Ⅱ low-dose group （XBNⅡ-L group， 4 g/kg）， Xibining Ⅱ high-dose group （XBNⅡ-H group， 8 g/kg）， and Xibining Ⅱ high-dose combined with STAT3 activator Colivelin trifluoroacetate （C-TFA） group [C-TFA group， 8 g/kg Xibining Ⅱ+ 1.0 mg/（kg·d） C-TFA]， with 15 rats in each group. Except for the Sham group， the KOA model was established by anterior cruciate ligament transection in the other groups. After successful modeling， each group was given corresponding drugs by intragastric administration and （or） intraperitoneal injection once daily for 28 consecutive days. After the last medication， the pathological changes of synovial tissue of knee joint in each group were evaluated and the indicators were calculated. The levels of serum inflammatory factors were detected. The positive expressions of phosphorylated JAK2 （p-JAK2） and phosphorylated STAT3 （p-STAT3） in synovial tissue of the knee joint were detected. The expressions of JAK2/STAT3 pathway-related proteins and mRNAs in synovial tissue were detected. RESULTS Compared with the Sham group， the synovial lining cells in the KOA group showed significant proliferation and disordered arrangement； the Krenn score， fibrosis ratio， positive area percentage of p-JAK2 and p-STAT3， p-JAK2/JAK2 and p-STAT3/STAT3， protein expression of Collagen-Ⅰ and α -smooth muscle actin， the mRNA expression of JAK2， STAT3， Collagen-Ⅰ and α -smooth muscle actin， as well as serum levels of interleukin-1β and interleukin-18 were significantly increased （ P ＜0.05）. Compared with the KOA group， the above pathological changes were significantly improved in each dose group of Xibining Ⅱ formula， and all indicators were significantly decreased （ P ＜0.05）， with the XBNⅡ-H group showing better effects than the XBNⅡ-L group （ P ＜0.05）. Compared with the XBNⅡ-H group， the above pathological damages were aggravated in the C-TFA group， and all indicators were significantly worsened （ P ＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS Xibining Ⅱ formula can alleviate synovial inflammation and fibrosis in KOA rats， and its mechanism may be related to inhibiting the activation of JAK2/STAT3 pathway.

Objective To explore the application value of wide awake local anesthesia no tourniquet(WALANT)technique in outpatient surgery for locking of metacarpophalangeal joint with extension lag.Methods The clinical data of 6 patients with locking of meta-carpophalangeal joint with extension lag in Danyang People's Hospital from January 2019 to October 2023 were retrospectively analyzed.The patients were received outpatient surgery under the WALLANT technique for release,and lidocaine mixed solution containing 1∶100 000 epinephrine was injected into the proximal midpoint of the volar projection of the metacarpophalangeal joint.The joint was exposed with a volar or dorsal finger web incision to determine the unrestricted structure,and the collateral ligament and paralateral collateral ligament with high tension were cut off.The intraoperative blood loss,postoperative incision healing and complications were recorded.Visual analogue scale(VAS)was used to evaluate the intraoperative pain,and the range of motion of metacarpophalangeal joint and total active movement(TAM)of finger joint were observed during postoperative follow-up.Results The incision of patients were healed successfully in the first phase after surgery,without wound necrosis.The anesthesia effects of patients were all satisfied and the operation was successfully completed.The VAS score was less than 3 points and there was only a small amount of bleeding during the operation.The recovery of joint flexion and extension movements could be observed during the operation,and the TAM score after the operation was 20 points.No significant change was found on the range of motion of metacarpophalangeal joint or TAM of finger joint between the injured finger and the corresponding healthy finger(P>0.05).Conclusion WALANT technique for locking of metacarpophalangeal joint with extension lag surgery has good anesthesia effect,less bleeding in the incision,and clear vision of the surgery.It can avoid vascular and nerve injuries,observe the recovery of joint activities during the operation and relieve pain of patients,which is conducive to outpatient surgery and saving medical and social resources at the same time.

Aim To reveal the mechanism of CIP4 homologs protein 1(RICH1)are involved in the regu-lation of myocardial fibrosis.Methods Mouse cardiac fibroblasts(MCFs)cells were treated with transforming growth factor-β(TGF-β1)to induce the formation of a myocardial fibrosis cell model;the level of the target protein was detected by Western blotting;and the RICH1 gene was detected by transfection of the cells with plasmid.The RICH1 gene was overexpressed(RICH 1 OE)using plasmid transfection;the RICH1 gene was silenced using siRNA fragment(siRICH1);and the expression levels of myocardial fibrosis marker genes,such as Col1 a1,Col3 a1,and Acta2,were de-tected using RT-qPCR.Results RICH1 was signifi-cantly down-regulated in TGF-β1-treated MCFs;the expression levels of myocardial fibrosis marker genes,such as Col1 a1,Col3a1,and Acta2,were down-regu-lated in the RICH1 OE+TGF-β1 group;and in the siRICH1+TGF-β1 group,myocardial fibrosis marker genes,such as Col1 a1,Col3a1 and Acta2 were up-regulated at the expression level;phosphorylated SMAD2(p-SMAD2)and phosphorylated SMAD3(p-SMAD3)levels were down-regulated in the siRICH1 OE+TGF-β1 group.p-SMAD2 and P-SMAD3 levels were upregulated in the siRICH1+TGF-β1 group.Conclusion RICH1 inhibits TGF-β1-induced myo-cardial fibrosis;RICH1 inhibits TGF-β1-induced myo-cardial fibrosis by negatively regulating the SMAD2/3 signaling pathway.

Objective To explore the time cross-lagged effect between carotid intima-media thickness(CIMT)and bone mineral density(BMD)and to assess whether CIMT can be used as an early predictor of osteoporosis.Methods Based on the retrospective cohort study involved,people who underwent health checkups at The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University from January 2019 to December 2023 were selected,and data related to CIMT and BMD were collected.The time-series relationship between CIMT and BMD was explored by cross-lagged modeling.Meanwhile,the effects of CIMT on BMD and its dose-response relationship were assessed using multiple linear regression and restricted cubic spline regression models.Results Analysis of 2 453 study subjects revealed a significant negative relationship between prior physical examination CIMT and subsequent BMD,and this relationship remained significant after controlling for confounders.For every 1-unit increase in CIMT,there was a mean decrease in second-stage BMD T-values of 0.113.Restricted cubic spline regression analysis showed a maximum decrease in BMD T-values of 0.121 for every 1.00 mm increase in CIMT.Conclusion The present study found that there was a significant negative cross-lag effect between CIMT and BMD,and that there was a dose-response between an increase in CIMT and a decrease in BMD.CIMT,as an easy-to-measure indicator,may be a potential marker for early prediction of osteoporosis,especially in the elderly population.

OBJECTIVE To explore the effectiveness and possible mechanism of Shangke Lengtong Patch in treating knee osteo-arthritis with cold-dampness arthralgia obstruction.METHODS A total of 70 patients who met the inclusion criteria of knee osteoar-thritis with cold-dampness arthralgia obstruction in the Orthopedics Department of Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine from November to December 2024 were randomly divided into an experimental group and a control group,with 35 cases in each group.During the treatment,1 case dropped out of the experimental group,3 cases dropped out of the control group,and 1 case was discontinued.The experimental group was treated with Shangke Lengtong Patch,and the control group was treated with Compound Nanxing Zhitong Ointment.The WOMAC scores and TCM syndrome scores of the two groups before and after treatment were compared to comprehensively evaluate the clinical efficacy.The changes in the expression levels of CGRP,substance P,HMGB1,IL-1β,CX-CL12,and CXCR4 in the serum of the two groups were detected by ELISA.RESULTS After 3,7,and 14 d of treatment,the WOMAC scores and TCM syndrome scores of the two groups were significantly reduced(P<0.05,P<0.01),and the score of aggrava-ted cold in the experimental group was better than that in the control group at 7 d of treatment(P<0.05);after 14 d of treatment,the expression levels of CGRP,substance P,HMGB1,IL-1β,CXCL12,and CXCR4 in the serum of the two groups were significantly re-duced(P<0.05),and there was no statistical difference between the two groups.CONCLUSION Shangke Lengtong Patch can sig-nificantly relieve the pain symptoms of knee osteoarthritis patients with cold-dampness arthralgia obstruction and improve the joint func-tion of patients.It may improve synovial inflammation by inhibiting the HMGB1/CXCL12/CXCR4 pathway,thereby exerting a thera-peutic effect.

Aim To reveal the mechanism of CIP4 homologs protein 1(RICH1)are involved in the regu-lation of myocardial fibrosis.Methods Mouse cardiac fibroblasts(MCFs)cells were treated with transforming growth factor-β(TGF-β1)to induce the formation of a myocardial fibrosis cell model;the level of the target protein was detected by Western blotting;and the RICH1 gene was detected by transfection of the cells with plasmid.The RICH1 gene was overexpressed(RICH 1 OE)using plasmid transfection;the RICH1 gene was silenced using siRNA fragment(siRICH1);and the expression levels of myocardial fibrosis marker genes,such as Col1 a1,Col3 a1,and Acta2,were de-tected using RT-qPCR.Results RICH1 was signifi-cantly down-regulated in TGF-β1-treated MCFs;the expression levels of myocardial fibrosis marker genes,such as Col1 a1,Col3a1,and Acta2,were down-regu-lated in the RICH1 OE+TGF-β1 group;and in the siRICH1+TGF-β1 group,myocardial fibrosis marker genes,such as Col1 a1,Col3a1 and Acta2 were up-regulated at the expression level;phosphorylated SMAD2(p-SMAD2)and phosphorylated SMAD3(p-SMAD3)levels were down-regulated in the siRICH1 OE+TGF-β1 group.p-SMAD2 and P-SMAD3 levels were upregulated in the siRICH1+TGF-β1 group.Conclusion RICH1 inhibits TGF-β1-induced myo-cardial fibrosis;RICH1 inhibits TGF-β1-induced myo-cardial fibrosis by negatively regulating the SMAD2/3 signaling pathway.

Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis(C.pseudotuberculosis)is a group of intracellular Gram-positive bacteria that can cause zoonotic diseases.This study investigated the mechanisms of inflammatory mediator secretion and the phagocytic and bactericidal functions of mouse peritoneal macrophages following C.pseudotuberculosis infection.Initially,transcriptomic sequencing was em-ployed to identify genes critical for C.pseudotuberculosis infection in macrophages.Subsequently,gene knockout mice were utilized to assess the impact of these key genes on inflammatory media-tor secretion,activation of inflammatory signaling pathways,and the phagocytic and bactericidal functions of macrophages infected with C.pseudotuberculosis.Techniques such as ELISA,Western blot,and immunofluorescence were employed in this analysis.Further,transcriptomic sequencing was conducted to identify key downstream genes.Following C.pseudotuberculosis infection,GO enrichment analysis was performed,and TLR2 was identified as the focal point of the study.Perito-neal macrophages from C57BL/6J and TLR2 knockout(TLR2-/-)mice were infected with C.pseudotuberculosis.ELISA results revealed that the levels of TNF-α,IL-1β,and IL-10 were signifi-cantly downregulated in TLR2-/-macrophages compared to C57BL/6J macrophages post-infec-tion.Western blot demonstrated that the absence of TLR2 led to a marked decrease in M APK(p38 and ERK)signaling pathway phosphorylation following C.pseudotuberculosis infection.Immuno-fluorescence results indicated that the phagocytic rate of TLR2-/-macrophages was significantly higher than that of C57BL/6J macrophages after infection.Subsequently,transcriptomic analysis of C57BL/6J and TLR2-/-macrophages infected with C.pseudotuberculosis was performed,followed by GO enrichment analysis of differential genes.IL-36a,Cx3cr1,TLR1,and TLR2 were identified as key differential genes.TLR2 plays a crucial role in the inflammatory response induced by C.pseudotuberculosis infection in mice,influencing the progression of the inflammatory response and host outcomes through the secretion of inflammatory mediators,activation of signaling pathways,and modulation of phagocytic and bactericidal functions.IL-36a and Cx3cr1 were identified as key downstream factors in this process.

Objective To quantify the volume and movement of cardiac substructures by using coronary computed tomography angiography(CCTA)to provide guidance for the design of deep inspiratory breath-holding radiation therapy for left breast cancer and the protection of organs at risk.Methods Totally 18 female patients who received conventional chest plain scan and CCTA were selected to simulate the design process of radiotherapy plan for left breast cancer patients with internal mammary lymph nodes.Retrospective reconstruction of CCTA data was performed for each patient,with 10 phase images(with an interval of 10％)within a R-R cardiac cycle(10％-100％)to simulate the true range of motion of the heart.The heart,left atrium(LA),left ventricle(LV),right atrium(RA),right ventricle(RV),left anterior descending artery(LAD),left circumflex coronary artery(LCX)and right coronary artery(RCA)were contoured at each phase.The distances from the centroid position to the average position of LAD,LCX and RCA were measured at each phase in the superior-inferior(SI),anterior-posterior(AP)and left-right(LR).The average volume and range of volume changes of LA,LV,RA,RV and heart were analyzed within a cardiac cycle.The expansion margins of planning organs at risk volume(PRV)were calculated.SPSS 19.0 software was used for statistical analysis.Results The following average absolute displacements were found in SI,AP and LR coordinates:(1.8±0.7)mm,(1.2±0.5)mm and(1.5±0.5)mm for LAD,respectively;(2.1±0.7)mm,(1.5±0.6)mm and(1.9±0.7)mm for LCX,respectively;(1.6±0.5)mm,(2.2±0.9)mm and(2.2±0.8)mm for RCA,respectively.The volume changes of LA,LV,RA,RV and heart within a cardiac cycle ranged from 34.3 to 63.9 cm3,122.1 to 154.3 cm3,29.3 to 53.6 cm3,57.2 to 94.3 cm3 and 480.1 to 515.4 cm3,respectively.The theoretical expansion margins of LAD,LCX and RCA in all the three directions were within 2 mm.Conclusion The ranges of movement and volume changes of cardiac substructure are quantitati-vely displayed,and references are provided for the planning of deep inspiratory breath-holding radiation therapy for left breast cancer and the protection of organs at risk.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2025,46(3):54-58]

OBJECTIVE To construct an evaluation index system for the core competencies of ethics committee members of drug clinical trial institution,providing a basis for optimizing the training system for committee members,improving the quality of ethical review,and fully safeguarding the safety and rights of subjects.METHODS Using methods such as literature research and expert consultation,a preliminary core competency evaluation index system was constructed.The Delphi method was employed to revise and validate it,ultimately forming an evaluation index system for the core competencies of ethics committee members.Based on this system,a questionnaire survey was conducted among 90 ethics committee members from 29 drug clinical trial institutions nationwide,comparing their importance rating and self-assessment scores of the core competency indexes.RESULTS The evaluation system constructed included 4 primary indicators(ethics and professional knowledge,ethics review ability,communication and expression ability,moral integrity and work style)and 39 secondary indicators(familiarity with the content of clinical trial-related laws and regulations,ability to complete project ethics review and identify ethical defects in research protocols within a short period of time,ability to judge the scientific value of clinical research,etc.).The results of questionnaire survey showed that the interviewed ethics committee members had significant capability gaps in dimensions such as regulatory knowledge,ethical norms,review efficiency,risk judgment,and problem analysis.The differences between the importance rating scores of corresponding secondary indicators and the self-assessment scores were all no less than 0.38.CONCLUSIONS This study has developed a quantifiable and stratified core competency assessment tool for ethics committee members.It can provide a scientific framework for committee member training,qualification certification,and standardized management of ethics committees.

OBJECTIVE To explore the intervention mechanism of Shangke Lengtongtie on cold hyperalgesia in KOA mice based on the HMGB1/CXCL12/CXCR4 signaling axis.METHODS Monosodium iodoacetate(MIA)was used for the intra-articular injec-tion into the knee joint to establish mice model of knee osteoarthritis(KOA).Peripheral blood monocytes were extracted from mice,cultured,and then reinfused into the tail vein of the mice.Subsequently,in vivo animal imaging was used to observe the recruitment sites of these monocytes.The cold hyperalgesia threshold was measured at various time points in each group of mice.Hematoxylin and eosin(HE)staining was used to evaluate the level of synovial pathological changes.ELISA was employed to detect the expression of in-flammatory factors IL-1β,TNF-α,and pain mediators CGRP and Substance P in mouse serum.Western blot and qPCR methods were used to detect the protein and gene expression of cold hyperalgesia-related indicators such as TRPA1,TRPM8,HMGB1,CXCL12,CXCR4,Collagen Ⅰ,and Netrin-1 in synovial tissue,as well as DCC in dorsal root ganglia(DRG)tissue.RESULTS In vivo ima-ging showed that after the monocytes were reinfused into KOA mice,they were recruited to the knee joint area,with the HMGB1 group exhibiting a greater recruitment of circulating monocytes at the knee joint.Additionally,compared to the control group,the KOA group and HMGB1 group showed inflammatory pathological changes in the synovium,increased expression of serum inflammatory factors and pain mediators,reduced cold hyperalgesia threshold,and upregulated protein and gene expression of cold hyperalgesia-related indica-tors in synovial and DRG tissues.The changes were more significant in the HMGB1 group compared to the KOA group(P<0.05).Af-ter treatment with Shangke Lengtongtie or GL intervention,synovial inflammation was alleviated,serum inflammatory factors and pain mediators decreased,cold hyperalgesia threshold increased,and the upregulation of cold hyperalgesia-related indicator protein and gene expression levels was significantly reversed(P<0.05).CONCLUSION Shangke Lengtongtie exerts a beneficial effect on the mitigation of synovitis and cold hyperalgesia in KOA mice,a therapeutic mechanism that possibly mediated through the inhibition of the HMGB1/CXCL12/CXCR4 signaling axis.