Objectives: This study evaluates the efficacy of a new temporomandibular joint (TMJ) capsule suspension technique for stabilizing the TMJ after free fibular flap reconstruction of the mandibular condyle. Patients and Methods: Patients undergoing the TMJ capsule suspension technique during free fibular flap reconstruction after mandibulectomy with condylectomy (study group; n=9) were compared with a control group (n=9). Mandibular movement trajectory and surface electromyographic signals of bilateral masseters were recorded. The neocondyle–disc relationship was examined with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 6 months after surgery. Results: Maximal mouth opening and bilateral marginal movement distances were comparable between the two groups (P>0.05). The asymmetry index of the condyle path length was significantly higher in controls (P=0.02). Bilateral mouth opening trajectories were symmetric in 7 patients and deviated to the affected side in 2 patients in the study group; they deviated to the affected side in all controls. The mean electromyographic values of the masseter on the affected side in resting, maximum bite, and chewing states were comparable between the two groups (P=0.13, P=0.65, and P=0.82, respectively). On MRI at 6 months, the thicknesses of the anterior, medial, and posterior bands and TMJ disc length were similar on the affected and normal sides in the study group (P=0.57, P=0.13, P=0.48, and P=0.87, respectively). Conclusion The proposed TMJ capsule suspension technique could improve postoperative TMJ structure and function after fibular free flap reconstruction following mandibulectomy with condylectomy.

Objectives: This study evaluates the efficacy of a new temporomandibular joint (TMJ) capsule suspension technique for stabilizing the TMJ after free fibular flap reconstruction of the mandibular condyle. Patients and Methods: Patients undergoing the TMJ capsule suspension technique during free fibular flap reconstruction after mandibulectomy with condylectomy (study group; n=9) were compared with a control group (n=9). Mandibular movement trajectory and surface electromyographic signals of bilateral masseters were recorded. The neocondyle–disc relationship was examined with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 6 months after surgery. Results: Maximal mouth opening and bilateral marginal movement distances were comparable between the two groups (P>0.05). The asymmetry index of the condyle path length was significantly higher in controls (P=0.02). Bilateral mouth opening trajectories were symmetric in 7 patients and deviated to the affected side in 2 patients in the study group; they deviated to the affected side in all controls. The mean electromyographic values of the masseter on the affected side in resting, maximum bite, and chewing states were comparable between the two groups (P=0.13, P=0.65, and P=0.82, respectively). On MRI at 6 months, the thicknesses of the anterior, medial, and posterior bands and TMJ disc length were similar on the affected and normal sides in the study group (P=0.57, P=0.13, P=0.48, and P=0.87, respectively). Conclusion The proposed TMJ capsule suspension technique could improve postoperative TMJ structure and function after fibular free flap reconstruction following mandibulectomy with condylectomy.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Chinese medicine (CM) Zihua Wenfei Zhisou Granule (ZWZG) in postinfectious cough (PIC) patients with CM syndrome of wind-cold invading Fei (Lung, WCIF). METHODS: This is a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, placebo-controlled phase II clinical trial. PIC patients with WCIF syndrome were recruited from the Respiratory Departments in 6 hospitals across China between March 2019 and December 2020. Eligible patients were randomly assigned to group A (ZWZG-matched placebo 15 g), group B (active ZWZG 15 g), and group C (active ZWZG 10 g plus ZWZG-matched placebo 5 g) in a 1:1:1 ratio. All medications were taken orally 3 times daily for 14 consecutive days. The primary outcomes were cough relief rate and cough disappearance rate. The secondary outcomes included time to cough relief, time to cough disappearance, and changes in cough symptom score (CSS), cough Visual Analog Scale (VAS) value, Cough-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire (CQLQ) score, and CM syndrome score from baseline (day 0) to post-treatment (day 14). Adverse events (AEs) in each group were recorded. RESULTS: A total of 198 patients were included in the full analysis set (FAS) and safety analysis set (SS), while 183 were enrolled in the per-protocol analysis set (PPS). In the FAS population, the cough relief rate was 47.76%, 90.77% and 84.85% in groups A, B, and C, respectively; while the cough disappearance rate was 31.34%, 72.31% and 68.18%, respectively. The cough relief rates and cough disappearance rates in groups B and C were significantly higher than group A (P<0.0001). Both the median time to cough relief and cough disappearance in groups B and C were shorter than group A (P<0.0001). Compared with group A, groups B and C showed significantly greater improvements from baseline to post-treatment in CSS during daytime and nighttime as well as VAS (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in changes from baseline to post-treatment in CQLQ and CM syndrome scores among 3 groups (P>0.05). Results in the PPS population were consistent with those in the FAS population. Groups B and C showed lower incidence in AEs than group A (P<0.05), while there was no significant difference between groups B and C (P>0.05). No drug-related severe AEs were reported. CONCLUSIONS ZWZG can increase cough disappearance rate and cough relief rate; and it is beneficial in shortening cough duration and reducing cough severity and frequency in patients suffering from PIC. It is safe and generally well tolerated. (Registration No. ChiCTR1900022078).
Humans ; Cough/drug therapy* ; Double-Blind Method ; Male ; Female ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/adverse effects* ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome ; Adult ; Aged ; Quality of Life

Objective To explore the effect of mangiferin(MF)on pyroptosis in an amyotrophic lateral sclerosis(ALS)cell model by regulating the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2/heme oxygenase-1(Nrf2/HO-1)signaling pathway.Methods(1)Mouse NSC-34 cell lines transfected with hSOD1WT and hSOD1G93A plasmids were randomly divided into blank group,model group,MF(100 μmol/L)group,MF(200 μmol/L)group.MF was added into the culture plate for 24 hours.Cell viability was assessed using CCK-8 kit.Lactate dehydrogenase(LDH)release was measured using LDH cytotoxicity detection kit.Levels of inflammatory factors interleukin(IL)-1β and IL-18 in cell supernatant were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).The expression of Nrf2,HO-1,NADPH quinone oxidoreductase-1(NQO-1),NOD-like receptor protein 3(NLRP3),gasdermin D(GSDMD)-N and caspase-1 was detected by Western blotting.(2)Mouse hSOD1G93A NSC-34 cells were randomly divided into model group,MF(200 μmol/L)group,Nrf2-siRNA group and Nrf2-siRNA+MF(200 μmol/L)group.The cells were transiently transfected with Nrf2-siRNA using LipofectamineTM 3000.Western blotting was used to detect the protein expression levels of Nrf2,HO-1,NQO-1,NLRP3,caspase-1 and GSDMD-N.Results(1)The results of the CCK-8 assay showed that after the hSOD1G93A NSC-34 cells were treated with MF at concentrations of 300 μmol/L and below for 24 hours,the changes in cell viability were not significant(P>0.05).Compared with blank group,the release of LDH,the contents of IL-1β and IL-18 in the cell culture supernatant of model group were increased(P<0.001);the protein expression levels of Nrf2,HO-1,and NQO-1 were decreased(P<0.05 or P<0.01);the protein expression levels of NLRP3,caspase-1,and GSDMD-N were increased(P<0.05 or P<0.01 or P<0.001).Compared with model group,the release of LDH,the contents of IL-18 and IL-1β in the culture supernatant in MF(100 μmol/L)and MF(200 μmol/L)groups were decreased(P<0.001);the protein expression levels of NLRP3,caspase-1 and GSDMD-N were decreased(P<0.05 or P<0.001),and the expression levels of Nrf2,HO-1 and NQO-1 were increased(P<0.05 or P<0.01).(2)Compared with model group,the protein expession levels of Nrf2,NO-1 and NQO-1 were increased(P<0.05 or P<0.001)in MF(200 μmol/L)group,while the protein expression levels of NLRP3,caspase-1 and GSDMD-N were decreased(P<0.001);the protein expression levels of Nrf2 and HO-1 were decreased in Nrf2-siRNA group(P<0.01 or P<0.001),while the protein expression levels of NLRP3,caspase-1 and GSDMD-N were increased(P<0.001).Compared with Nrf2-siRNA group,the protein expression levels of Nrf2,HO-1 and NQO-1 in Nrf2-siRNA+MF(200 μmol/L)group were increased(P<0.01 or P<0.001),and the protein expression levels of NLRP3,caspase-1 and GSDMD-N were decreased(P<0.001).Conclusion MF can inhibit pyroptosis in the ALS cell model through Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway,playing a protective role.

Objective:To analyze the physical activity level of patients treated with a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for coronary artery disease in the early out-of-hospital recovery phase, and the factors influencing it.Methods:Patients who had been discharged within the previous 6 months after their first PCI treatment were surveyed using a general information questionnaire, the long form of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), the Chinese version of the Tilburg Frailty Scale, the Social Support Rating Scale, and for their ability in the activities of daily living. Epidemiological descriptive methods were used to analyze the reported physical activity levels, and multifactoral logistic regression was applied to explore the influencing factors. The receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve was drawn to evaluate the predictive value of the risk factors.Results:A total of 394 former patients were surveyed, including 117 (30%) reporting a low level of physical activity, 202 (51%) describing a moderate level and 75 (19%) claiming a high level. The univariate analysis revealed significant differences in physical activity levels among those of different ages, with different chronic co-morbidities, and with different frailty and self-care ability. Multifactoral logistic regression analysis showed that advanced age, chronic co-morbidities, frailty and little self-care ability are significant predictors of a low level of physical activity. The area under the ROC curve for predicting the physical activity level by combining those four factors was 0.89 (95% CI 0.84-0.94), with a sensitivity of 0.89 and a specificity of 0.80. Conclusions:The physical activity level of patients treated with PCI for coronary disease is moderately low early after their release from the hospital. Targeted intervention to increase it is called for.

The structure of intestinal tissue is complex. In vitro simulation of intestinal structure and function is important for studying intestinal development and diseases. Recently, organoids have been successfully constructed and they have come to play an important role in biomedical research. Organoids are miniaturized three-dimensional (3D) organs, derived from stem cells, which mimic the structure, cell types, and physiological functions of an organ, making them robust models for biomedical research. Intestinal organoids are 3D micro-organs derived from intestinal stem cells or pluripotent stem cells that can successfully simulate the complex structure and function of the intestine, thereby providing a valuable platform for intestinal development and disease research. In this article, we review the latest progress in the construction and application of intestinal organoids.
Organoids/cytology* ; Intestines/physiology* ; Humans ; Animals ; Pluripotent Stem Cells

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between physical activity and genetic risk and their combined effects on the risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. METHODS: This prospective cohort study included 318,085 biobank participants from the UK. Physical activity was assessed using the short form of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. The participants were stratified into low-, intermediate-, and high-genetic-risk groups based on their polygenic risk scores. Multivariate Cox regression models and multiplicative interaction analyses were used. RESULTS: During a median follow-up period of 13 years, 9,209 participants were diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. For low genetic risk, compared to low physical activity, the hazard ratios ( HRs) for moderate and high physical activity were 0.853 (95% confidence interval [ CI]: 0.748-0.972) and 0.831 (95% CI: 0.727-0.950), respectively. For intermediate genetic risk, the HRs were 0.829 (95% CI: 0.758-0.905) and 0.835 (95% CI: 0.764-0.914), respectively. For participants with high genetic risk, the HRs were 0.809 (95% CI: 0.746-0.877) and 0.818 (95% CI: 0.754-0.888), respectively. A significant interaction was observed between genetic risk and physical activity. CONCLUSION Moderate or high levels of physical activity were associated with a lower risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease across all genetic risk groups, highlighting the need to tailor activity interventions for genetically susceptible individuals.
Humans ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/epidemiology* ; Exercise ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Aged ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Risk Factors ; United Kingdom/epidemiology* ; Incidence ; Adult

Hepatocellular carcinoma （HCC） is a malignant tumor with high incidence and mortality rates worldwide. Recent studies have shown that neutrophil extracellular traps （NETs） play an important role in the development， progression， and immune escape of HCC. NETs are released by neutrophils and mainly consist of DNA， histones， and antimicrobial molecules， and in addition to immune defense， they are also involved in the initiation， metastasis， and thrombosis of HCC. This article elaborates on the formation and regulatory mechanisms of NETs， explores their potential mechanisms in the initiation， metastasis， immune escape， and thrombosis of HCC， and discusses the prospect of NETs as a target for the diagnosis and treatment of HCC， in order to provide new ideas for the precise treatment of HCC in the future and promote the early diagnosis and effective treatment of HCC.

Objectives: This study evaluates the efficacy of a new temporomandibular joint (TMJ) capsule suspension technique for stabilizing the TMJ after free fibular flap reconstruction of the mandibular condyle. Patients and Methods: Patients undergoing the TMJ capsule suspension technique during free fibular flap reconstruction after mandibulectomy with condylectomy (study group; n=9) were compared with a control group (n=9). Mandibular movement trajectory and surface electromyographic signals of bilateral masseters were recorded. The neocondyle–disc relationship was examined with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 6 months after surgery. Results: Maximal mouth opening and bilateral marginal movement distances were comparable between the two groups (P>0.05). The asymmetry index of the condyle path length was significantly higher in controls (P=0.02). Bilateral mouth opening trajectories were symmetric in 7 patients and deviated to the affected side in 2 patients in the study group; they deviated to the affected side in all controls. The mean electromyographic values of the masseter on the affected side in resting, maximum bite, and chewing states were comparable between the two groups (P=0.13, P=0.65, and P=0.82, respectively). On MRI at 6 months, the thicknesses of the anterior, medial, and posterior bands and TMJ disc length were similar on the affected and normal sides in the study group (P=0.57, P=0.13, P=0.48, and P=0.87, respectively). Conclusion The proposed TMJ capsule suspension technique could improve postoperative TMJ structure and function after fibular free flap reconstruction following mandibulectomy with condylectomy.

Objective To explore the predictive value of dose surface histogram(DSH)in image guided radiotherapy(IGRT)for radiotherapy-induced acute radiation proctitis(ARP)in cervical cancer(CCA).Methods Totally 380 patients with CCA IGRT admitted to some hospital from May 2019 to May 2023 were selected prospectively and randomly divided into a control group(n=1 80)and an experimental group(n=200).The patients in the 2 groups were followed up and the incidence rates of ARP were counted,and rectal dose distribution was evaluated using dose volume histogram(DVH)in the control group and DSH in the experimental group.The predictive values of DVH and DSH for ARP were evaluated and compared using ROC curves.Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 21.0 software.Results The two groups did not have statistically significant difference in the incidence rate of ARP(P＞0.05),while there were significant differences in the evaluation indicators of the rectal dose distribution(P＜0.05).V40,V50,S40 and S50 proved to have low predictive values for grade Ⅰ-Ⅳ ARP with AUC 0.700(P＜0.05);V60 and S60 had moderate predictive values for grade Ⅰ-Ⅳ ARP with AUC greater than 0.700 and less than or equal to 0.900(P＜0.05);V70,V78,S70 and S7s showed high predictive values for grade Ⅰ-Ⅳ ARP with AUC higher than 0.900(P＜0.05).Delong's test results indicated that DVH and DSH had no significant differences in AUC when used to predict gradeⅠ-Ⅳ ARP(allP＞0.05).Conclusion DSH is essentially the same as DVH when used for the prediction of grade Ⅰ-Ⅳ ARP due to CCA IGRT,and thus can be used for the supplementation and optimization of radiotherapy planning systems.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2025,46(3):48-53]