Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is an idiopathic intestinal inflammatory condition with chronic and relapsing manifestations and is characterized by a disturbance in the interplay between the intestinal microbiota, the gut, and the brain. The microbiota-gut-brain axis involves interactions among the nervous system, the neuroendocrine system, the gut microbiota, and the host immune system. Increasing published data indicate that psychological stress exacerbates the severity of IBD due to its negative effects on the microbiota-gut-brain axis, including alterations in the stress response of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, the balance between the sympathetic nervous system and vagus nerves, the homeostasis of the intestinal flora and metabolites, and normal intestinal immunity and permeability. Although the current evidence is insufficient, psychotropic agents, psychotherapies, and interventions targeting the microbiota-gut-brain axis show the potential to improve symptoms and quality of life in IBD patients. Therefore, further studies that translate recent findings into therapeutic approaches that improve both physical and psychological well-being are needed.
Humans ; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases/metabolism* ; Stress, Psychological/microbiology* ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome/physiology* ; Brain/metabolism* ; Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System ; Pituitary-Adrenal System ; Animals

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effectiveness of TiRobot-assisted and C-arm X-ray fluoroscopy assisted percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) via pedicle of vertebra in the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture (OVCF) of thoracic vertebrae. METHODS: The clinical data of 85 patients with OVCF of thoracic vertebrae who were admitted between January 2020 and March 2023 and met the selection criteria was retrospectively analyzed including 40 patients (50 vertebrae) undergoing PKP assisted by TiRobot (group A) and 45 patients (50 vertebrae) undergoing PKP assisted by C-arm X-ray fluoroscopy (group B). There was no significant difference in the comparison of baseline data such as gender, age, body mass index, bone mineral density T-value, fracture segment, trauma history, and preoperative numerical rating scale (NRS) score, Oswestry disability index (ODI), and Cobb angle of injured vertebra between the two groups ( P>0.05). The effectiveness evaluation indexes of the two groups, including the operation time, the volume of injected cement, the times of fluoroscopies, the length of hospital stay, and the occurrence of postoperative complications were collected and compared. Anteroposterior and lateral X-ray films and CT of the injured vertebra were reviewed at 1 day after operation to observe whether there was cement leakage and to evaluate the distribution of cement in the injured vertebra. Before and after operation, pain was assessed using the NRS score, dysfunction was assessed using the ODI, and vertebral height recovery was assessed by measuring the Cobb angle of the injured vertebrae by X-ray films. RESULTS: Both groups of patients successfully completed the operation, the operation time, the volume of injected cement, the times of fluoroscopies, and the length of hospital stay in group A were significantly less than those in group B ( P<0.05). The patients in two groups were followed up 4-12 months (mean, 9.6 months). Bone cement leakage occurred in 5 vertebrae in group A and 15 vertebrae in group B after operation, all of which leaked to the intervertebral space and around the vertebral body, and the patients had no obvious clinical symptoms. The difference of bone cement leakage between the two groups was significant ( P<0.05). No severe complication such as intraspinal leakage, infection, or vascular embolism was found in the two groups. At 1 day after operation, the distribution index of bone cement in group A was mostly grade Ⅴ, which was well dispersed; while in group B, it was mostly grade Ⅱ and grade Ⅴ; the difference of bone cement distribution index between the two groups was significant ( P<0.05). The NRS score, ODI, and Cobb angle of injured vertebra in both groups were significantly improved at 1 day after operation when compared with preoperative ones ( P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the difference of the above indexes between the two groups before and after operation ( P>0.05). CONCLUSION TiRobot-assisted unilateral PKP in the treatment of OVCF of thoracic vertebrae is safe and effective, which can reduce the X-ray transmission times during operation, shorten the operation time, reduce the volume of bone cement injection, and thus decrease incidence of bone cement leakage.
Humans ; Thoracic Vertebrae/surgery* ; Fractures, Compression/surgery* ; Spinal Fractures/surgery* ; Kyphoplasty ; Bone Cements ; Retrospective Studies

Purpose: There is no optimal prognostic model for T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma (T-LBL). Here, we discussed the predictive value of total metabolic tumor volume (TMTV) and total lesion glycolysis (TLG) measured on 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography–computed tomography (PET-CT) in T-LBL. Materials and Methods: Thirty-seven treatment naïve T-LBL patients with PET-CT scans were enrolled. TMTV was obtained using the 41% maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) threshold method, and TLG was measured as metabolic tumor volume multiplied by the mean SUV. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were analyzed by Kaplan-Meier curves and compared by the log-rank test. Results: The optimal cutoff values for SUVmax, TMTV, and TLG were 12.7, 302 cm3, and 890, respectively. A high SUVmax, TMTV, and TLG indicated a shorten PFS and OS. On multivariable analysis, TMTV ≥ 302 cm3, and central nervous system (CNS) involvement predicted inferior PFS, while high SUVmax, TLG and CNS involvement were associated with worse OS. Subsequently, we generated a risk model comprising high SUVmax, TMTV or TLG and CNS involvement, which stratified the population into three risk groups, which had significantly different median PFS of not reached, 14 months, and 7 months for low-risk group, mediate-risk group, and high-risk group, respectively (p < 0.001). Median OS were not reached, 27 months, and 13 months, respectively (p < 0.001). Conclusion Baseline SUVmax, TMTV, and TLG measured on PET-CT are strong predictors of worse outcome in T-LBL. A risk model integrating these three parameters with CNS involvement identifies patients at high risk of disease progression.

Purpose: There is no optimal prognostic model for T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma (T-LBL). Here, we discussed the predictive value of total metabolic tumor volume (TMTV) and total lesion glycolysis (TLG) measured on 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography–computed tomography (PET-CT) in T-LBL. Materials and Methods: Thirty-seven treatment naïve T-LBL patients with PET-CT scans were enrolled. TMTV was obtained using the 41% maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) threshold method, and TLG was measured as metabolic tumor volume multiplied by the mean SUV. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were analyzed by Kaplan-Meier curves and compared by the log-rank test. Results: The optimal cutoff values for SUVmax, TMTV, and TLG were 12.7, 302 cm3, and 890, respectively. A high SUVmax, TMTV, and TLG indicated a shorten PFS and OS. On multivariable analysis, TMTV ≥ 302 cm3, and central nervous system (CNS) involvement predicted inferior PFS, while high SUVmax, TLG and CNS involvement were associated with worse OS. Subsequently, we generated a risk model comprising high SUVmax, TMTV or TLG and CNS involvement, which stratified the population into three risk groups, which had significantly different median PFS of not reached, 14 months, and 7 months for low-risk group, mediate-risk group, and high-risk group, respectively (p < 0.001). Median OS were not reached, 27 months, and 13 months, respectively (p < 0.001). Conclusion Baseline SUVmax, TMTV, and TLG measured on PET-CT are strong predictors of worse outcome in T-LBL. A risk model integrating these three parameters with CNS involvement identifies patients at high risk of disease progression.

Objective:To investigate the association of ocular dominance with the severity of chronic primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG).Methods:Ocular dominance was assessed via the " hole in card" method.The anatomical symmetry (including anterior chamber depth, lens thickness and axial length) in both eyes was analyzed via A scan ultrasound.The severely glaucomatous eye was determined by the mean defect of visual field.The association of ocular dominance with the severity of chronic PACG was then analyzed.This study followed the Declaration of Helsinki, and the study protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of Shantou International Eye Center of Shantou University and the Chinese University of Hong Kong.Written informed consent was obtained from all subjects prior to their entering the study cohort.Results:Visual acuity (LogMAR) was 0.39±0.24 in the dominant eye group, and 0.43±0.29 in the non-dominant eye group.Anterior chamber depth was (2.53±0.26)mm in the dominant eye group, and (2.54±0.29)mm in the non-dominant eye group.Lens thickness was (4.96±0.31)mm in the dominant eye group, and (4.92±0.33)mm in the non-dominant eye group.Axial length was (22.58±0.61)mm in the dominant eye group, and (22.73±1.11)mm in the non-dominant eye group.No significant difference was found in visual acuity, anterior chamber depth, lens thickness or axial length between the dominant and non-dominant eye groups ( t=-1.643, -0.797, 1.867, -1.345; all at P>0.05). The vertical cup-disc ratio of the dominant eye group was lower than that of the non-dominant eye group (0.55 [0.40, 0.80] vs. 0.80 [0.63, 0.90]). The mean defect in the visual field of the dominant eye group was lower than that in the non-dominant eye group (-6.54 [-16.70, -3.85]dB vs.-18.77 [-28.19, -8.55]dB), and the intraocular pressure in the dominant eye group was lower than that in the non-dominant eye group (21.00 [17.00, 27.75]mmHg vs. 24.50 [19.00, 36.25]mmHg) (1 mmHg=0.133 kPa). Significant differences were found in mean defect, vertical cup-disc ratio and intraocular pressure between the two groups ( Z=-3.781, -3.528, -2.126; all at P<0.05). The ratio of the severely glaucomatous eye being the non-dominant eye was 84.09%, which was much higher than that of the severely glaucomatous eye being the dominant eye (15.91%). The non-dominant eye was related to the severity of chronic PACG ( χ2=40.909, P<0.001, Pearson contingency coefficient r=0.563). Conclusions:The non-dominant eye is associated with the severity of chronic PACG.

To investigate the presence of integrated Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA in the NK/T cell lymphoma (NKTCL) ge-nome and analyze the integration information in the genome of NKTCL cell lines. Methods: PCR and in situ hybridization were used to detect EBV infection in five EBV (+) NK/T samples and four EBV (-) NK/T samples provided by the biobanks of the First Affiliated Hospi-tal of Zhengzhou University. Whole-genome DNA of the samples was sequenced and subjected to bioinformatics analysis. Whole-ge-nome sequence alignment was used to identify the EBV integration sequence. BLAST analysis was used to compare EBV fasta files of the samples and EBV fasta library. CREST software was used to extract softclip reads, filter all paired reads, and enumerate their distri-bution on chromosomes. The integrated genomics viewer (IGV) was used to compare the distribution of reads in partial regions of chromosome. PCR was used to amplify the high-frequency integration region of the EBV DNA. The amplified fragments were sanger se-quenced. Results: EBV DNA and EBER expression were detected in five EBV (+) NK/T samples but not in the four EBV (-) NK/T samples. Sequencing depth, coverage depth, proportion of coverage, and proportion of alignment all met the requirements for subsequent re-search. Sequence alignment revealed that the captured sequences were viral sequences. Filtered reads were most numerous in EBV (+) NKTCL cell line SNK, YTS, and EBV (+) nasal NKTCL tissue. The reads were non-randomly enriched in chromosome 2. EBV DNA inte-gration in the 400 bp region of chr2:30234084-30234483 caused insertion or deletion in the chr2p23.1 site. Conclusions: EBV DNA is highly integrated in the chr2p23.1 site of EBV (+) NKTCL cells and may affect the expression of related genes.

Objective: To investigate the expression and clinical significance of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), programmed death-ligand 2 (PD-L2), and their receptor programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) in EBV-positive T/NK lymphoproliferative disease [Epstein-Barr virus-positive T/natural killer (NK)-cell lymphoproliferative disease, EBV(+)-T/NK-LPD]. Methods: The pathological paraffin-embedded tissues of 17 patients with EBV(+)-T/NK-LPD from the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from January 2013 to December 2017 were collected. These patients include 12 males and 5 females, aged 10-82 years old, the average age being 29 years, 4 people in gradeⅠ, 7 in gradeⅡ, 3 in gradeⅢ, and 3 people with hydroa vacciniforme-like lymphoproliferative disorders. Immunohistochemical SP method was used to detect the expression of PD-1, PD-L1, and PD-L2 in human EBV(+)-T/NK-LPD tissues. The relationship between PD-1, PD-L1, PD-L2 expression, and clinicopathological parameters, pathological grades and prognosis were analyzed by Fisher's exact probabilities and Spearman rank correlation. Result: After statistical analysis, the results showed that in 17 cases of tissue samples, there were 12 cases with positive PD-1 expression, 6 cases with positive PD-L1 expression and 5 cases with positive PD-L2 expression. There was no significant correlation between PD-1 and PD-L2 expression and prognosis (P>0.05). PD-L1 expression showed a positive correlation with prognosis (P<0.05). There was no significant correlation between the expression of PD-L1 and PD-L2 with age, sex, as well as LDH and Ki-67 levels (P>0.05). Moreover, there was no significant correlation of PD-1 and PD-L2 expression with pathological grade (r=0.141, r=-0.149, both P>0.05). However, there was a negative correlation between the PD-L1 expression and pathological grade (r=-0.563), and the correlation between the PD-L1 ex-pression and pathological grade was statistically significant (P<0.05). Conclusions: PD-1, PD-L1, and PD-L2 are abnormally expressed in the pathological tissues of EBV(+)-T/NK-LPD. Although there was no significant correlation between the expression of PD-1 and prognosis or pathological grade, it was significantly higher in EBV+T/NK-LPD. PD-1/PD-Ls associated signaling pathway is expected to be a potential new target for EBV(+)-T/NK-LPD immunotherapy.

Background The establishment of chronic ocular hypertension is a basis for the research of glaucoma.Previous laser photocoagulation method to establish ocular hypertension model showed obvious fluctuation of intraocular pressure (IOP) and complications and need repeatedly photocoagulation.Improvement of modeling method is of important significance for glaucoma.Objective This study was to establish chronic ocular hypertension rat models by transgoniscope laser photocoagulation to trabecular meshwork and to compare this method with previous translimbal laser photocoagulation.Methods Thirty-six 8 to 12-week-old clean grade Fischer344 rats were collected and divided into normal control group,translimbal laser photocoagulation group and transgoniscope laser photocoagulation group,12 rats for each group.Five hundred and thirty-two nm YAG laser was used to photocoagulate trabecular meshwork translimbally in the right eyes of rats in the translimbal laser photocoagulation group,with the laser power 440-500 mW and spots 40-60,and the photocoagulation was perfored transgoniscopely in the right eyes of rats in the transgoniscope laser photocoagulation group,with the laser power 800-850 mW and spots 100-120.IOP was measured by using Tonolab tonometer in all the rats after modeling.The rats were sacrificed 3 weeks after modeling and retinas were isolated,the Tuj-1 positive retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) were counted by immunofluorescence technology.The use and care of the animals followed the Statement of ARVO.Results The successful rate of establishement of models was 75％ in the translimbal laser photocoagulation group and 100％ in the transgoniscope laser photocoagulation group.The mean IOP was (11.0±1.3),(23.4±12.6) and (25.3± 4.9) mmHg,and the peak IOP was (12.3 ± 1.0),(50.5 ± 7.3) and (44.3 ± 12.3) mmHg in the normal control group,transgoniscope laser photocoagulation group and translimbal laser photocoagulation group,respectively,with significant differences among the groups (F=25.496,80.762,both at P＜0.001),and the mean IOP was significantly higher in the transgoniscope laser photocoagulation group and translimbal laser photocoagulation group than that in the normal control group (all at P＜0.001),and no significant differences in the mean and peak IOP between transgoniscope laser photocoagulation group and translimbal laser photocoagulation group (P=1.000,P=0.195).The numbers of Tuj-1 positive RGCs in the retinas were (2 048.2± 148.5),(645.2 ± 177.1) and (1 223.7 ± 148.6)/mm2 in the normal control group,transgoniscope laser photocoagulation group and translimbal laser photocoagulation group,showing a significant difference among the groups (F=98.767,P＜0.001).The number of Tuj-1 positive RGCs was considerably reduced in the transgoniscope laser photocoagulation group and translimbal laser photocoagulation group compared with the normal control group and the number of Tuj-1 postive RGCs was low in the translimbal laser photocoagulation group compared with the transgoniscope laser photocoagulation group (all at P＜0.001).Conclusions Transgoniscope laser photocoagulation targeting trabecular meshwork can induce chronic ocular hypertension and RGCs losing.However,its pattern is different from translimbal laser photocoagulation.Transgoniscope laser photocoagulation has a higher successful rate of chronic ocular hypertention than that of translimbal laser photocoagulation.

OBJECTIVEwe aimed to investigate the mutation and expression of BRAF gene in mature T/NK cell lymphoma tissues and cell lines, explore the correlation between gene alterations and clinicopathological features and clinical outcomes of mature T/NK cell lymphoma.

METHODSFirstly, we detected common mutant sites of BRAF (locus 1 799 mutation in exon 15 and loci 463, 465 and 468 mutation in exon 11) in lymphoma Jurkat, Hut-78 and YTS cell lines, normal peripheral blood lymphocytes, different types of mature T/NK cell lymphoma and reactive hyperplasia lymph nodes by direct sequencing. Then we measured the expression of BRAF in Jurkat, Hut-78, YTS cells and normal peripheral blood lymphocytes by real time-PCR and Western-blot detection. We also used immunohistochemistry (IHC) to detect the expression of BRAF in mature T/NK cell lymphoma tissues and reactive hyperplasia lymph nodes, and to analyze the correlation between the expression of BRAF and clinocopathological features and clinical outcomes.

RESULTSWe did not find common BRAF mutation in mature T/NK cell lymphoma tissues and cell lines, and the relatively expression of BRAF gene mRNA in normal peripheral blood lymphocytes, YTS, Hut-78 and Jurkat cells were 1.000, 5.207±0.013, 8.412±0.615 and 36.720±1.797, respectively, and protein expressions were 0.051±0.003, 0.102±0.013, 0.113±0.017 and 0.304±0.010, respectively, and the expression of BRAF in peripheral T cell lymphoma Jurkat cells was significantly higher than that of Hut-78, YTS cells and normal lymphocytes (P<0.05). Only 6 of 58 peripheral T cell lymphomas (10.3%) had positive BRAF expression, and were the subgroups of peripheral T cell lymphoma-unspecified type. The statistical data did not show any correlation between positive expression of BRAF and gender, age, clinical stage, location, lactate dehydrogenase in the 21 cases of peripheral T cell lymphoma-unspecified type (P<0.05), but the positive rate of BRAF in the effective treatment group (8.3%) was significantly lower than that of the invalid group (55.6%, P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe expression of BRAF gene may become a marker of malignant biological characteristics and clinical therapeutic target of peripheral T cell lymphoma.

Exons ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Killer Cells, Natural ; Lymphoma, T-Cell, Peripheral ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf ; genetics ; metabolism ; Pseudolymphoma ; genetics ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism

BACKGROUND:With the improvement of cervical posterior surgical techniques, lateral mass screw fixation technology has been widely used in the reconstruction surgery of the cervical spine for stability. However, currently, the finite element study on the lateral mass screw fixation reconstruction of the cervical spine is rare. OBJECTIVE:To establish a fine normal lower cervical spine (C3-C7 ) three-dimensional finite element model and a reconstructed finite element model with three-segment laminectomy with lateral mass screw fixation. Then, to do an initial biomechanical analysis of the lateral mass screw fixation reconstructed lower cervical finite element model. METHODS:We col ected a normal female volunteer aged 30 years old to do CT scan for the whole cervical spine. The Dicom data were obtained. Then, the CT scanning images were dealt with software Mimics 10.01, Geomagic Studio 12.0, Solidworks2012, HyperMesh 10.1 and Abaqus 6.12 software to build the normal lower cervical spine (C 3-C7 ) finite element model, the laminectomy finite element model and the rebuilt finite element model. At last, we analyzed the stress changes of reconstructed models under the state of flexion, extension, lateral bending and rotational motion. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The lower cervical spine finite element model contained 503 911 elements and 93 390 nodes with a fine realistic appearance. It successful y passed the validation. The surgical procedure was completed in the software, and the lateral mass screw fixation reconstruction finite element model has been established. Lateral mass screw fixation system provides good stability for the postoperative finite element model. The activity of rebuilt finite element model is much lower than the normal finite element model. In the extension condition, the stress of lateral mass screw fixation system becomes strong.