Osteoarthritis (OA), a highly prevalent degenerative joint disease worldwide, is defined by articular cartilage degradation, abnormal bone remodeling, and persistent chronic inflammation. It severely compromises patients’ quality of life, and currently, there is no radical cure. Abnormal mechanical stress is widely regarded as a core driver of OA pathogenesis, and the exploration of mechanical signal perception and transduction mechanisms has become crucial for deciphering OA’s pathophysiological processes. Piezo1, a key mechanosensitive cation channel belonging to the Piezo protein family, has recently gained significant attention due to its pivotal role in mediating cellular responses to mechanical stimuli in joint tissues. This review systematically examines Piezo1’s expression patterns, regulatory mechanisms, and pathological functions in OA, with a particular focus on its dual roles in modulating chondrocyte homeostasis and bone metabolism disorders, while also delving into the underlying molecular signaling pathways and potential therapeutic implications. Piezo1, consisting of approximately 2 500 amino acids and forming a unique trimeric propeller-like structure, is widely expressed in chondrocytes, osteocytes, mesenchymal stem cells, and synovial cells. It exhibits permeability to cations such as Ca²⁺, K⁺, and Na⁺, and directly responds to membrane tension changes induced by mechanical stimuli like fluid shear stress and mechanical overload. In OA patients and animal models, Piezo1 expression is significantly upregulated, especially in cartilage regions subjected to abnormal mechanical stress (e.g., human temporomandibular joint cartilage). This overexpression is closely associated with aggravated cartilage degeneration, increased chondrocyte apoptosis, accelerated cellular senescence, and intensified inflammatory responses. Mechanical overload and pro-inflammatory cytokines (e.g., IL-1β) are key inducers of Piezo1 upregulation: IL-1β activates the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway to enhance Piezo1 expression, forming a pathogenic positive feedback loop that inhibits chondrocyte autophagy, promotes apoptosis, and further accelerates joint degeneration. Mechanistically, Piezo1 mediates OA progression through multiple interconnected pathways. When activated by mechanical stress, Piezo1 triggers excessive Ca²⁺ influx, leading to endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) and mitochondrial dysfunction, which directly induce chondrocyte apoptosis. This process involves the activation of downstream signaling cascades such as cGAS-STING and YAP-MMP13/ADAMTS5. YAP, a transcriptional regulator, upregulates the expression of matrix metalloproteinase 13 (MMP13) and aggrecanase (ADAMTS5), thereby accelerating cartilage matrix degradation. Additionally, Piezo1-driven Ca²⁺ overload promotes the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and upregulates senescence markers (p16 and p21), accelerating chondrocyte senescence via the p38MAPK and NF-κB pathways. Senescent chondrocytes secrete senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) factors (e.g., IL-6, IL-1β), further amplifying joint inflammation. In terms of bone metabolism, Piezo1 maintains joint homeostasis by promoting the differentiation of fibrocartilage stem cells into chondrocytes and balancing bone formation and resorption through regulating the FoxC1/YAP axis and RANKL/OPG ratio. Therapeutically, targeting Piezo1 shows promising potential. Preclinical studies have demonstrated that Piezo1 inhibitors (e.g., GsMTx4) can reduce joint damage and alleviate pain in OA mice. Simultaneously, siRNA-mediated co-silencing of Piezo1 and TRPV4 (another mechanosensitive channel) decreases intracellular Ca²⁺ concentration, inhibits chondrocyte apoptosis, and promotes cartilage repair. Conditional knockout of Piezo1 using Gdf5-Cre transgenic mice alleviates cartilage degeneration in post-traumatic OA models by downregulating MMP13 and ADAMTS5 expression. Despite existing challenges, such as off-target effects of inhibitors, inefficient local drug delivery, and interindividual genetic variability, strategies like developing selective Piezo1 antagonists, optimizing targeted nanocarriers, and combining Piezo1-targeted therapy with physical therapy provide viable avenues for clinical translation. The authors propose that Piezo1 serves as a critical therapeutic target for OA, and future research should focus on deciphering its context-dependent regulatory networks, developing tissue-specific intervention strategies, and validating their efficacy and safety in clinical trials to address the unmet medical needs of OA patients.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects and underlying mechanisms of polydatin in delaying the progression of colitis-associated colorectal cancer （CAC） by constructing an azoxymethane （AOM）/dextran sulfate sodium （DSS）-induced CAC mouse model and conducting in vitro experiments. MethodsFifty-four male C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into normal， model， and polydatin groups （0.045 g·kg^-1）. The CAC mouse model was established using AOM/DSS， and samples were collected at 4， 7， and 10 weeks. Body weight change rate， disease activity index （DAI）， and tumor formation were assessed. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining was used to observe pathological injury in intestinal tissues. Immunohistochemistry （IHC） was performed to detect zonula occludens-1 （ZO-1） expression in colonic tissues， and Western blot was used to detect the expression of E-cadherin， N-cadherin， and Vimentin in colonic epithelial cells. Real-time PCR was used to measure mRNA expression of interleukin-17A （IL-17A）， Wnt3a， β-catenin， T cell factor 1 （Tcf1）， E-cadherin， N-cadherin， and Vimentin in colonic tissues. Flow cytometry was used to analyze the proportion of CD8⁺T cells and the expression of exhaustion-related molecules in tumors. Human colon cancer DLD-1 cells were cultured in a polydatin-containing medium， and wound healing assays were performed to observe migration changes. Real-time PCR was used to detect mRNA expression of interleukin-17 receptor A （IL-17RA）， Wnt3a， β-catenin， Tcf1， E-cadherin， N-cadherin， and Vimentin in DLD-1 cells. ResultsCompared with the normal group， the model group at all three time points showed significantly decreased body weight change rate （P<0.01）， significantly shortened colon length （P<0.01）， and markedly increased DAI scores （P<0.01）. HE staining revealed significant inflammatory cell infiltration in the submucosa of the colon in the model group， accompanied by epithelial dysplasia. ZO-1 expression in colonic tissues was significantly reduced （P<0.01）. The mRNA expression of the pro-inflammatory factor IL-17A and key molecules of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway （Wnt3a， β-catenin， Tcf1） was significantly elevated （P<0.05）. The mRNA and protein expression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition （EMT） markers N-cadherin and Vimentin was significantly upregulated （P<0.05）， while E-cadherin expression was significantly downregulated （P<0.05）. The proportion of tumor-infiltrating CD8⁺T cells expressing immunosuppressive molecules （TIM-3， LAG-3， PD-1） was significantly increased （P<0.05）. Compared with the model group， the polydatin group showed significant improvement in body weight and DAI score （P<0.01）， as well as recovery of colon length and tissue injury. ZO-1 expression in colonic tissue was significantly increased （P<0.01）， while IL-17A， Wnt3a， β-catenin， Tcf1， N-cadherin， and Vimentin expression levels were significantly decreased （P<0.05）， and E-cadherin expression was significantly increased （P<0.01）. Tumor-infiltrating CD8⁺ T cells expressing immunosuppressive molecules were significantly reduced （P<0.05）. In vitro experiments showed that polydatin significantly inhibited migration of DLD-1 cells （P<0.01） and reversed the upregulation of IL-17RA， Wnt3a， β-catenin， N-cadherin， and Vimentin mRNA， as well as the downregulation of E-cadherin mRNA （P<0.05）. ConclusionPolydatin inhibits IL-17A secretion and IL-17RA expression， improves the immune microenvironment， blocks activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway， suppresses EMT markers （N-cadherin and Vimentin）， and restores tight junction protein expression in intestinal epithelial cells， thereby delaying the progression from colitis to colorectal cancer in mice.

Objective To investigate the perioperative differences between video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) and thoracotomy after neoadjuvant therapy in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods Clinical data of NSCLC patients who underwent VATS or thoracotomy after neoadjuvant therapy at Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital from June 2020 to May 2022 were retrospectively collected. Perioperative outcomes were compared between the two groups. Results A total of 260 patients were enrolled, 184 (70.8%) patients underwent VATS and 76 (29.2%) patients underwent thoracotomy. After propensity matching, there were 113 (62.4%) patients in the VATS group and 68 (37.6%) patients in the thoracotomy group. VATS had similar lymph node dissection ability and postoperative complication rate with thoracotomy (P>0.05), with the advantage of having shorter operative time (146.00 min vs. 165.00 min, P=0.006), less intraoperative blood loss (50.00 mL vs. 100.00 mL, P<0.001), lower intraoperative blood transfusion rate (0.0% vs. 7.4%, P=0.003), less 3-day postoperative drainage (250.00 mL vs. 350.00 mL, P=0.011; 180.00 mL vs. 250.00 mL, P=0.002; 150.00 mL vs. 235.00 mL, P<0.001), and shorter postoperative drainage time (9.34 d vs. 13.84 d, P<0.001) and postoperative hospitalization time (6.19 d vs. 7.94 d, P=0.006). Conclusion VATS after neoadjuvant therapy for NSCLC is safer than thoracotomy and results in better postoperative recovery.

Objective To systematically evaluate the radiation impact of radioactive sources used in online elemental analyzers in cement enterprises on the surrounding environment, and to provide a scientific basis for radiation monitoring and safety management at the application sites of this type of radioactive sources. Methods A statistical analysis was conducted on 15 cement enterprises in Guangxi Province using online elemental analyzers with ²⁵²Cf as the radioactive source. On-site investigation of radiation safety management and on-site monitoring of radiation environment were performed, followed by an evaluation based on the collected data. Results Although the gamma radiation ambient dose equivalent rate and neutron ambient dose equivalent rate increased around the sites using online elemental analyzers with ²⁵²Cf as the radioactive source, they all met the requirements of the Radiological Health Protection Requirements for Instruments with Sealed Sources (GBZ 125—2009). Conclusion Under the current usage and management conditions, the application of this type of radioactive sources has controllable radiation impact on the surrounding environment, and will not pose a threat to public health and environmental safety. However, continuous strengthening of radiation safety management measures and regular radiation monitoring work are still needed to ensure the safe use of radioactive sources, further reducing potential radiation risks and providing strong guarantees for the safe application of radioactive sources in online elemental analyzers in cement enterprises.

ObjectiveTo clarify the repair effect of Mume Fructus on the intestinal mucosal epithelial barrier in the mouse model of inflammatory bowel disease （IBD） and explore the repair mechanism. MethodsThirty-six male C57BL/6 mice were randomly assigned into six groups： normal， model， low-， medium-， and high-dose （200， 400， and 800 mg·kg^-1） Mume Fructus， and sulfasalazine （300 mg·kg^-1）. Except the normal group， the rest groups had free access to 2% dextran sulfate sodium （DSS） solution for seven days to establish the IBD model， followed by a seven-day drug intervention. The body weight change and disease activity index （DAI） were recorded. After the last administration， spleen and colon tissue samples were collected to analyze the differences in colon length and spleen index. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was used to observe the morphology of the colon tissue. The level of diamine oxidase （DAO） in the serum was measured by the DAO assay kit. Immunohistochemistry was employed to determine the expression of tight junction proteins such as Claudin-1， Occludin， and zonula occludens-1 （ZO-1） in the colon tissue. Real-time PCR was performed to measure the mRNA levels of tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） and interleukin-1β （IL-1β） in the colon tissue. Finally， Western blot was employed to determine the protein levels of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase （MEK）， extracellular signal-regulated kinase （ERK）， phosphorylated （p）-MEK， and phosphorylated ERK in the colon tissue. ResultsCompared with the normal group， the model group exhibited decreases in body weight and colon length （P<0.01）， increases in DAI， spleen index， and serum DAO level （P<0.01）， damaged colonic epithelium and goblet cells， and obvious infiltration of inflammatory cells. In addition， the model group exhibited higher positive expression of Claudin-1， Occludin， and ZO-1 （P<0.01）， higher mRNA levels of TNF-α and IL-1β （P<0.01）， and higher protein levels of p-MEK and p-ERK （P<0.05， P<0.01） than the normal group. However， sulfasalazine and three doses of Mume Fructus markedly decreased the body weight and DAI （P<0.05）， recovered the colon length and spleen index， alleviated colon tissue damage， lowered the level of DAO in the serum （P<0.01）， and down-regulated the mRNA levels of TNF-α and IL-1β （P<0.01） and the protein levels of p-MEK and p-ERK （P<0.05）. Sulfasalazine and low- and medium-dose Mume Fructus increased the positive expression of Occludin， Claudin-1， and ZO-1 （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Furthermore， high-dose Mume Fructus elevated the protein expression of Occludin （P<0.05）. ConclusionMume Fructus can restore the expression of intestinal epithelial tight junction proteins by inhibiting the phosphorylation of proteins in the MEK/ERK signaling pathway and down-regulating the levels of TNF-α and IL-1β， thus repairing the intestinal mucosal barrier in the mouse model of IBD.

ObjectiveIn nature, objects cast shadows due to illumination, forming the basis for stereoscopic perception. Birds need to adapt to changes in lighting (meaning they can recognize stereoscopic shapes even when shadows look different) to accurately perceive different three-dimensional forms. However, how neurons in the key visual brain area in birds handle these lighting changes remains largely unreported. In this study, pigeons (Columba livia) were used as subjects to investigate how neurons in pigeon’s ventrolateral mesopallium (MVL) represent stereoscopic shapes consistently, regardless of changes in lighting. MethodsVisual cognitive training combined with neuronal recording was employed. Pigeons were first trained to discriminate different stereoscopic shapes (concave/convex). We then tested whether and how light luminance angle and surface appearance of the stereoscopic shapes affect their recognition accuracy, and further verify whether the results rely on specify luminance color. Simultaneously, neuronal firing activity of neurons was recorded with multiple electrode array implanted from the MVL during the presentation of difference shapes. The response was finally analyzed how selectively they responded to different stereoscopic shapes and whether their selectivity was affected by the changes of luminance condition (like lighting angle) or surface look. Support vector machine (SVM) models were trained on neuronal population responses recorded under one condition (light luminance angle of 45°) and used to decode responses under other conditions (light luminance angle of 135°, 225°, 315°) to verify the invariance of responses to different luminance conditions. ResultsBehavioral results from 6 pigeons consistently showed that the pigeons could reliably identify the core 3D shape (over 80% accuracy), and this ability wasn’t affected by changes in light angle or surface appearance. Statistical analysis of 88 recorded neurons from 6 pigeons revealed that 83% (73/88) showed strong selectivity for specific 3D shapes (selectivity index>0.3), and responses to convex shapes were consistently stronger than to concave shapes. These shape-selective responses remained stable across changes in light angle and surface appearance. Neural patterns were consistent under both blue and orange lighting. The decoding accuracy achieves above 70%, suggesting stable responses under different conditions (e.g., different lighting angles or surface appearance). ConclusionNeurons in the pigeon MVL maintain a consistent neural encoding pattern for different stereoscopic shapes, unaffected by illumination or surface appearance. This ensures stable object recognition by pigeons in changing visual environments. Our findings provide new physiological evidence for understanding how birds achieve stable perception (“invariant neural representations”) while coping with variations in the visual field.

AIM To investigate the clinical effects of Supplemented Gegen Qinlian Decoction combined with acupuncture on patients with ulcerative colitis of Large Intestinal Dampness-heat Pattern.METHODS One hundred and twenty patients were randomly assigned into control group(60 cases)for 1-month administration of Pefikang Capsules and Mesalazine Sustained Release Granules,and observation group(60 cases)for 1-month administration of Supplemented Gegen Qinlian Decoction,acupuncture,Pefikang Capsules and Mesalazine Sustained Release Granules.The changes in clinical effects,symptom remission time,TCM syndrome scores,Geboes index,lesion activity index,Baron score,inflammatory factors(IL-6,IL-8,TNF-α),immune function indices(IgA,IgG,IgM),IBDQ score and recurrence rate were detected.RESULTS The observation group demonstrated higher total effective rate than the control group(P＜0.05),along with shorter symptom remission time(P＜0.05)and lower recurrence rate(P＜0.05).After the treatment,the two groups displayed decreased TCM syndrome scores,Geboes index,lesion activity index,Baron score,inflammatory factors,IgG,IgM(P＜0.05),and increased IBDQ score(P＜0.05),especially for the observation group(P＜0.05).CONCLUSION For the patients with ulcerative colitis of Large Intestinal Dampness-heat Pattern,Gegen Qinlian Decoction combined with acupuncture can improve clinical symptoms,promote disease recovery,enhance immune functions and life quality,and reduce recurrence rate.

Objective:Exploring the effect of Pinocembrin(Pino)regulating the Ras homolog gene family member A/Rho associated with curly helix binding protein kinase(RhoA/ROCK)signaling pathway of Ras homologous gene family members on the malignant biological behavior of gastric cancer cells.Methods:Cultivate human gastric cancer cells MGC803 with different concentrations of Pino(0～240μmol/L),detect cell survival rate using CCK-8 method,and screen for the optimal drug concentration.MGC803 cells were rseparated into MGC803 group(Control group),Pino-L group,Pino-M group,Pino-H group,and Pino-H+RhoA agonist CN03 group.The clone formation experiment was applied to detect the number of clones formed of cells in each group.Assessment of cell apoptosis using flow cytometry.Tran-swell invasion and migration experiments were used to detect the number of cells undergoing migration and invasion in each group;Detection of RhoA/ROCK signaling pathway and expression of epithelial mesenchymal transition related proteins in MGC803 cells using Western blot method.Results:Compared with the MGC803 group,the cell survival rate,clone formation number,migration cell number,and invasion cell number were all reduced in the Pino-L group,Pino-M group,and Pino-H group,and RhoA was also present in the cells,ROCK2,The expression levels of vimentin and N-cadherin gradually decreased(P<0.05),while the apoptosis rate and E-cadherin expression level gradually in-creased(P<0.05).The Pino-H+CN03 group reversed the trend of changes in the above indicators).Conclusion:Pino can prevent malignant biological behavior of gastric cancer cells,which may be related to the inhibition of the RhoA/ROCK signaling pathway.

Objective To explore the changes of durability properties of reusable surgical gowns when used in dry and wet conditions.Methods Reusable surgical gowns made of single-layer polyester fiber or 3-layer composite material were selected as test samples,and a Martindale abrasion and pilling tester was used as the basic test platform and modified to form fixtures suitable for the wet state environment.The reusable surgical gowns underwent abrasion experiments in wet and dry conditions to observe the changes in their fiber structure,and were subjected to water penetration resistance and swelling strength tests.Results Visually the reusable surgical gowns had few changes of the microscopic textile fiber structure in dry and wet conditions,and the gowns made of single-layer polyster fiber gained advantages over the outer layers of those of 3-layer composite material in abrasion resistance with the same friction cycles.In dry and wet conditions,the hydrostatic pressure values of the gowns of single-layer polyster fiber gradually decreased with the increase of the degree of abrasion,which were always lower than those of the gowns of 3-layer composite material;the swelling strength of the gowns of single-layer polyster fiber was always greater than that of the gowns of 3-layer composite material,which decreased with the deterioration of the wear more significantly than that of the gowns of 3-layer composite material.Conclusion The reusable surgical gowns made of single-layer polyester fiber or 3-layer composite material have few differences in durability and protective properties at the early stages of ablation in dry and wet conditions.The durability of the gowns decreases as the degree of wear increases,while the trend of the decrease is slowing down until the fabric breaks down and completely loses its barrier effect.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2025,46(6):28-33]

The new cultural construction of high-quality development of public hospitals proposes a patient-oriented ap-proach.People with disabilities,represented by the hearing-impaired community,faces many difficulties in the process of seeking medical care,and their needs have not been adequately addressed.This inadequacy adversely affects the development of harmoni-ous doctor-patient relationships and the patient medical experience.This study takes the deaf assistance outpatient clinic,first es-tablished by Shanghai East Hospital as an example to elaborate the practice of cultural brand construction under the leadership of Party building.Medical social workers,healthcare professionals,and volunteers work together to build a cultural brand through institutional guarantees,detailed care,and the establishment of a full process service system.This is expected to provide refer-ences for the construction of hospital cultural brands..