OBJECTIVE: To explore the morphological characteristics of the postero-superior protuberance of the calcaneus and to explore its relationship with Haglund malformation. METHODS: Ankle lateral X-ray films of 391 hospitalized patients between May 2021 and June 2024 were retrospectively collected. The morphological parameters of the postero-superior protuberance of the calcaneus were measured, including the length of the base, the height of the base, and the tip angle of the postero-superior protuberance of the calcaneus, and the morphological types were classified according to the above parameters, including the peak type, the hill type, and the flat type. The related parameters of Haglund malformation were measured, including Fowler-Philipp angle (FPA), calcaneal pitch angle (CPA), parallel pitch line (PPL), Chauveaux-Liet angle (CLA), and X/Y ratio (total calcaneal length/length of greater tuberosity of calcaneus). The differences of the morphological parameters of the postero-superior protuberance of the calcaneus and the related indicators of Haglund deformity among the three types and between the males and the females were compared and analyzed, and the differences of the positive numbers of the related indicators of Haglund deformity among the three types were compared. RESULTS: According to the morphological parameters of the postero-superior protuberance of the calcaneus, there were 64 cases of peak type, 245 cases of hill type, and 82 cases of flat type. There was no significant difference in the length of the base of the postero-superior protuberance of the calcaneus, CPA, CLA, and X/Y ratio among the three types ( P>0.05). Among the three types, the peak type had the largest FPA and the flat type had the smallest ( P<0.05); the peak type had the smallest tip angle of the postero-superior protuberance of the calcaneus and the flat type had the largest ( P<0.05); the positive rate of PPL in the hill type was significantly higher than that in the peak type and flat type ( P<0.05); the height of the base of the postero-superior protuberance of the calcaneus in the flat type was the smallest ( P<0.05). FPA, CPA, CLA, PPL, and X/Y ratio were positive in 2, 42, 172, 142, and 77 patients, respectively. There was no significant difference in the number of positive Haglund deformity indicators among the three types ( P>0.05). There was no significant difference between male and female patients in the tip angle of the postero-superior protuberance of the calcaneus, FPA, the positive rate of PPL, and X/Y ratio ( P>0.05). The length and the height of the base of the postero-superior protuberance of the calcaneus, CPA, and CLA in male patients were significantly higher than those in female patients ( P<0.05). CONCLUSION The postero-superior protuberance of the calcaneus can be divided into three types: the peak type, the hill type, and the flat type. The peak type is more likely to suffer from Haglund deformity, and the males are more likely to suffer from Haglund deformity than the females.
Humans ; Calcaneus/anatomy & histology* ; Male ; Female ; Retrospective Studies ; Adult ; Middle Aged ; Adolescent ; Young Adult ; Radiography ; Child ; Aged

Platelets are well-known for their functions in blood clotting and vascular repair. However, in recent years, the regulatory role of platelets in the occurrence and development of malignant tumors has received significant attention. While extensive research has been conducted on the regulation of tumors by circulating platelets in peripheral blood, there is a lack of coherence and continuity among these studies. The tumor microenvironment encompasses the intricate network of cellular and acellular elements that surround and interact with tumor cells, creating a supportive ecosystem for their survival and growth. It plays a crucial role in the initiation and progression of tumors. Similar to dark matter in the universe, platelets, as tiny and enigmatic entities, play an essential role in tumor development and treatment within the tumor microenvironment. Although our current understanding of platelet regulation in the tumor microenvironment is limited, they hold immense untapped potential. In-depth studies on the tumor microenvironment have revealed platelets as a meaningful component, influencing various aspects of tumor development, metastasis, and immune evasion. Platelets, through the release of various bioactive substances or direct interaction with tumor cells, impact tumor progression while being influenced by the tumor in return. Therefore, understanding the role and mechanisms of platelets in the tumor microenvironment is of great importance for tumor prevention and treatment. This review provides a summary of the research progress on the interplay between platelets and tumors in the tumor microenvironment, and presents a promising outlook on the potential of platelets in tumor therapy.

Objective: To evaluate the role of the serum testosterone level as an independent predictor of bone metastasis of prostate cancer. METHODS: This study included 165 male patients with prostate cancer confirmed by biopsy. The patients were aged 58－78 (66.6±5.3) years and none had received androgen-deprivation therapy, chemotherapy or radiotherapy previously. We obtained the baseline clinical data from the patients, including prostate biopsy Gleason scores and the levels of serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA), total testosterone (TT), luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol (E2), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and prolactin. According to the results of bone scanning, we divided the patients into a bone metastasis and a non-bone metastasis group and screened out the differential factors by univariate analysis and the independent predictor of bone metastasis using the multivariate non-conditional logistic regression model. RESULTS: Univariate analysis showed no statistically significant differences between the bone metastasis and non-bone metastasis groups in age (P = 0.126) or the levels of serum LH (P = 0.930), FSH (P = 0.763) and E2 (P = 0.256), but that the former had remarkably higher Gleason scores (P < 0.01), total PSA (P <0.01) and ALP (P <0.01) but a lower TT level than the latter (P = 0.013). According to the results of multivariate logistic regression analysis, serum ALP (P <0.01, OR = 1.018 ［1.011－1.026］) and total PSA (P <0.01, OR = 1.029 ［1.015－1.044］) could be regarded as independent predictors of bone metastasis of prostate cancer but not low serum TT (P = 0.531, OR = 0.999 ［0.996－1.002］) or biopsy Gleason score (P = 0.898, OR = 0.787 ［0.412－1.9559］). CONCLUSIONS The low level of serum testosterone is closely associated with but not an independent predictor of bone metastasis of prostate cancer.
Aged ; Alkaline Phosphatase ; blood ; Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal ; Biopsy ; Bone Neoplasms ; secondary ; Estradiol ; blood ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone ; blood ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Luteinizing Hormone ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Grading ; Prolactin ; blood ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; blood ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; blood ; pathology ; Retrospective Studies ; Testosterone ; blood ; deficiency

AIMTo observe the regression effect of tetrandrine (Tet) and enalapril (Ena) on vascular morphological changes in renovascular hypertensive (RH) rats.

METHODSRenovascular hypertension was induced by two kidney one clip (2K1C) operation. The morphometric measurements were performed in the aorta, caudal artery, renal arterioles, coronary arterioles and mesenteric arterioles.

RESULTSThe wet weight of aorta, caudal artery and femoral artery of RH rats (18 weeks after 2K1C operation) were greater than those of sham-operated rats. The media thickness, lumen diameter, cross section of media, media over lumen ratio and the wet weight of abdomen aorta, caudal artery, coronary arterioles, renal arterioles and mesenteric arterioles were significantly increased, which were more significant in arterioles with the diameter smaller than 70 microns. There were no significant change in the number of the smooth muscle cells (VSMC) in most vessel wall, except in renal arterioles, where the number of smooth muscle cells were significantly increased. After Tet (50 mg.kg-1.d-1, p.o.) or Ena (6 mg.kg-1.d-1, p.o.) treated for 9 weeks from week 9 after 2K1C operation, almost all the changes in the media thickness, the media to lumen ratio, the cross section of media and the wet weight were ameliorated.

CONCLUSIONIn RH rats, mainly a hypertrophic and rearrangement remodeling in the wall of arteries and arterioles was observed with a proliferation of VSMC in renal arterioles. Tet and Ena were shown to regress vascular remodeling by markedly attenuating these changes in renovascular hypertensive rats.

Alkaloids ; therapeutic use ; Animals ; Antihypertensive Agents ; therapeutic use ; Aorta, Abdominal ; pathology ; Arterioles ; drug effects ; pathology ; Benzylisoquinolines ; therapeutic use ; Blood Pressure ; drug effects ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; Enalapril ; therapeutic use ; Hypertension, Renovascular ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Kidney ; blood supply ; drug effects ; Male ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; drug effects ; pathology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley