Objective To investigate the impact of vestibular dysfunction on various domains of cognitive function, providing a basis for developing comprehensive vestibular-cognitive intervention strategies. Methods A total of 33 patients with confirmed unilateral vestibular dysfunction treated at Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University between June 2024 and December 2024. Vestibular function was assessed using vestibular evoked myogenic potential (VEMP), caloric testing, video head impulse test (vHIT), and sensory organization test (SOT). Cognitive function was evaluated using mini-mental state examination (MMSE), Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA), Stroop color-word test, trail making test (TMT), and auditory verbal learning test (AVLT). Subjective symptoms were assessed using dizziness handicap inventory (DHI). Results In the vestibular function assessment of patients, abnormalities in caloric testing, utricle VEMP and saccule VEMP results were most common, with rates of 87.9%, 57.6%, and 66.7%, respectively; SOT abnormality primarily characterized by impaired vestibular function (21.2%). Spearman correlation analysis showed age, years of education, hearing ability, and emotional state were associated with overall or specific domains of cognitive function in patients. Greater vestibular dysfunction severity was associated with longer TMT-A time (r＝0.443，P＝0.010), most severe damage of short-term (r＝－0.405，P＝0.019) and long-term delayed recalls (r＝－0.537，P＝0.001). Patients with 31-60 of DHI scores showed longer TMT-A time than patients with 0-30 of DHI scores (P＝0.033). Conclusions Patients with vestibular dysfunction exhibit significant impairment in low-frequency semicircular canal and utricle function, which affects attention allocation, information processing speed, and memory performance in cognitive tasks.

Objective: To investigate the clinical efficacy of oral microscope-assisted microflap periodontal bone grafting in treating class Ⅱ furcation involvement in mandibular molars, and to provide clinical evidence for its treatment in furcation involvement. Methods: This study was reviewed and approved by the institutional ethics committee, and informed consent was obtained from all patients. Sixty mandibular molars with class II furcation involvement caused by periodontitis were enrolled in a randomized controlled clinical study, utilizing a random number table method. Patients were categorized into a control group (n=30) and an experimental group (n=30) based on the surgical procedure employed. The control group underwent periodontal flap surgery with an internal oblique incision and vertical incision; this procedure was performed without the aid of a microscope. Conversely, the experimental group underwent micro flap periodontal bone grafting surgery without vertical incision; an oral microscope was used for this procedure. Both groups were analyzed 6 months after surgery, and postoperative gingival recession (GR), probing depth (PD), bleeding index (BI), vertical bone height increase (VBHI), pain level, and complications were recorded. Results: Both groups showed improvement in PD and BI after 6 months compared to preoperative levels: the control group had a preoperative PD of (7.33 ± 1.72 mm) and a 6-month postoperative PD of (3.37 ± 0.96 mm), with statistically significant differences (P<0.001). The preoperative PD of the experimental group was (7.27 ± 1.57 mm), and the 6-month postoperative PD was (3.00 ± 0.69 mm), with statistically significant differences (P<0.001). The BI of the control group decreased from 3.03 ± 1.03 before surgery to 0.77 ± 0.82 at 6 months after surgery (P<0.001), while the BI of the experimental group decreased from 3.20 ± 1.09 before surgery to 0.73 ± 0.64 at 6 months after surgery (P<0.001), and the differences were statistically significant. The experimental group showed a significant improvement in GR (0.70 ± 0.59 mm) compared to preoperative GR (1.26 ± 0.94 mm) at 6 months after surgery (P=0.007), while the control group showed an increase in GR (1.37 ± 0.89 mm) at 6 months after surgery compared to preoperative GR (1.13 ± 0.97 mm), but the difference was not statistically significant (P=0.337). The inter group comparison results showed that there were no statistically significant differences in PD and BI between the two groups at 6 months after surgery (PD: P=0.096, BI: P=0.861); The GR of the experimental group was lower than that of the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P=0.001). There was no statistically significant difference in postoperative VBHI between the two groups (P=0.128). The pain level scores of the experimental group were lower than those of the control group at 4 and 24 hours after surgery (P<0.001). None of the patients experienced complications. Conclusion Microflap periodontal bone grafting assisted by an oral microscope effectively improves the periodontal condition of patients with grade Ⅱ root bifurcation lesions of mandibular molars, and the bone grafting effect is good, with mild pain and good safety.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture at "Sishencong" (EX-HN1) and "Fengchi" (GB20) on hippocampal neuronal ferritinophagy mediated by the nuclear receptor coactivator 4 (NCOA4)/ferritin heavy chain 1 (FTH1) signaling pathway in vascular dementia (VD) rats, and to explore the potential mechanisms of electroacupuncture for VD. METHODS: A total of 60 male rats of SPF grade were randomly divided into a blank group (12 rats), a sham surgery group (12 rats) and a modeling group (36 rats). In the modeling group, the modified 4-vessel occlusion method was used to establish the VD model. The 24 successfully modeled rats were randomly divided into a model group and an electroacupuncture group, with 12 rats in each group. In the electroacupuncture group, electroacupuncture was applied at left and right "Sishencong" (EX-HN1), and bilateral "Fengchi" (GB20), with continuous wave, in frequency of 2 Hz and current intensity of 1 mA, 30 min a time, once daily for 21 consecutive days. The learning and memory abilities were assessed using the Morris water maze test before modeling, after modeling and after intervention, as well as the novel object recognition test after intervention. After intervention, the neuronal morphology in the hippocampus was observed by Nissl staining; the iron deposition was observed by Prussian blue staining; the reactive oxygen species (ROS) level was detected by dihydroethidium (DHE) fluorescence staining; the levels of iron, malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the hippocampal tissue were measured by the colorimetric assay, TBA method, and WST-1 method, respectively; the positive expression of NCOA4, FTH1 and glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) was detected by immunohistochemistry; the protein expression of NCOA4, FTH1, GPX4, and the ratio of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3B (LC3B) Ⅱ/Ⅰ in the hippocampus were detected by Western blot. RESULTS: Compared with the sham surgery group, in the model group, the escape latency was prolonged, and the number of platform crossings reduced (P<0.01), the recognition index (RI) was decreased (P<0.01); the hippocampal neurons displayed a blurred laminar structure, disorganized cellular arrangement, and the number of Nissl bodies was decreased (P<0.01); the percentage of iron deposition area in the hippocampus was increased (P<0.01); in the hippocampus, the levels of ROS, iron, MDA, and the protein expression of NCOA4, as well as the LC3B Ⅱ/Ⅰ ratio were increased (P<0.01), the SOD level, and the protein expression of FTH1 and GPX4 were decreased (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, in the electroacupuncture group, the escape latency was shortened and the number of platform crossings was increased (P<0.01), the RI was increased (P<0.01); the hippocampal neurons exhibited more regular morphology, better-organized cellular structure, and the number of Nissl bodies was increased (P<0.05); the percentage of iron deposition area in the hippocampus reduced (P<0.01); in the hippocampus, the levels of ROS, iron, MDA, and the protein expression of NCOA4, as well as the LC3B Ⅱ/Ⅰ ratio were decreased (P<0.01, P<0.05), the SOD level, and the protein expression of FTH1 and GPX4 were increased (P<0.01). CONCLUSION Electroacupuncture at "Sishencong" (EX-HN1) and "Fengchi" (GB20) can improve learning and memory abilities in VD rats, and its mechanism may be associated with the regulation of the hippocampal NCOA4/FTH1 signaling pathway, inhibition of ferritinophagy, and alleviation of oxidative stress damage.
Animals ; Electroacupuncture ; Dementia, Vascular/genetics* ; Male ; Rats ; Signal Transduction ; Humans ; Memory ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Nuclear Receptor Coactivators/genetics* ; Ferritins/genetics* ; Learning ; Hippocampus/metabolism* ; Acupuncture Points

BACKGROUND:Observational studies have suggested that statins may have a protective effect against osteoarthritis,including knee osteoarthritis and hip osteoarthritis.However,the association between statins and the risk of osteoarthritis remains unclear. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the association between statins and the risk of osteoarthritis through Mendelian randomization analysis using summary data from large-scale population-based genome-wide association studies(GWAS). METHODS:Firstly,single nucleotide polymorphism data related to statins were obtained from the latest 9th edition of the FinnGen database,while data of osteoarthritis,knee osteoarthritis and hip osteoarthritis were obtained from the IEU Open GWAS,UK Biobank,and ArcOGEN(Genetics of Osteoarthritis)databases,respectively.The inverse variance weighted method was used as the primary analysis approach to evaluate the causal effects.The weighted median method,simple median method,weighted mode-based method,and MR-Egger regression were used as supplementary analyses.The causal relationship between statins and the risk of osteoarthritis,knee osteoarthritis and hip osteoarthritis was assessed using odds ratios(OR)with 95%confidence intervals(CI).Sensitivity analyses were conducted to validate the reliability of the results,including the Cochran's Q test for heterogeneity and the MR-Egger-intercept test for horizontal pleiotropy,as well as leave-one-out analysis to identify potentially influential single nucleotide polymorphisms. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The inverse variance weighted analysis demonstrated a negative causal relationship between genetically predicted statins and the risk of osteoarthritis(OR=0.998,95%CI:0.996-0.999,P=0.01),knee osteoarthritis(OR=0.964,95%CI:0.940-0.989,P=0.005),and hip osteoarthritis(OR=0.928,95%CI:0.901-0.955,P=4.28×10-7).MR-Egger intercept analysis did not detect potential horizontal pleiotropy(osteoarthritis:P=0.658;knee osteoarthritis:P=0.600;hip osteoarthritis:P=0.141).The results of this study provide evidence that statins reduce the risks of osteoarthritis,knee osteoarthritis and hip osteoarthritis as described in observational studies.Further research is needed to explore the specific mechanisms of statin treatment for osteoarthritis.

BACKGROUND:Recent studies have shown that research on naringin anti-osteoporosis mostly stays in in vitro and in vivo experiments.Understanding the mechanism of related signaling pathways and the expression of related proteins and some specific genes is an important way to deeply understand naringin anti-osteoporosis.At present,traditional Chinese medicine has been confirmed to have a significant role in anti-osteoporosis.Naringin is one of the main active ingredients in Rhizoma Drynariae.Its effectiveness and mechanism of action against osteoporosis have been gradually recognized by scholars,and its clinical and basic research has been gradually emphasized. OBJECTIVE:To analyze and summarize the research progress of naringin in anti-osteoporosis in vitro and in vivo,thereby providing some ideas for the next step to study its related mechanism of action. METHODS:The relevant literatures included in CNKI and PubMed database were searched with the Chinese search terms of"naringin,osteoporosis,traditional Chinese medicine compound,pathogenesis,signaling pathway,bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells,osteoblasts,osteoclasts"in Chinese and English,respectively.The corresponding criteria were established according to the research needs,and finally 69 articles were included for review. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Naringin blocks the increase in the number of osteoclasts and adipocytes,the decrease in the number of osteocytes and osteocalcin(+)cells induced by fructose-rich diet,and promotes the secretion of Sema3A from osteoblasts and osteocytes,thereby enhancing local bone formation and inhibiting osteoclast production by activating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway.Naringin is an important way to induce autophagy of osteoblasts,but autophagy-related proteins participate in osteoblast differentiation and bone formation.Lack of autophagy in osteoblasts reduces mineralization and leads to an imbalance in the number of osteoblasts and osteoclasts,which results in bone loss and decreased bone density.The composite scaffold loaded with naringin can be used as a necessary carrier for bone defect repair and has excellent bone repair properties.Naringin can also accelerate the growth of new bone tissue by increasing the local contents of bone morphogenetic protein 2 and vascular endothelial growth factor.Naringin can regulate bone metabolism and inhibit oxidative stress via ERK,PI3K/Akt and Wnt signaling pathways to improve osteoporosis,which can play a good role in preventing and controlling the disease.However,the depth and breadth of the relevant research is insufficient.Based on the mechanism of the current study,we should investigate the specific mechanisms by which naringin regulates different pathways and inter-pathway interactions in the future,which will be beneficial to the multifaceted development of naringin used in the treatment of osteoporosis..

Objective To determine the reference red blood cells with weak agglutination intensity of low positive quali-ty control products by comparing RhD antigen expression intensity difference according to the serological results.Methods The RhD(+)red blood cells were detected by microcolumn gel method with 1 500 times diluted anti-D typing reagent.The samples with weak and strong RhD antigen expression intensity were selected as the reference red blood cells for weak agglu-tination intensity of low positive quality control products,and verification was performed.Results Ten RhD(+)red blood cells were detected with diluted anti-D typing reagent,of which 8 were 1+and 2 were±.Red blood cells with agglutination intensity of 1+were used as the benchmark to determine the maximum dilution ratio of anti-D typing reagent when their ag-glutination intensity was 1+.As the preparation standard of low positive quality control products,the agglutination intensity of red blood cells with low RhD antigen expression intensity was extremely weak±,which was difficult to ensure the stability of its control limit properties.Based on red blood cells with agglutination intensity of±,the maximum dilution ratio of anti-D typing reagent with agglutination intensity of 1+was re-determined as the preparation standard of low positive quality con-trol products,and the results met the requirements of quality control product setting.Conclusion Using red blood cells with low RhD antigen expression intensity as the benchmark to set the weak agglutination intensity of the low positive quality control products can avoid the loss of control due to the low target value.

Objective:To investigate the clinicopathological features, diagnosis and differential diagnosis of adrenal cortical carcinoma (ACC) in children.Methods:Twenty-five children with ACC diagnosed in the Department of Pathology, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China from March 2014 to August 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. The related literature was reviewed.Results:A total of 25 children with ACC were collected, including 11 males and 14 females, with a male to female ratio of 1.0∶1.3. The patient ages ranged from 8 months to 14 years (median, 4 years). Eighteen cases with clinical data had functional tumors (18/22, 81.8%) presenting with virilization or precocious puberty (15/18), symptoms related to hypercortisolism (8/18) or endocrine symptoms mixed with both (5/18), while 3 cases (3/22, 13.6%) had unknown clinical data. The clinical manifestations of four patients with nonfunctional tumors were an abdominal mass and/or abdominal pain, walking instability and others. Grossly, the average maximum diameter of the tumor was 9.4 cm. Most of the tumors were nodular and partially encapsuled. The cut surfaces were gray or gray brown, soft with hemorrhage. Histologically, the tumor cells were diffusely distributed, separated by a vascular-rich network. The tumor cells were large, with distinct nucleoli, abundant eosinophilic or clear cytoplasm, and round or oval nuclei. The mitotic index was high, and atypical mitoses were common. Necrosis, calcification, capsule invasion or/and venous invasion were present. In some cases, the tumor invaded the surrounding soft tissues or kidneys. Immunohistochemically, the tumor cells were diffusely positive for syn and SF1 and focally positive for α-inhibin, Melan A and Calretinin, but negative for CgA. Ki-67 proliferation index ranged from 2%-90%. TP53 gene status was examined in 7 cases, in which mutations were detected in 4 cases. Follow-up data was obtained in 21 patients, among whom 18 received chemotherapy and 3 received radiotherapy. Distant metastasis occurred in 13 patients. Median progression-free survival (PFS) was 11.2 months and median overall survival (OS) was 54.7 months. Patients aged less than 5 years had a better prognosis for OS ( P<0.05) than the older ones (≥5 years), but a similar PFS ( P>0.05). Male patients and Ki-67 proliferation index <15% had a better prognosis tendency for OS, but there was no statistically significant difference ( P>0.05). Conclusions:ACC in children is a rare, often functional tumor associated with Li-Fraumeni genetic syndrome and has a poor prognosis. Diagnosis and differential diagnosis require a combination of morphological, phenotypic and clinical analysis.

Objective:To evaluate safety and efficacy of B-type suture method ileostomy.Methods:Clinical data from 204 patients undergoing laparoscopic low anterior resection combined with protective ileostomy was analysed. Patients were divided into B-type suture ileostomy group ( n=67) and traditional ileostomy group ( n=137). Results:compared with traditional ileostomy group, B-type suture ileostomy group showed statistically significant differences in total operation time [(164±26) min vs. (172±24) min, t=2.229, P=0.027], ileostomy time [(12.7±2.3) min vs. (14.8±2.2) min, t=-6.565, P<0.001], blood loss [(57±20) ml vs. (69±31) ml, t=-2.797, P=0.006], postoperative hospital stay [(10.2±1.9) d vs. (11.8±2.3) d, t=-4.851, P<0.001], specimen incision infection rate (0 vs. 5.1%, P=0.047), postoperative body pain [82 (79-84) vs. 78 (76-80), Z=-5.805, P<0.001], and ileostomy incorporation time [(46±11) min vs. (51±12) min, t=-2.540, P=0.012]. Conclusion:B-type suture ileostomy for prophylactic ileostomy in laparoscopic low anterior resection for rectal cancer is safe and feasible.

With the continuous development of experimental biology, the limitations of commonly utilized model organisms are becoming increasingly apparent. Discrepancies between research conducted on laboratory animals and humans significantly impede the translational application of findings derived from animal experiments. This review introduces ascidian Ciona intestinalis as a novel model organism, an invertebrate that is evolutionarily closest to vertebrates and is a sister group to vertebrates. The review summarizes recent research progress on Ciona intestinalis in various fields to illustrate the significant advantages and promising application prospects of it as a model organism. The research progress outlined in the review mainly encompasses: (1) The whole-genome sequencing of Ciona intestinalis has been determined and numerous related databases have been established. Various embryonic gene editing technologies have been successfully applied, making it an animal model easy to manipulate genetically and study the functions and interactions of target genes visually. (2) In the field of neurobiology, Ciona intestinalis boasts a central nervous system structure similar to that of vertebrates and possesses numerous homologous neuropeptides and hormone molecules. These features grant it an edge in exploring the mechanisms and functional evolution of endocrine and neuroendocrine-related molecules. Additionally, the sensitivity and habituation of its larvae to light stimulation provide an avenue for exploring mechanisms related to behavioral plasticity. (3) In the field of immunology, Ciona intestinalis possesses a mature innate immune system and has evolved precursor genes to the adaptive immune system, with a relatively simple coding of immune-related genes. These features make it an exemplary model organism for immunological studies. (4) In the field of developmental biology, many studies have focused on the notochord development process in Ciona intestinalis and the regulatory mechanisms of gene expression within it, indicating common evolutionary developmental strategies among chordates. Additionally, insights into its heart development also significantly enhance our comprehension on the genetic network of human heart development. (5) In medical research, the ability of Ciona intestinalis to regenerate its neural complex and siphon, as well as the resilience of its heart to recover contractile function from substantial damage, renders it a valuable animal model for the study of regeneration and heart injury. It also has unique advantages as a research model for Alzheimer's disease and new drug development. Furthermore, its brief five-month lifespan facilitates the observation and recording of the entire aging process and the exploration of the effects of various factors on aging. In summary, this review aims to demonstrate that Ciona intestinalis stands out as a model organism with unique attributes and is expected to play a significant role in a wider range of scientific research areas.

【Objective】 To explore the causal relationship between education level and pancreatitis risk through Mendelian randomization. 【Methods】 A two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis was conducted using genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary data. The GWAS data for education level and pancreatitis were obtained from SSGAC database and the FinnGen database (version R9). Causal relationship between education level and pancreatitis was explored using the inverse variance weighted (IVW), MR-Egger, and weighted median methods. Heterogeneity and directional pleiotropy were evaluated using Cochran’s Q test and funnel plots. 【Results】 Totally 604 SNPs associated with education level were included. The results provided evidence that there was negative relationship between education level and pancreatitis risk. For acute pancreatitis, OR=0.52, 95% CI: 0.44-0.62, P=2.43×10^-14 while for chronic pancreatitis, OR=0.51, 95% CI: 0.41-0.64, P=7.20×10^-9. Results from MR-Egger and weighted median analyses obtained the same results. The results of sensitivity analysis indicated that this study did not violate the basic assumptions of Mendelian randomization. 【Conclusion】 There is a causal relationship between education level and the occurrence of pancreatitis. The educational level is negatively correlated with the risk of pancreatitis.