Objective: To investigate the mechanism of shed syndecan-4 (sSDC4) in temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis (TMJOA) in rats, aiming to provide experimental evidence for its prevention and treatment. Methods: This study was approved by the Institutional Animal Ethics Committee. Twelve 6-week-old female Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into two groups. They received a single intra-articular injection into the bilateral superior cavity of temporomandibular joint, which consisted of either 50 μL of 4 mg/mL monosodium iodoacetate (TMJOA model group) or 50 μL of phosphate-buffered saline (PBS, control group). After 4 weeks, the mandibular condylar cartilage was harvested for hematoxylin & eosin (H&E) staining, Safranin O-fast green (SO) staining, and type II collagen (Col-Ⅱ) immunohistochemical staining to assess the degree of cartilage degeneration. The synovium of the temporomandibular joint was collected for immunohistochemical staining to detect the expression levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) to evaluate the degree of synovial inflammation. Synovial fluid from the temporomandibular joint cavity was collected to measure sSDC4 levels by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In addition, 12 6-week-old female SD rats were randomly divided into a His-SDC4 group and a control group, receiving injections into the bilateral superior cavity of temporomandibular joint of either 100 ng/mL (50 μL) of His-SDC4 protein or 50 μL of PBS once every 3 days for a total of 28 days. The same experimental procedures were performed for H&E staining, SO staining, and immunohistochemical staining (Col-Ⅱ IL-6, TNF-α) to observe condylar cartilage degeneration and detect synovial inflammation. Rat synovial fibroblasts and condylar chondrocytes were cultured in vitro and randomly divided into a His-SDC4-stimulated (10 ng/mL) group and control group. Perform CCK-8 cytotoxicity assays and observe cellular morphology under optical microscopy, the mRNA expression levels of IL-6 and TNF-α were detected by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), and the levels of IL-6 and TNF-α in cell culture supernatants were measured by ELISA. Results: Compared with the control group, the TMJOA group showed decreased condylar cartilage thickness, percentage of SO-positive area, and percentage of Col-Ⅱ-positive area (all P<0.001); an increased synovitis score (P<0.001) and increased percentages of IL-6- and TNF-α-positive cells in the synovium (all P<0.001); and a significant increase in sSDC4 levels in the synovial fluid (P=0.011). Following intra-articular injection of His-SDC4, condylar cartilage thickness, percentage of SO-positive area, and percentage of Col-Ⅱ-positive area all decreased (all P<0.001); the synovitis score increased (P=0.006), and the percentages of IL-6- and TNF-α-positive cells in the synovium increased (all P<0.001). In vitro experiments showed that His-SDC4 stimulation significantly upregulated the expression levels of IL-6 and TNF-α in both synovial fibroblasts and condylar chondrocytes (all P<0.01), and the levels of these two cytokines in the culture supernatants also significantly increased (all P<0.01). Conclusion During TMJOA progression, the level of sSDC4 in the synovial fluid is significantly elevated, which can directly stimulate synovial fibroblasts and condylar chondrocytes to secrete more pro-inflammatory cytokines, forming a vicious cycle that accelerates TMJOA progression.

Objective To analyze the risk factors for chronic cough following pulmonary surgery in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on 427 NSCLC patients who underwent pulmonary surgery in the Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of the University of Science and Technology of China, between January 2021 and June 2023. Patients were categorized into a chronic cough group (103 patients) and a non-chronic cough group (324 patients) based on the presence of cough at 8 weeks post-surgery. A comparative analysis was performed between the two groups, considering gender, age, smoking history, comorbidities, preoperative pulmonary function indicators, pleural adhesion, anesthesia duration, surgical site, operative techniques, lymph node dissection methods, tumor maximum diameter, and postoperative chest tube duration. Factors showing statistical significance in univariate analysis underwent multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results Among the 427 patients undergoing pulmonary surgery, there were 165 males and 262 females, with an average age of (59.93±12.11) years. The incidence of chronic cough was 24.12%. Univariate analysis revealed significant differences in smoking history, preoperative pulmonary function indicators, pleural adhesion, anesthesia duration ≥135.5 minutes, surgical site, operative techniques, lymph node dissection methods, tumor maximum diameter, and postoperative chest tube duration (P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that the surgical site (right upper lung), operative techniques (lobectomy), lymph node dissection, and anesthesia time ≥135.5 minutes were independent risk factors for chronic cough following pulmonary surgery. Conclusion Patients undergoing right upper lung surgery, lobectomy, lymph node dissection, and experiencing anesthesia duration ≥135.5 minutes are at a higher risk of developing chronic cough post-pulmonary surgery.

Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) is a common oral disease characterized by complex etiology, diverse symptomatology and varied treatment approaches. When managing TMD patients, dentists should adopt a generalist mindset, grasp the core connotation of "patient-centeredness", guided by the biopsychosocial model, and make a comprehensive judgment from a multi-dimensional, multi-systemic, and multi-factorial perspective to reach a reasonable etiological analysis and an accurate diagnosis, in order to realize the personalized and holistic treatment of TMD under the guidance of general practice thinking and multi-disciplinary collaboration.

The lumbar intervertebral disc exhibits a complex physiological structure with interactions between various segments, and its components are extremely complex. The material properties of different components in the lumbar intervertebral disc, especially the water content (undergoing dynamic change as influenced by age, degeneration, mechanical loading, and proteoglycan content) - critically determine its mechanical properties. When the lumbar intervertebral disc is under continuous pressure, water seeps out, and after the pressure is removed, water re-infiltrates. This dynamic fluid exchange process directly affects the mechanical properties of the lumbar intervertebral disc, while previous isotropic modeling methods have been unable to accurately reflect such solid-liquid phase behaviors. To explore the load-bearing mechanism of the lumbar intervertebral disc and establish a more realistic mechanical model of the lumbar intervertebral disc, this study developed a solid-liquid biphasic, fiber-reinforced finite element model. This model was used to simulate the four movements of the human lumbar spine in daily life, namely flexion, extension, axial rotation, and lateral bending. The fluid pressure, effective solid stress, and liquid pressure-bearing ratio of the annulus fibrosus and nucleus pulposus of different lumbar intervertebral discs were compared and analyzed under the movements. Under all the movements, the fluid pressure distribution was closer to the nucleus pulposus, while the effective solid stress distribution was more concentrated in the outer annulus fibrosus. In terms of fluid pressure, the maximum fluid pressure of the lumbar intervertebral disc during lateral bending was 1.95 MPa, significantly higher than the maximum fluid pressure under other movements. Meanwhile, the maximum effective solid stress of the lumbar intervertebral disc during flexion was 2.43 MPa, markedly higher than the maximum effective solid stress under other movements. Overall, the liquid pressure-bearing ratio under axial rotation was smaller than that under other movements. Based on the solid-liquid biphasic modeling method, this study more accurately revealed the dominant role of the liquid phase in the daily load-bearing process of the lumbar intervertebral disc and the solid-phase mechanical mechanism of the annulus fibrosus load-bearing, and more effectively predicted the solid-liquid phase co-load-bearing mechanism of the lumbar intervertebral disc in daily life.
Humans ; Finite Element Analysis ; Intervertebral Disc/physiology* ; Lumbar Vertebrae/physiology* ; Weight-Bearing/physiology* ; Biomechanical Phenomena ; Stress, Mechanical ; Computer Simulation ; Models, Biological

Left ventricular pseudoaneurysm(LVPA) is a rare type of abnormal ventricular wall bulge formed by injury to the inner wall of the left ventricle. The exterior wall only consists of epicardium or/and pericardium. In a systematic literature review, myocardial infarction(55%), surgery(33%), and trauma(7%) are the top three associations. Being affected by the high pressure of the left ventricle, LVPA has the risk of enlargement and rupture, which can lead to sudden death. The treatment of LVPA consists of three main modalities: medication, surgery, and transcatheter closure. In the past, surgery was the preferred treatment for LVPA, but the surgery was highly invasive, traumatic, and associated with increased risks. In recent years, transcatheter closure has been developed and applied clinically with good results. The benefits of minimal invasiveness and quick recovery have emerged as a popular treatment for LVPA. Currently, the etiology, formation, and treatment of LVPA are not clearly defined. Large-sample studies and authoritative guidelines to guide the treatment are scarce. The timing, imaging modality, and access routes to LVPA for both surgery and transcatheter closure are still controversial. In this article, we review the relevant literatures and draw the following conclusions as: (1) Diagnostic workup is essential for anatomical characterization of LVPA, which is mandatory to guide the decision on surgical methods.(2) For a subset of patients with LVPA and a well-defined fibrotic neck, and deemed at high surgical risk, transcatheter closure of the cavity has been described with encouraging results.

As the main anatomical structure of the oral and maxillofacial region,occlusion,temporomandibular joint(TMJ),and masticatory muscles are the structural basis for the stomatognathic system to perform such basic vital functions as chewing,swallo-wing,and speech.In both anatomical and functional aspects,the three parts are harmoniously co-existing and inseparable.Al-though the relationship between occlusal disorders and temporomandibular disorders(TMD)has been studied for more than 100 years,it is still controversial issue in the field.In order to provide strategic reference for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of TMD,the anatomical and physiological correlation among the three parts,the origin of TMD,inspiration from some related clinical litigation cases,the evidence of animal experiments,and why the influence of occlusion disorders on the onset and development of TMD is low,will be discussed in this review.

Left ventricular pseudoaneurysm(LVPA) is a rare type of abnormal ventricular wall bulge formed by injury to the inner wall of the left ventricle. The exterior wall only consists of epicardium or/and pericardium. In a systematic literature review, myocardial infarction(55%), surgery(33%), and trauma(7%) are the top three associations. Being affected by the high pressure of the left ventricle, LVPA has the risk of enlargement and rupture, which can lead to sudden death. The treatment of LVPA consists of three main modalities: medication, surgery, and transcatheter closure. In the past, surgery was the preferred treatment for LVPA, but the surgery was highly invasive, traumatic, and associated with increased risks. In recent years, transcatheter closure has been developed and applied clinically with good results. The benefits of minimal invasiveness and quick recovery have emerged as a popular treatment for LVPA. Currently, the etiology, formation, and treatment of LVPA are not clearly defined. Large-sample studies and authoritative guidelines to guide the treatment are scarce. The timing, imaging modality, and access routes to LVPA for both surgery and transcatheter closure are still controversial. In this article, we review the relevant literatures and draw the following conclusions as: (1) Diagnostic workup is essential for anatomical characterization of LVPA, which is mandatory to guide the decision on surgical methods.(2) For a subset of patients with LVPA and a well-defined fibrotic neck, and deemed at high surgical risk, transcatheter closure of the cavity has been described with encouraging results.

An 8-year-old male patient with chronic granulomatous disease received amphotericin B liposome (unknown dose) in addition to anti-infection treatments with meropenem, compound sulfamethoxazole, and voriconazole due to recurrence of secondary pulmonary infection. After 3 days, the patient developed tachycardia, edema, and worsening dyspnea. Echocardiography revealed severe right heart enlarge- ment and pulmonary hypertension. Cardiotonic, diuretic, and pulmonary antihypertensive therapies were given. After over half a month, his pulmonary infection was improved, pulmonary arterial pressure decreased, but the right heart enlargement persisted. Suspending treatment about half a month later, amphotericin B liposome was reinitiated at a gradually increased dose from 2 mg once daily, in combination with piperacillin sodium and tazobactam sodium and compound sulfamethoxazole due to aggravated cyanosis and cough. After the administration of amphotericin B liposome (50 mg once daily) on day 5, the patient experienced wheezing and facial edema. Laboratory tests showed B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) 4 679 ng/L; echocardiography demonstrated right heart enlargement and pulmonary hypertension. Suspecting that the cardiac dilatation and heart failure were associated with amphotericin B liposome, the drug was discontinued. The anti-infection regimen was switched to biapenem, linezolid and voriconazole, along with continued cardiotonic and diuretic managements. The patient′s symptoms were improved after 10 days, the treatment regimen was changed to compound sulfamethoxazole and voriconazole. However, after 3 days, the patient′s abdominal distension and dyspnea worsened. Endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation were initiated along with cardiotonic and diuretic therapy; anti-infection therapy with cefoperazone sodium and sulbactam sodium combined with voriconazole was given based on bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and sputum culture results. One month later, the patient′s condition was improved, showing no right ventricular dilation and reduced pulmonary arterial pressure on echocardiography and BNP 800 ng/L.

Objective:This study aimed to evaluate whether intra-articular delivery of conditioned medium(CM)derived from stem cells of human exfoliated deciduous teeth(SHED)could influence the progression of condylar cartilage degeneration in a rat model of temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis(TMJ OA).Methods:Sixty 8-week-old male SD rats were randomly divided into control group(CON group),intraarticular injection of MIA induced TMJ OA model group(MIA group),and injection of SHED condi-tioned medium 1 week after MIA modeling for treatment group(SHED-CM group),with 20 animals in each group.Histological sec-tions,HE,Safranine O-solid green staining,Col Ⅱ immunohistochemical staining,and TUNEL staining were performed 2 and 4 weeks after the start of treatment.Western blotting and RT-qPCR were used to detect the key molecules of apoptosis,cleaved-CASP3,BAX and BCL2,pro-inflammatory related factors IL-1β,IL-6,TNFα,MMP3,ADAMTS5,and the MAPK pathway-related molecules p-ERK,ERK,p-P38 and P38.Results:Compared with the CON group and SHED-CM group,the condyle chondrocytes in the MIA group had disordered arrange-ment,interrupted layers,significantly thickened fibrous layers(P＜0.001),and significantly increased Mankin's OA histological score(P＜0.001).In the MIA group,both the Safranin O-positive area ratio and the proportion of ColⅡ-positive regions were markedly reduced compared with the CON and SHED-CM groups(P＜0.001).Conversely,the proportion of TUNEL-positive cells was substantially higher than in the other two groups(both P＜0.001).Western blot analysis further demonstrated that apoptotic markers(cleaved-CASP3,BAX/BCL2)and MAPK pathway-related proteins(p-ERK,ERK,p-P38,P38)were expressed at significantly elevated levels in the MIA group relative to CON and SHED-CM groups(BAX/BCL2:P＜0.05;cleaved-CASP3:P＜0.01;p-P38/P38:P＜0.001;p-ERK/ERK:P＜0.01).Similarly,qRT-PCR revealed upregulated expression of inflammatory mediators,including IL-1 β(P＜0.001),IL-6(P＜0.01),TNFα(P＜0.01),MMP3(P＜0.001),and ADAMTS5(P＜0.05),in the MIA group compared with the CON and SHED-CM groups.Conclusion:SHED-CM treatment can ef-fectively reverse MIA-induced condylar cartilage degeneration of TMJ OA in rats.

An 8-year-old male patient with chronic granulomatous disease received amphotericin B liposome (unknown dose) in addition to anti-infection treatments with meropenem, compound sulfamethoxazole, and voriconazole due to recurrence of secondary pulmonary infection. After 3 days, the patient developed tachycardia, edema, and worsening dyspnea. Echocardiography revealed severe right heart enlarge- ment and pulmonary hypertension. Cardiotonic, diuretic, and pulmonary antihypertensive therapies were given. After over half a month, his pulmonary infection was improved, pulmonary arterial pressure decreased, but the right heart enlargement persisted. Suspending treatment about half a month later, amphotericin B liposome was reinitiated at a gradually increased dose from 2 mg once daily, in combination with piperacillin sodium and tazobactam sodium and compound sulfamethoxazole due to aggravated cyanosis and cough. After the administration of amphotericin B liposome (50 mg once daily) on day 5, the patient experienced wheezing and facial edema. Laboratory tests showed B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) 4 679 ng/L; echocardiography demonstrated right heart enlargement and pulmonary hypertension. Suspecting that the cardiac dilatation and heart failure were associated with amphotericin B liposome, the drug was discontinued. The anti-infection regimen was switched to biapenem, linezolid and voriconazole, along with continued cardiotonic and diuretic managements. The patient′s symptoms were improved after 10 days, the treatment regimen was changed to compound sulfamethoxazole and voriconazole. However, after 3 days, the patient′s abdominal distension and dyspnea worsened. Endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation were initiated along with cardiotonic and diuretic therapy; anti-infection therapy with cefoperazone sodium and sulbactam sodium combined with voriconazole was given based on bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and sputum culture results. One month later, the patient′s condition was improved, showing no right ventricular dilation and reduced pulmonary arterial pressure on echocardiography and BNP 800 ng/L.