Objective To compare the benefits and drawbacks of primary patch expansion versus pericardial tube right ventricular-pulmonary artery connection in patients diagnosed with pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect (PA/VSD). Methods A retrospective study was conducted on patients diagnosed with PA/VSD who underwent primary right ventricular-pulmonary artery connection surgery at our center between 2010 and 2020. Patients were categorized into two groups based on the type of right ventricular-pulmonary artery connection: a pericardial tube group and a patch expansion group. Clinical data and imaging findings were compared between the two groups. Results A total of 51 patients were included in the study, comprising 31 males and 20 females, with a median age of 12.57 (4.57, 49.67) months. The pericardial tube group included 19 patients with a median age of 17.17 (7.33, 49.67) months, while the patch expansion group consisted of 32 patients with a median age of 8.58 (3.57, 52.72) months. In both groups, the diameter of pulmonary artery, McGoon index, and Nakata index significantly increased after treatment (P<0.001). However, the pericardial tube group exhibited a longer extracorporeal circulation time (P<0.001). The reoperation rate was notably high, with 74.51% of patients requiring further surgical intervention, including 26 (81.25%) patients in the patch expansion group and 12 (63.16%) patients in the pericardial tube group. No statistical differences were observed in long-term cure rates or mortality between the two groups (P＞0.005). Conclusion In patients with PA/VSD, both patch expansion and pericardial tube right ventricular-pulmonary artery connection serve as effective initial palliative treatment strategies that promote pulmonary vessel development and provide a favorable foundation for subsequent radical operations. However, compared to the pericardial tube approach, the patch expansion technique is simpler to perform and preserves some intrinsic potential for pulmonary artery development, making it the preferred procedure.

ObjectiveTo observe the clinical efficacy of the stasis-dispelling and detoxifying therapy in endometriosis （EMs） patients with the syndrome of kidney deficiency and blood stasis and the effects of this therapy on the expression levels of proteins related to the c-Jun N-terminal kinase （JNK） signaling pathway. MethodsA total of 72 patients with EMs due to kidney deficiency and blood stasis who met the criteria at the Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Center for Reproduction and Genetics of the Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine from March 2024 to February 2025 were selected and randomized into a treatment group and a control group， with 36 patients in each group. Another 36 patients undergoing in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer （IVF-ET） due to male factors alone were selected as the blank group. The treatment group took the Zishen Quyu Jiedu formula orally， while the control group and the blank group took placebos. The treatment course encompassed the cycle before ovarian stimulation and the oocyte retrieval cycle. The TCM syndrome score of kidney deficiency and blood stasis， as well as the serum level of cancer antigen 125 （CA125）， were evaluated at the time of enrollment （before treatment） and on the trigger day （after treatment）. Serum levels of sex hormones were measured on day 2 of the menstrual cycle. On the trigger day， the duration and dosage of gonadotropin （Gn） administration and the serum levels of hormones on the day of human chorionic gonadotropin （HCG） injection were assessed. Embryo outcomes were evaluated 3 days after oocyte retrieval， and clinical pregnancy rates were assessed 28 days after embryo transfer. The baseline data of three groups were observed. The TCM syndrome scores and serum CA125 levels before and after treatment were compared between the treatment and control groups. The baseline endocrine levels， Gn days， Gn dosage， hormone levels on the day of HCG administration， number of oocytes retrieved， number of 2 pronucleus （2PN） fertilizations， number of available embryos， high-quality embryo rate， and clinical pregnancy rate were also assessed in all three groups. Six patients from each group were selected for determination of the protein levels of JNK， c-Jun， and nuclear receptor subfamily 4 group A member 2 （NR4A2） in ovarian granulosa cells （GCs） on the day of oocyte retrieval by Western blot. Results（1） There were no statistically significant differences in the baseline data among three groups， indicating comparability. （2） Compared with the baseline within the same group， the treatment group showed a decrease in the syndrome score of kidney deficiency and blood stasis after treatment. After treatment， serum CA125 levels decreased in both groups （P<0.05）， with a more substantial reduction in the treatment group， resulting in a difference between the two groups （P<0.05）. （3） There were no significant differences among three groups in terms of baseline serum levels of follicle-stimulating hormone （FSH）， luteinizing hormone （LH）， estradiol （E₂）， and progesterone （P）， as well as the duration and dosage of Gn administration and the serum levels of LH， E₂， and P on the day of HCG administration. （4） For embryo outcomes， the number of oocytes retrieved， 2PN fertilizations， available embryos， and high-quality embryo rates in the treatment group and the blank group were higher than those in the control group （P<0.05）， and the treatment group and the blank group had similar 2PN fertilizations. （5） There were differences in clinical pregnancy rate among three groups （P<0.05）， and the treatment group had higher pregnancy rate than the control and blank groups. （6） The protein levels of JNK， c-Jun， and NR4A2 in the GCs of the treatment group were lower than those in the control group （P<0.01） and close to those in the blank group （P<0.01）. （7） No obvious adverse reactions were observed in any of the subjects during the clinical observation process. ConclusionZishen Quyu Jiedu formula can ameliorate the clinical symptoms of patients with EMs due to kidney deficiency and blood stasis， reduce the serum CA125 level， increase the number of oocytes retrieved， 2PN fertilizations， available embryos， and high-quality embryo rate， and improve pregnancy outcomes. The mechanism may involve downregulating the levels of JNK， c-Jun， and NR4A2 to reduce the apoptosis of ovarian GCs and improve the ovarian function in the patients.

ObjectiveTo observe the clinical efficacy of the stasis-dispelling and detoxifying therapy in endometriosis （EMs） patients with the syndrome of kidney deficiency and blood stasis and the effects of this therapy on the expression levels of proteins related to the c-Jun N-terminal kinase （JNK） signaling pathway. MethodsA total of 72 patients with EMs due to kidney deficiency and blood stasis who met the criteria at the Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Center for Reproduction and Genetics of the Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine from March 2024 to February 2025 were selected and randomized into a treatment group and a control group， with 36 patients in each group. Another 36 patients undergoing in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer （IVF-ET） due to male factors alone were selected as the blank group. The treatment group took the Zishen Quyu Jiedu formula orally， while the control group and the blank group took placebos. The treatment course encompassed the cycle before ovarian stimulation and the oocyte retrieval cycle. The TCM syndrome score of kidney deficiency and blood stasis， as well as the serum level of cancer antigen 125 （CA125）， were evaluated at the time of enrollment （before treatment） and on the trigger day （after treatment）. Serum levels of sex hormones were measured on day 2 of the menstrual cycle. On the trigger day， the duration and dosage of gonadotropin （Gn） administration and the serum levels of hormones on the day of human chorionic gonadotropin （HCG） injection were assessed. Embryo outcomes were evaluated 3 days after oocyte retrieval， and clinical pregnancy rates were assessed 28 days after embryo transfer. The baseline data of three groups were observed. The TCM syndrome scores and serum CA125 levels before and after treatment were compared between the treatment and control groups. The baseline endocrine levels， Gn days， Gn dosage， hormone levels on the day of HCG administration， number of oocytes retrieved， number of 2 pronucleus （2PN） fertilizations， number of available embryos， high-quality embryo rate， and clinical pregnancy rate were also assessed in all three groups. Six patients from each group were selected for determination of the protein levels of JNK， c-Jun， and nuclear receptor subfamily 4 group A member 2 （NR4A2） in ovarian granulosa cells （GCs） on the day of oocyte retrieval by Western blot. Results（1） There were no statistically significant differences in the baseline data among three groups， indicating comparability. （2） Compared with the baseline within the same group， the treatment group showed a decrease in the syndrome score of kidney deficiency and blood stasis after treatment. After treatment， serum CA125 levels decreased in both groups （P<0.05）， with a more substantial reduction in the treatment group， resulting in a difference between the two groups （P<0.05）. （3） There were no significant differences among three groups in terms of baseline serum levels of follicle-stimulating hormone （FSH）， luteinizing hormone （LH）， estradiol （E₂）， and progesterone （P）， as well as the duration and dosage of Gn administration and the serum levels of LH， E₂， and P on the day of HCG administration. （4） For embryo outcomes， the number of oocytes retrieved， 2PN fertilizations， available embryos， and high-quality embryo rates in the treatment group and the blank group were higher than those in the control group （P<0.05）， and the treatment group and the blank group had similar 2PN fertilizations. （5） There were differences in clinical pregnancy rate among three groups （P<0.05）， and the treatment group had higher pregnancy rate than the control and blank groups. （6） The protein levels of JNK， c-Jun， and NR4A2 in the GCs of the treatment group were lower than those in the control group （P<0.01） and close to those in the blank group （P<0.01）. （7） No obvious adverse reactions were observed in any of the subjects during the clinical observation process. ConclusionZishen Quyu Jiedu formula can ameliorate the clinical symptoms of patients with EMs due to kidney deficiency and blood stasis， reduce the serum CA125 level， increase the number of oocytes retrieved， 2PN fertilizations， available embryos， and high-quality embryo rate， and improve pregnancy outcomes. The mechanism may involve downregulating the levels of JNK， c-Jun， and NR4A2 to reduce the apoptosis of ovarian GCs and improve the ovarian function in the patients.

PURPOSE: To methodically assess the effectiveness of augmentative plating (AP) and exchange nailing (EN) in managing nonunion following intramedullary nailing for long bone fractures of the lower extremity. METHODS: PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library were searched to gather clinical studies regarding the use of AP and EN techniques in the treatment of nonunion following intramedullary nailing of lower extremity long bones. The search was conducted up until May 2023. The original studies underwent an independent assessment of their quality, a process conducted utilizing the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. Data were retrieved from these studies, and meta-analysis was executed utilizing Review Manager 5.3. RESULTS: This meta-analysis included 8 studies involving 661 participants, with 305 in the AP group and 356 in the EN group. The results of the meta-analysis demonstrated that the AP group exhibited a higher rate of union (odds ratio: 8.61, 95% confidence intervals (CI): 4.12 - 17.99, p < 0.001), shorter union time (standardized mean difference (SMD): -1.08, 95% CI: -1.79 - -0.37, p = 0.003), reduced duration of the surgical procedure (SMD: -0.56, 95% CI: -0.93 - -0.19, p = 0.003), less bleeding (SMD: -1.5, 95% CI: -2.81 - -0.18, p = 0.03), and a lower incidence of complications (relative risk: -0.17, 95% CI: -0.27 - -0.06, p = 0.001). In the subgroup analysis, the time for union in the AP group in nonisthmal and isthmal nonunion of lower extremity long bones was shorter compared to the EN group (nonisthmal SMD: -1.94, 95% CI: -3.28 - -0.61, p < 0.001; isthmal SMD: -1.08, 95% CI: -1.64 - -0.52, p = 0.002). CONCLUSION In the treatment of nonunion in diaphyseal fractures of the long bones in the lower extremity, the AP approach is superior to EN, both intraoperatively (with reduced duration of the surgical procedure and diminished blood loss) and postoperatively (with an elevated union rate, shorter union time, and lower incidence of complications). Specifically, in the management of nonunion of lower extremity long bones with non-isthmal and isthmal intramedullary nails, AP demonstrated shorter union time in comparison to EN.
Humans ; Bone Nails/adverse effects* ; Bone Plates/adverse effects* ; Femoral Fractures/surgery* ; Fracture Fixation, Intramedullary/methods* ; Fractures, Ununited/surgery* ; Lower Extremity/injuries*

PURPOSE: We carried out the study aiming to explore and analyze the risk factors, the distribution of pathogenic bacteria, and their antibiotic-resistance characteristics influencing the occurrence of surgical site infection (SSI), to provide valuable assistance for reducing the incidence of SSI after traumatic fracture surgery. METHODS: A retrospective case-control study enrolling 3978 participants from January 2015 to December 2019 receiving surgical treatment for traumatic fractures was conducted at Tangdu Hospital of Air Force Medical University. Baseline data, demographic characteristics, lifestyles, variables related to surgical treatment, and pathogen culture were harvested and analyzed. Univariate analyses and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to reveal the independent risk factors of SSI. A bacterial distribution histogram and drug-sensitive heat map were drawn to describe the pathogenic characteristics. RESULTS: Included 3978 patients 138 of them developed SSI with an incidence rate of 3.47% postoperatively. By logistic regression analysis, we found that variables such as gender (males) (odds ratio (OR) = 2.012, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.235 - 3.278, p = 0.005), diabetes mellitus (OR = 5.848, 95% CI: 3.513 - 9.736, p < 0.001), hypoproteinemia (OR = 3.400, 95% CI: 1.280 - 9.031, p = 0.014), underlying disease (OR = 5.398, 95% CI: 2.343 - 12.438, p < 0.001), hormonotherapy (OR = 11.718, 95% CI: 6.269 - 21.903, p < 0.001), open fracture (OR = 29.377, 95% CI: 9.944 - 86.784, p < 0.001), and intraoperative transfusion (OR = 2.664, 95% CI: 1.572 - 4.515, p < 0.001) were independent risk factors for SSI, while, aged over 59 years (OR = 0.132, 95% CI: 0.059 - 0.296, p < 0.001), prophylactic antibiotics use (OR = 0.082, 95% CI: 0.042 - 0.164, p < 0.001) and vacuum sealing drainage use (OR = 0.036, 95% CI: 0.010 - 0.129, p < 0.001) were protective factors. Pathogens results showed that 301 strains of 38 species of bacteria were harvested, among which 178 (59.1%) strains were Gram-positive bacteria, and 123 (40.9%) strains were Gram-negative bacteria. Staphylococcus aureus (108, 60.7%) and Enterobacter cloacae (38, 30.9%) accounted for the largest proportion. The susceptibility of Gram-positive bacteria to Vancomycin and Linezolid was almost 100%. The susceptibility of Gram-negative bacteria to Imipenem, Amikacin, and Meropenem exceeded 73%. CONCLUSION Orthopedic surgeons need to develop appropriate surgical plans based on the risk factors and protective factors associated with postoperative SSI to reduce its occurrence. Meanwhile, it is recommended to strengthen blood glucose control in the early stage of admission and for surgeons to be cautious and scientific when choosing antibiotic therapy in clinical practice.
Humans ; Surgical Wound Infection/epidemiology* ; Male ; Female ; Risk Factors ; Retrospective Studies ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Case-Control Studies ; Fractures, Bone/surgery* ; Aged ; Drug Resistance, Bacterial ; Logistic Models ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use* ; Incidence ; Bacteria/drug effects*

OBJECTIVE: To compare the therapeutic efficacy of portal and tail vein transplantation of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) against cholestatic liver fibrosis in mice. METHODS: BMSCs were isolated and co-cultured with starvation-activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). HSC activation markers were identified using immunofluorescence and qRT-PCR. BMSCs were injected into the liver tissues of bile duct ligation (BDL) mice via the tail and portal veins. Histomorphology, liver function, inflammatory cytokines, and the expression of key proteins were all determined in the liver tissues. RESULTS: BMSCs inhibited HSC activation by reducing α-SMA and collagen I expression. Compared to tail vein injection, DIL-labeled BMSCs injected through the portal vein maintained a high homing rate in the liver. Moreover, BMSCs transplanted through the portal vein resulted in greater improvement in liver color, hardness, and gallbladder size than did those transplanted through the tail vein. Furthermore, BMSCs injected by portal vein, but not tail vein, markedly ameliorated liver function, reduced the secretion of inflammatory cytokines, including TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β, and decreased α-SMA + hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation and collagen fiber formation. CONCLUSION The therapeutic effect of BMSCs on cholestatic liver fibrosis in mice via portal vein transplantation was superior to that of tail vein transplantation. This comparative study provides reference information for further BMSC studies focused on clinical cholestatic liver diseases.
Animals ; Mice ; Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation ; Liver Cirrhosis/etiology* ; Male ; Cholestasis/therapy* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Hepatic Stellate Cells ; Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Neck dissection(ND)is one of the main treatment methods for oral and maxillofacial malignancies.Although ND type is in con-stant improvement,but intraoperative peal-pull-push injury of the accessory nerve,muscle,muscle membrane,fascia and ligament induced shoulder syndrome(SS)is still a common postoperative complication,combined with the influence of radiochemotherapy,not only can cause pain,stiffness,numbness,limited dysfunction of shoulder neck and arm,but also may have serious impact on patient's life quality and phys-ical and mental health.At present,there is still a lack of a systematic evaluation and rehabilitation management program for postoperative SS of oral and maxillofacial malignant tumors.Based on the previous clinical practice and the current available evidence,refer to the relevant lit-erature at home and abroad,the experts in the field of maxillofacial tumor surgery and rehabilitation were invited to discuss,modify and reach a consenusus on the etiology,assessment diagnosis,differential diagnosis,rehabilitation strategy and prevention of SS,in order to provide clinical reference.

ObjectiveTo investigate the genetic polymorphism and structure of 47 autosomal microhaplotypes in the Han population in Changshu City, Jiangsu Province, and to evaluate the forensic efficiencies and forensic parameters. MethodsThe DNA library of unrelated individual samples was prepared according to MHSeqTyper47 kit manual and sequenced on the MiSeq FGx platform. Microhaplotype genotyping and sequencing depth statistics were processed using MHTyper. The genetic information of samples was then evaluated. The fixation index and genetic distance between the Jiangsu Changshu population and the reference populations in the 1000 Genomes Project phase 3 (1KG) were calculated, and forensic parameters were evaluated. ResultsThe fixation index and genetic distance between the Han population in Changshu, Jiangsu, and the CHB (Han Chinese in Beijing, China) reference population in 1KG were the lowest. The effective allele number (A_e) of each locus is also the closest between the two populations. The combined matching probability (CMP) of the Changshu Han population is close to the 5 populations of the East Asian reference super-population in 1KG, which is 1.25×10^-36, and the combined probability of exclusion reached 0.999 999 999 964 1. ConclusionThis study reported the genetic polymorphism and allele frequency of 47 microhaplotypes in a Han population in Changshu City, Jiangsu Province. This information provides a data basis for 47 microhaplotypes in forensic applications. In addition, the polymorphism differences between the 1KG reference population and the Han population in Changshu, Jiangsu were compared, and the genetic structure of 47 microhaplotypes in the Han population in Changshu, Jiangsu was revealed. In general, the reference data of the East Asian super-population in 1KG is more in line with the genetic characteristics of Han population in Changshu, Jiangsu.

Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)has become the second leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide,ranking 6th among all tumors.Due to the lack of obvious early symptoms,most patients are diagnosed in the advanced stage,and the clinical benefits of surgical resection and hepatic artery chemoembolization and radiofrequency ablation are very limited.In recent years,the advent of immune-targeted therapies has revolutionized the systemic and systemic treatment of patients with advanced HCC,however,there is a lack of strong clinical evidence on the safety and efficacy of immune and targeted therapies for special populations,including patients with human immunodeficiency virus(HIV)infection,active autoimmune disease,decompensated cirrhosis(Child B or C),patients with diabetes-associated metabolic syndrome,patients with portal hypertension,vascular invasion,or portal vein thrombosis(PVT),and patients with liver transplantation(LT).This article reviews the current research progress of immune and targeted drugs in special populations.

Objective:To investigate the application of cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) quantitative techniques in evaluating myocardial involvement differences between new onset and longstanding systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients.Methods:From August 2020 to April 2023, 14 new onset and 15 longstanding SLE patients treated at the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University were prospectively included as the study group. Additionally, 18 age-, gender-, body surface area-, and body mass index-matched healthy volunteers were included as the control group. Clinical baseline data, electrocardiograms, and CMR results including left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricular end-systolic volume index (LVESVI), left ventricular end-diastolic volume index (LVEDVI), cardiac index (CI), left ventricular stroke volume index (LVSVI), left ventricular mass index (LVMI), myocardial strain, native T 1 values, and T 2 values were collected. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) or Kruskal-Wallis H test was used to compare the quantitative parameters among the three groups. Bonferroni correction was applied for pairwise group comparisons. Results:The native T 1 values [1 114.50 (1 089.33, 1 150.39) ms, 1 085.32 (1 051.31, 1 129.75) ms] and T 2 values [(55.9±3.4) ms, (53.3±1.5) ms] of new onset and longstanding SLE patients were higher than those of the healthy control group [native T 1 values 1052.62 (1024.75, 1077.59) ms, H=17.72, P<0.001; T 2 values (51.2±1.3) ms, F=18.70, P<0.001]. The T 2 values of the new onset SLE group was higher than that of the longstanding SLE group ( P<0.05). The LVEDVI[86.87 (80.80, 93.55) ml/m 2], LVSVI [54.63 (50.42, 59.03) ml/m 2], and LVMI [48.39 (41.65, 53.26) g/m 2] of the new onset SLE group were higher than those of the control group [LVEDVI: 71.11 (65.80, 81.28) ml/m 2, Z=3.02, P=0.003; LVSVI: 42.17 (40.36, 51.33) ml/m 2, Z=2.76, P=0.006; LVMI: 38.48 (35.22, 43.83) g/m 2, Z=3.10, P=0.002]. The LVEDVI and LVSVI of the new onset SLE group were also higher than those of the longstanding SLE group [LVEDVI: 73.30 (69.87, 84.71) ml/m 2, Z=1.97, P=0.048; LVSVI: 45.53 (42.28, 50.98) ml/m 2, Z=2.34, P=0.020]. Conclusion:Myocardial involvement is more severe in new onset SLE patients, whereas acute myocardial injury is alleviated in longstanding SLE patients. Therefore, early detection of cardiac involvement in SLE patients is crucial for improving prognosis.