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.

Objective To evaluate the pharmacokinetics(PK)and pharmacodynamics(PD)of propofol injectable emulsion,and to assess the bioequivalence of test and reference formulations in healthy Chinese adult volunteers.Methods Thirty-two healthy Chinese adult volunteers were recruited and randomly assigned to a fasting.single-dose,two-period and double-crossover study.Propofol was given to eligible subjects at a speed of 30 μg·kg-1·min-1 for 30 min.The concentration of propofol in plasma was determined by avalidated high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometery(HPLC-MS/MS)method.The PK parameters of the two preparations were calculated.Bispectral index(BIS)was measured to calculate the PD parameters of two formulations.Adverse events during the trial were recorded.Results Thirty-one volunteers were included in the pharmacokinetic parameter set.The mean values of PK parameters of test andreference formulations were as follows:Cmax were(660.87±110.25)and(683.13±125.75)ng·mL-1;AUC0-t were(473.50±86.03)and(478.40±80.25)h·ng·mL-1;AUC0-∞ were(500.45±96.49)and(507.84±88.00)h·ng·mL-1;tmax were 0.47(0.25,0.53)and 0.50(0.40,0.54)h;t1/2 were(2.97±1.74)and(3.08±1.82)h.Thirty-one volunteers were included in the bioequivalence set.The 90％confidence intervals(CI)for the geometric mean ratios of Cmax,AUC0-t,AUC0-∞ were 92.64％-101.39％,96.43％-101.00％,95.67％-100.70％,respectively.The mean values of PD parameters of test and reference formulations were as follows:BISmin were(75.94±13.66)and(74.39±12.32);BISAUC0-60minwere 5 569.85±182.78 and 5 575.68±166.19;T-BISmin were 23.00 and 29.00 min,respectively.There were no serious adverse events.Conclusion Two formulations of propofol injectable emulsion were bioequivalent and both of them exhibited good safety.

Objective:To investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of needle-free and needle-based injections of recombinant human interferon (IFN) -α2a in the treatment of palmoplantar warts.Methods:Patients aged 6 to 75 years with palmoplantar warts were prospectively enrolled from the Department of Dermatology, Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University between March and September 2023, and baseline data were collected. The patients were randomly and equally divided into a needle-free injection group and a needle-based injection group by using a random number table method, and received needle-free and needle-based injections of recombinant human IFN-α2a once every 2 to 3 weeks, respectively, with a maximum of 4 treatment sessions. Efficacy was assessed based on changes in wart size and skin lines under a dermoscope. Pain degrees and adverse reactions were recorded, and patients were followed up for 6 months after the end of treatment. Chi-square test was used to compare the cure rates, recurrence rates, and incidence rates of adverse reactions between the two groups. Logistic regression analysis was employed to identify factors related to the clearance of palmoplantar warts.Results:A total of 160 patients with palmoplantar warts were included, with 80 patients in each group. In the needle-free injection group, there were 45 females (56.2%) and 35 males (43.8%) ; their ages ( M[ Q1, Q3]) were 27 (23, 40) years, and the duration of disease ( M[ Q1, Q3]) was 12 (3, 24) months; warts were located on the hands in 12 cases (15.0%), on the feet in 60 cases (75.0%), and on both sites in 8 cases (10.0%) ; warts measuring ≤ 1 cm in diameter were observed in 71 cases (88.8%), and those measuring > 1 cm were observed in 9 cases (11.3%). In the needle-based injection group, there were 37 females (46.2%) and 43 males (53.8%) ; their ages were 28 (22, 39) years, and the duration of disease was 6 (2, 12) months; warts were located on the hands in 23 cases (28.7%), on the feet in 55 cases (68.8%), and on both sites in 2 cases (2.5%) ; warts measuring ≤ 1 cm in diameter were observed in 67 cases (83.8%), and those measuring > 1 cm in diameter were observed in 13 cases (16.3%). There were no significant differences in gender distribution, age, wart diameters, prior treatment status, or number of warts between the two groups (all P > 0.05). The duration of disease was longer in the needle-free injection group than in the needle-based injection group ( P = 0.041), and the dose of interferon was lower in the needle-free injection group than in the needle-based injection group ( P < 0.001). After treatment, 44 patients (55.0%) were cured in the needle-free injection group, and 39 (48.8%) in the needle-based injection group, with no significant difference in the cure rates between the two groups ( χ2 = 0.63, P = 0.429). Among patients with multiple warts, 54.8% (23/42) were cured in the needle-free injection group, and 47.4% (18/38) in the needle-based injection group, with no significant difference in cure rates between the two groups ( χ2 = 1.28, P = 0.509). The most common adverse reaction was fever or flu-like symptoms (186 instances), which resolved spontaneously in 141 instances and resolved after treatment with oral ibuprofen in 45 instances; the incidence rate of flu-like symptoms was significantly lower in the needle-free injection group (57 instances, 21.6%) than in the needle-based injection group (129 instances, 53.3%; χ2 = 54.63, P < 0.001). The pain score was significantly lower in the needle-free injection group (3.65 ± 1.25 points) than in the needle-based injection group (5.16 ± 1.17 points, t = -7.90, P < 0.001). The logistic regression analysis showed that the duration of disease, lesion sites, patient age, and previous treatment history had no impact on the efficacy in either the needle-free injection group or the needle-based injection group (all P > 0.05) . Conclusions:The efficacy of needle-free and needle-based injections of interferon was similar in the treatment of palmoplantar warts, whereas needle-free injections resulted in less pain and a lower incidence of interferon-related adverse reactions. None of the duration of disease, lesion sites, patient age, or prior treatment status showed significant impact on the efficacy in the two groups.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical efficacy of moxibustion (Mox) combined with low-dose tadalafil (TAD) in the treatment of diabetes mellitus-induced erectile dysfunction (DMED) with the syndrome of Qi deficiency and blood stasis. METHODS: According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, we selected 90 patients with DMED for this trial and equally randomized them into a Mox, a TAD, and a Mox combined with TAD (Mox+TAD) group to be treated by mild Mox applied to the acupoints Zusanli, Sanyinjiao and Yinlingquan qd alt, oral medication with low-dose TAD at 5 mg per dose qd, and combination of the above two therapies, respectively, all for 4 weeks. We obtained from the patients their IIEF-5 scores, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) symptoms scores, Erectile Hardness Scale (EHS) scores, corpus cavernosal hemodynamic indexes, and the peak systolic velocity (PSV), end diastolic velocity (EDV) and resistance index (RI) of the corpus cavernosal arteries before and after treatment, and compared them among the three groups. RESULTS: The total effectiveness rate was significantly higher in the Mox+TAD (90.0%) than in the Mox (46.7%) and TAD groups (60.0%) (P< 0.05). Compared with the baseline, the IIEF-5 and EHS scores were increased, while the TCM symptoms scores decreased in all the three groups after treatment, more significantly in the Mox+TAD group than in the other two (P< 0.05). And the PSV and RI were remarkably increased, while the EDV decreased (P< 0.05) in all the three groups (P< 0.05) after treatment, with PSV even higher in the Mox+TAD than in the Mox and TAD groups (P< 0.05). CONCLUSION Moxibustion combined with tadalafil has a definite efficacy and safety for the treatment of DMED, which can effectively improve the erectile function of the patients by increasing penile blood supply, benefiting qi and activating blood circulation.
Humans ; Male ; Tadalafil ; Erectile Dysfunction/etiology* ; Moxibustion ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Adult ; Carbolines/administration & dosage* ; Diabetes Complications/therapy* ; Aged ; Treatment Outcome ; Combined Modality Therapy

T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is a highly aggressive hematologic malignancy with a poor prognosis, despite advancements in treatment. Many patients struggle with relapse or refractory disease. Investigating the role of the super-enhancer (SE) regulated gene ubiquitin-specific protease 20 (USP20) in T-ALL could enhance targeted therapies and improve clinical outcomes. Analysis of histone H3 lysine 27 acetylation (H3K27ac) chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) data from six T-ALL cell lines and seven pediatric samples identified USP20 as an SE-regulated driver gene. Utilizing the Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia (CCLE) and BloodSpot databases, it was found that USP20 is specifically highly expressed in T-ALL. Knocking down USP20 with short hairpin RNA (shRNA) increased apoptosis and inhibited proliferation in T-ALL cells. In vivo studies showed that USP20 knockdown reduced tumor growth and improved survival. The USP20 inhibitor GSK2643943A demonstrated similar anti-tumor effects. Mass spectrometry, RNA-Seq, and immunoprecipitation revealed that USP20 interacted with hypoxia-inducible factor 1 subunit alpha (HIF1A) and stabilized it by deubiquitination. Cleavage under targets and tagmentation (CUT&Tag) results indicated that USP20 co-localized with HIF1A, jointly modulating target genes in T-ALL. This study identifies USP20 as a therapeutic target in T-ALL and suggests GSK2643943A as a potential treatment strategy.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the association between body mass index (BMI) and mortality based on the 10-year population-based multicenter prospective study. METHODS: A general population-based multicenter prospective study was conducted at four sites in rural China between 2013 and 2023. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models and restricted cubic spline analyses were used to assess the association between BMI and mortality. Stratified analyses were performed based on the individual characteristics of the participants. RESULTS: Overall, 19,107 participants with a sum of 163,095 person-years were included and 1,910 participants died. The underweight (< 18.5 kg/m ²) presented an increase in all-cause mortality (adjusted hazards ratio [ aHR] = 2.00, 95% confidence interval [ CI]: 1.66-2.41), while overweight (≥ 24.0 to < 28.0 kg/m ²) and obesity (≥ 28.0 kg/m ²) presented a decrease with an aHR of 0.61 (95% CI: 0.52-0.73) and 0.51 (95% CI: 0.37-0.70), respectively. Overweight ( aHR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.67-0.86) and mild obesity ( aHR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.59-0.87) had a positive impact on mortality in people older than 60 years. All-cause mortality decreased rapidly until reaching a BMI of 25.7 kg/m ² ( aHR = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.92-0.98) and increased slightly above that value, indicating a U-shaped association. The beneficial impact of being overweight on mortality was robust in most subgroups and sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSION This study provides additional evidence that overweight and mild obesity may be inversely related to the risk of death in individuals older than 60 years. Therefore, it is essential to consider age differences when formulating health and weight management strategies.
Humans ; Body Mass Index ; China/epidemiology* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Rural Population/statistics & numerical data* ; Aged ; Follow-Up Studies ; Adult ; Mortality ; Cause of Death ; Obesity/mortality* ; Overweight/mortality*

Objective To determine the application effect of esketamine pretreatment in laparoscopic high ligation of hernia sac in children.Methods A total of 70 children who received laparoscopic high ligation of hernia sac under general anesthesia were selected and divided into the control group and the observation group according to the random number table method,with 35 cases in each group.The control group received conventional general anesthesia,while the observation group was intravenously injected with 0.5 mg/kg of esketamine 15 minutes before the induction of general anesthesia.The preoperative anxiety score,respiratory mechanics indexes,lung injury status,anesthesia recovery,and adverse reactions during the awakening period were compared between the two groups.Results The anxiety scores of the observation group 10 minutes before anesthesia and immediately before anesthesia were significantly lower than those of the control group(P<0.05).The peak airway pressure and mean airway pressure of the observation group 30 minutes after establishing pneumoperitoneum and at the end of the operation were significantly lower than those of the control group(P<0.05).The levels of interleukin-6(IL-6)and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)at the end of the operation in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group(P<0.05).There was no statistically significant difference in the time of spontaneous breathing recovery,time to regain consciousness,tracheal extubation time,or post-anesthesia care unit(PACU)stay time between the two groups(P>0.05).The incidence of adverse reactions during the anesthetic awakening period in the observation group was significantly lower than that in the control group(P<0.05).Conclusion Esketamine pretreatment can significantly alleviate preoperative separation anxiety for children undergoing laparoscopic high ligation of hernia sac,reduce lung injury,and decrease airway pressure,which is beneficial to lung protection and postoperative anesthetic recovery,and has few adverse reactions.

Compounds isolated from Epimedium include the total flavonoids of Epimedium , icariin, and its metabolites (icaritin, icariside I, and icariside II), which have similar molecular structures. Modern pharmacological research and clinical practice have proved that Epimedium and its active components have a wide range of pharmacological effects, especially in improving sexual function, hormone regulation, anti-osteoporosis, immune function regulation, anti-oxidation, and anti-tumor activity. To date, we still need a comprehensive source of knowledge about the pharmacological effects of Epimedium and its bioactive compounds on the male reproductive system. However, their actions in other tissues have been reviewed in recent years. This review critically focuses on the Epimedium , its bioactive compounds, and the biochemical and molecular mechanisms that modulate vital pathways associated with the male reproductive system. Such intrinsic knowledge will significantly further studies on the Epimedium and its bioactive compounds that protect the male reproductive system and provide some guidances for clinical treatment of related male reproductive disorders.
Male ; Epimedium/chemistry* ; Humans ; Genitalia, Male/drug effects* ; Flavonoids/therapeutic use* ; Animals

ObjectiveTo observe the clinical effectiveness and safety of Xiaozhong Zhitong Mixture （消肿止痛合剂） combined with antibiotic bone cement in the treatment of diabetic foot ulcer （DFU） with damp-heat obstructing syndrome. MethodsA total of 72 DFU patients with damp-heat obstructing syndrome were randomly assigned to treatment group （36 cases） and the control group （36 cases）. Both groups received standard treatment and topical antibiotic bone cement for ulcer wounds， while the treatment group received oral Xiaozhong Zhitong Mixture （50 ml per time， three times daily） in additionally. Both groups underwent daily wound dressing changes for 21 consecutive days. Ulcer healing rate， serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha （TNF-α）， interleukin-1 beta （IL-1β）， malondialdehyde （MDA）， superoxide dismutase （SOD）， C-reactive protein （CRP）， and white blood cell （WBC） count were observed before and after treatment， and visual analog scale （VAS） scores for wound pain， traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndrome scores， and the DFU Healing Scale （DMIST scale） were also compared. Liver and kidney function were evaluated before and after treatment， and adverse events such as allergic reactions， worsening ulcer pain were recorded. ResultsTotally 35 patients in the treatment group and 33 in the control group were included in the final analysis. The ulcer healing rate in the treatment group was （87.93±9.34）%， significantly higher than （81.82±12.02）% in the control group （P = 0.035）. Compared to pre-treatment levels， both groups showed significant reductions in serum CRP， WBC， MDA， IL-1β， and TNF-α levels， with an increase in SOD level （P＜0.05）. TCM syndrome scores， VAS， and DMIST scores also significantly decreased in both groups （P＜0.05）， with greater improvements in the treatment group （P＜0.05）. No significant adverse reactions were observed in either group during treatment. ConclusionXiaozhong Zhitong Mixture combined with antibiotic bone cement has significant advantages in promoting DFU healing， reducing inflammatory response， and alleviating oxidative stress in DFU patients with damp-heat obstructing syndrome， with good safety for DFU patients with damp-heat obstructing syndrome.