BACKGROUND:Indolepropionic acid has been shown to reduce diabetes-induced central nervous system inflammation.However,there is a lack of research on whether to inhibit microglia M1 polarization for the treatment of spinal cord injury. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the mechanism of indolepropionic acid inhibition of microglial cell M1 polarization for the treatment of spinal cord injury through cell and animal experiments. METHODS:(1)In vitro experiments:BV2 cell viability was assessed using the CCK-8 assay to determine optimal concentrations of indolepropionic acid.Subsequently,BV2 cells were categorized into control group,administration group(50 μmol/L indolepropionic acid),lipopolysaccharide group(100 ng/mL lipopolysaccharide),and treatment group(100 ng/mL lipopolysaccharide + 50 μmol/L indolepropionic acid).Nitric oxide content was quantified using the Griess method.Real-time quantitative PCR and western blot assay were employed to measure mRNA and protein levels of pro-inflammatory factors.Cell immunofluorescence staining was conducted to assess inducible nitric oxide synthase expression.The Seahorse assay was employed to assess glycolytic stress levels in BV2 cells.(2)In vivo experiments:30 SD rats were randomly divided into three groups:sham surgery group,spinal cord injury group,and indolepropionic acid group.Motor function recovery in rats after spinal cord injury was assessed using BBB scoring and the inclined plane test.Immunofluorescence staining of spinal cord tissue was conducted to evaluate the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase in microglial cells.ELISA was employed to measure protein expression levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α in spinal cord tissue. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)In vitro experiments:Indolepropionic acid exhibited significant suppression of BV2 cell viability when its concentration exceeded 50 μmol/L.Indolepropionic acid achieved this by inhibiting the activation of the nuclear factor κB signaling pathway,thereby suppressing the mRNA and protein expression levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines(interleukin-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α),as well as the M1 polarization marker,inducible nitric oxide synthase,in BV2 cells.Additionally,indolepropionic acid notably reduced the glycolytic level in BV2 cells induced by lipopolysaccharides.(2)In vivo experiments:Following indolepropionic acid intervention in spinal cord injury rats,there was a noticeable increase in BBB scores and the inclined plane test angle.There was also a significant decrease in the number of M1-polarized microglial cells in spinal cord tissue,accompanied by a marked reduction in the protein expression levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines(interleukin-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α).(3)These results conclude that indolepropionic acid promotes functional recovery after spinal cord injury by improving the inflammatory microenvironment through inhibition of microglia M1 polarization.

Objective To observe and compare the concentrations of tryptophan-kynurenine pathway metabolites in serum and urine of adolescents with depression individuals using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry(LC-MS/MS).Methods The major metabolites in this pathway,such as tryptophan(TRP),kynurenine(KYN),kynurenic acid(KYNA),and 3-hydroxykynurenine(3-HK)were quantitatively analyzed using isotope-labeled internal standards.The separation was achieved using a Shimadzu C18 col-umn with gradient elution of 0.2％aqueous acid and acetonitrile.The detection was performed within 7 minutes using positive ion mode and multiple reaction monitoring(MRM).The parameters,such as linear range and precision were evaluated to assess reliability of the method.Subsequently,this method was applied to detect and compare the results in the samples of serum and urine from 143 adoles-cents with depression and 110 healthy controls.Results Taking TRP as the example,the linear ranges for serum and urine were 0.54 to 107.84 μmol/L and 0.74 to 147.06 μmol/L,respectively.The intra-batch coefficient of variation(CV)was ≤6.3％,the inter-batch CV was ≤3.22％,and the total laboratory CV was ≤6.5％.The results showed the KYNA,KYN and TRP levels were lower in the de-pression group compared to the control group,while 3-HK levels were higher in the depression group with statistical significance(P＜0.01).Apart from TRP,the levels of other metabolites were significantly higher in urine than those in serum,with statistical signifi-cance(P＜0.01).Conclusion Compared to the results of serum,the concentrations of TRP metabolites,including KYN,KYNA and 3-HK were higher than those in urine.The concentrations of TRP-KP metabolites in urine,i.e.,KYN,KYNA and 3-HK were higher than those in serum,and the detection of TRP-KP metabolites in urine may offer a greater advantage because the urine collection process is non-invasive.

Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Tetanus/epidemiology* ; China/epidemiology*

A patient suffered a sustained soft tissue necrosis and infection at the radial interphalangeal joint of left thumb after laser nevus removal. He was treated in the Department of Orthopaedics, No. 920 Hospital of Joint Logistic Support Force of Chinese People's Liberation Army in February 2020. CTA combined with digital technology of Mimics software was used to accurately locate the perforator of posterior tibial artery septal perforator flap at the appropriate part of the calf and the super flap (1.20 cm×0.80 cm×0.46 cm) for the repair was designed. After 1 year of follow-up, the left thumb flap had no swelling with a satisfactory texture and appearance. The sensory recovered to S 3, and the left thumb movement was completely normal. Only a linear scar remained at the donor site of the calf.

The ribose and phosphorus contents in Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) capsular polysaccharide (CPS) are two important chemical indexes for the development and quality control of Hib conjugate vaccine. A quantitative ¹H- and ³¹P-NMR method using a single internal standard was developed for simultaneous determination of ribose and phosphorus contents in Hib CPS. Hexamethylphosphoramide (HMPA) was successfully utilized as an internal standard in quantitative ¹H-NMR method for ribose content determination. The ribose and phosphorus contents were found to be affected by the concentration of polysaccharide solution. Thus, 15-20 mg·L^-1 was the optimal concentration range of Hib CPS in D₂O solution for determination of ribose and phosphorus contents by this method. The ribose and phosphorus contents obtained by the quantitative NMR were consistent with those obtained by traditional chemical methods. In conclusion, this quantitative ¹H- and ³¹P-NMR method using a single internal standard shows good specificity, accuracy and precision, providing a valuable approach for the quality control of Hib glycoconjugate vaccines.
Haemophilus Vaccines ; Haemophilus influenzae type b ; Phosphorus ; Polysaccharides, Bacterial ; Ribose

To get an optimal product of orthopaedic implant or regenerative medicine needs to follow trial-and-error analyses to investigate suitable product's material, structure, mechanical properites etc. The whole process from
Cell Differentiation ; Cell Movement ; Cell Proliferation ; Computer Simulation ; Tissue Engineering

The Singapore Health Services cluster (SingHealth) radiology film archives are a valuable repository of local radiological cases dating back to the 1950s. Some of the cases in the archives are of historical medical interest, i.e. cerebral angiography in the workup of patients with hemiplegia. Other cases are of historical social interest, being conditions seen during earlier stages of Singapore's development, i.e. bound feet. The archives form a unique portal into the development of local radiology as well as the national development of Singapore. A selection from the archives is published in commemoration of the International Day of Radiology in 2020, as well as the 200th anniversary of the Singapore General Hospital in 2021. This pictorial essay comprises gastroenterology, musculoskeletal and obstetrics and gynaecology cases from the archives.

OBJECTIVE: To compare accuracy of anterior cervical pedicle screws between assist of rapid prototyping 3D guide plate and free-hand insertion, and evaluate the safety of two methods. METHODS: Eight adult cervical cadaver specimens after formaldehyde immersion, including 4 males and 4 females, aged 32 to 65(40.3±5.6) years old. After X-ray examination to exclude bone damage and deformity, 4 of them (3D guide plate group) randomly selected were for CT scan to obtain DICOM format data, and the data was imported into Mimics software for model, designed the ideal entry point and nail path for anterior cervicaltranspedicular screw (ATPS). After obtaining the personalized guide plate of the nail channel, it was exported as STL data, and the individual guide plate was printed by rapid prototyping and 3D printing technology. In turn, with the assistance of 3D guide plates, one-to-one personalized ATPS screws were placed on the four lower cervical cadaver specimens. Another 4 (free-hand group) lower cervical cadaver specimens were implanted with ATPS screws using free-hand technique. All specimens were performed CT thin-layer scanning and three-dimensional reconstruction after operation. The Tomasino method was used to evaluate the safety of the screws on the CT cross-sectional and sagittal images, to determine whether there was a cortical puncture of the lower and inner edges of the pedicle. According to the CT rating results, gradeⅠandⅡwere safe, and grade Ⅲ- Ⅴ were dangerous.And the accuracy of screws was recorded and analyzed between two groups. RESULTS: Two screws were inserted in each segment from C CONCLUSION The 3D printing rapid prototyping guide plate assisted insertion of the anterior cervical pedicle screw can significantly improve the accuracy and safety, and provide a theoretical basis for further clinical application.
Adult ; Aged ; Bone Plates ; Cervical Vertebrae/surgery* ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pedicle Screws ; Printing, Three-Dimensional

Objective:To explore the clinical value of sarcopenia and vitamin D deficiency on gluco-corticoid induced osteoporosis (GIOP) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).Methods:Three hundred and eleven patients with RA from January 2017 to December 2018 were enrolled in the study. One hundred and fifty-eight sex, age-matched normal subjects were recruited as control group. Clinical and laboratory features, daily dosage and treatment duration of glucocorticoid (GC) were recorded in detail. Skeletal muscle mass was measured by biological electrical impedance. Serum levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D [25(OH)D] were examined using electro-chemiluminescence. Bone mineral density (BMD) at total hip and lumbar vertebra were detected by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). Numerical data and categorical data comparisons were analyzed using χ2 test, non-parametric test, Logistic regression analysis test. Results:① The prevalence of osteoporosis (OP) in RA patients was 33.4%(104/311), which was higher than that in the control group 12.7%(20/158)( χ2=23.267, P<0.01). Percentage of GC taking in 311 RA patients was 56.6%(176/311), and the prevalence of GIOP was 40.9%(72/176). The prevalence of sarcopenia in RA patients was 61.7%(192/311), which was higher than that in the control group [9.0%(14/156), χ2=117.310, P<0.01]. The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in RA patients was 81.7%(254/311), which was higher than that in control group [38.0%(60/158), χ2=90.415, P<0.01]. ② The prevalence of OP in RA without sarcopenia was 17.6% (21/119), which was lower than that in patients with sarcopenia [43.2%(83/192), χ2=21.601, P<0.01]. In condition without GC, the prevalence of OP in RA without sarcopenia was 9.8%(6/61), which was significantly lower than that in patients with sarcopenia [35.1%(26/74), χ2=11.834, P<0.01]. Under circumstances with GC, the prevalence of OP in RA without sarcopenia (25.9%, 15/58), which was significantly lower than that in patients with sarcopenia (48.3%, 57/118, χ2=8.103, P<0.01). ③ No matter whether existing vitamin D deficiency or not, the prevalence of OP in RA without GC was 23.7%(32/135), which was significantly lower than that in patients with GC [40.9%(72/176), χ2=10.161, P<0.01]. In patients without vitamin D deficiency, the prevalence of OP in RA without GC was 21.4%(6/28), which was similar to that in patients with GC [31.0%(9/29), χ2=0.678, P>0.05]. In the case of vitamin D deficiency, the prevalence of OP in RA without GC was 24.3%(24/107), which was significantly lower than that in patients with GC [42.9% (63/147), χ2=9.370 2, P<0.01]. ④ In RA patients with GC, age( t=5.313, P<0.01), Sharp score ( Z=2.999, P<0.01), disease duration ( Z=2.141, P<0.05) and treatment duration of GC ( Z=2.460, P<0.05) were higher in group with GIOP than that in group without GIOP, while erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)( Z=2.262, P<0.05), C-reactive protein levels (CRP) ( Z=2.551, P<0.05) and body mass index (BMI) ( t=2.425, P<0.05) were lower and the composition ratio of X-ray staging was worse ( χ2=12.484, P<0.01).⑤ Logistic regression analysis (LR Backward) showed that female gender [ OR(95% CI)=14.240(3.878, 52.288), P<0.01], age [ OR(95% CI)=1.079(1.042, 1.118), P<0.01] and sarcopenia [ OR(95% CI)=2.470(1.192, 5.120), P<0.05] were the risk factors for GIOP in RA patients. Conclusion:The proportion of treatment with GC in RA patients is very high (about 60%), and the prevalence of GIOP is 40.9%, which is closely related to sarcopenia and vitamin D deficiency.

The Singapore Health Services cluster (SingHealth) radiology film archives are a valuable repository of local radiological cases dating back to the 1950s. Some of the cases in the archives are of historical medical interest, i.e. cerebral angiography in the workup of patients with hemiplegia. Other cases are of historical social interest, being conditions seen during earlier stages of Singapore's development, i.e. bound feet. The archives form a unique portal into the development of local radiology as well as the national development of Singapore. A selection from the archives is published in 2020 in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the formation of SingHealth, the 55th National Day of Singapore, and the 125th anniversary of the International Day of Radiology. This pictorial essay comprises cardiovascular, respiratory and neurological cases from the archives.