BACKGROUND:Patients with severe lumbar degenerative disease may have their bone mineral density incorrectly raised by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry.While lumbar cancellous bone Hounsfield unit value can assist dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry in reducing osteoporosis misdiagnosis. OBJECTIVE:To identify osteoporosis in woman patients with lumbar degenerative diseases using lumbar CT scans. METHODS:Bone mineral density test results and lumbar CT data of 192 women patients who were treated at the Department of Spine Surgery,Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University were retrospectively reviewed.All patients were divided into a degeneration group(n=107)and a control group(n=85)according to the criteria of severity of vertebral degeneration as assessed on CT of the lumbar spine.The CT value of axial cancellous bone of L1 vertebral body was measured in the two groups.The T score and bone mineral density of the hip and L2-L4 were recorded.According to previously published studies,osteoporosis was diagnosed at L1 vertebral CT values≤110.The prevalence of osteoporosis diagnosed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and CT values was compared between the two groups. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)CT values were significantly and positively correlated with T scores and mean bone mineral density of the L2-L4 vertebrae in both groups(P<0.001),while the correlation was higher in the control group.(2)Lumbar T scores and bone mineral density values were significantly higher in the degeneration group than those in the control group(P<0.05)and CT values were significantly lower in the degeneration group than that in the control group(P = 0.001).Hip T scores and bone mineral density were not significantly different in the two groups.(3)The prevalence of osteoporosis diagnosed by CT thresholds was higher in all patients than that diagnosed by T values(51.0%and 42.7%).(4)The prevalence of osteoporosis diagnosed by CT values was as high as 23.6%in the 110 patients diagnosed with non-osteoporosis by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry in both groups,and was higher in the degeneration group than that in the control group(31.7%and 14.0%,respectively).(5)The prevalence of missed osteoporosis was as high as 38.6%(27/70)of non-osteoporosis patients diagnosed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry of the lumbar spine in the degeneration group compared to 19.6%(11/56)in the control group.(6)It is concluded that osteoporosis is common in female patients with lumbar degenerative diseases aged≥50 years.Measurement of lumbar cancellous bone CT values may be a useful complementary method for diagnosing osteoporosis in patients with lumbar degenerative diseases,especially in patients with severe degenerative lumbar degenerative diseases where more missed osteoporosis patients can be identified.

Objective To explore the mechanism which drives nimbolide(NIM)in treating acute pneumonia caused by Staphylococcus aureus(S.auteus).Methods A mouse model of acute pneumonia caused by S.auteus was constructed through endotracheal intubation.After NIM treatment,the survival rate was observed,the amount of bacteria in the lung was tested by plate culture,and the expression of inflammatory cytokines in the lung tissues was detected with ELISA.After primary cultured peritoneal macrophages(PM)were infected with S.auteus,the effect of NIM on the expression of inflammatory cytokines and activation of inflammatory pathway were studied with ELISA and Western blotting,respectively.The effect of RNF114 knockdown by lentiviral shRNA infection on inflammation responses in PM was explored with ELISA and Western blotting.Results Acute infection of S.auteus in the lung could cause acute death in the mice,while NIM treatment significantly improved the survival rate and down-regulated the levels of inflammatory cytokines in the lung.However,it had no effect on the lung colonization of S.auteus in the short term.The results of in vitro experiments indicated that NIM may regulate RNF114 function to down-regulate the phosphorylation level of ERK,inhibit the activation of MAPK pathway,and thus suppress the expression of inflammatory cytokines.Conclusion NIM may inhibit the activation of MAPK pathway by regulating the function of RNF114,and thus suppress the expression of inflammatory cytokines in the lung,and finally inhibit the death of mice with acute pulmonary hyperinflammation caused by S.auteus.

Objective:To assess the impact of the construction of smoke-free government on the smoking and cessation behaviors of staff members.Methods:This was a retrospective cohort study. The study used stratified random cluster sampling method to select 144 government institutions from 31 Provinces (Autonomous Regions and Municipalities) and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps. The survey was carried out between October and November, 2023 by filling out questionnaires online among the insiders of the institutions and all the smoking staff members. The main indicators included the number of smokers before and after the construction of smoke-free governments and the measures for the construction of smoke-free governments. 144 questionnaires from insiders were recovered, all of which were included in the analysis; 1 776 questionnaires from smokers were recovered, including 1 716 valid questionnaires. The SAS 9.4 was used to perform χ 2 test and log-binomial regression analysis. Results:The percentage of smoking staff members decreased from 8.81% before the construction to 6.70% after the construction, and the difference was statistically significant ( χ 2=63.23, P<0.001). Comprehensive smoking ban in indoor public places ( OR=2.301, 95% CI: 1.433-3.694), punishment mechanism for smoking staff members ( OR=1.219, 95% CI: 1.124-1.322), smoking cessation competitions ( OR=1.865, 95% CI: 1.234-2.818) and reimbursement for or provision of smoking cessation medications ( OR=2.210, 95% CI: 1.002-4.874) were facilitators to motivate the smoking staff members to quit (all P<0.01). Numbers of smoking leaders ( OR=0.858, 95% CI: 0.807-0.913) and smoking years of smoking staff members ( OR=0.932, 95% CI: 0.918-0.946) negatively influenced the smoking staff members to quit (both P<0.001). Conclusions:The construction of smoke-free governments can effectively promote the smoking cessation behaviors of smoking staff members. In addition, comprehensive smoke-free policies, punishment mechanism for smoking staff members and activities such as smoking cessation competitions, and reimbursement for or provision of smoking cessation medications are important.

Purpose: Loss-of-function mutations in the adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene are common in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). However, the characteristic of APC specific mutations in mCRC is poorly understood. Here, we explored the clinical and molecular characteristics of N-terminal and C-terminal side APC mutations in Chinese patients with mCRC. Materials and Methods: Hybrid capture-based next-generation sequencing was performed on tumor tissues from 275 mCRC pati-ents to detect mutations in 639 tumor-associated genes. The prognostic value and gene-pathway difference between APC specific mutations in mCRC patients were analyzed. Results: APC mutations were highly clustered, accounting for 73% of all mCRC patients, and most of them were truncating mutations. The tumor mutation burden of the N-terminal side APC mutations group (n=76) was significantly lower than that of the C-terminal side group (n=123) (p < 0.001), further confirmed by the public database. Survival analysis showed that mCRC patients with N-terminus side APC mutations had longer overall survival than C-terminus side. Tumor gene pathway analysis showed that gene mutations in the RTK/RAS, Wnt and transforming growth factor β signaling pathways of the C-terminal group were significantly higher than those of the N-terminal group (p < 0.05). Additionally, KRAS, AMER1, TGFBR2, and ARID1A driver mutations were more common in patients with C-terminal side APC mutations. Conclusion APC specific mutations have potential function as mCRC prognostic biomarkers. There are obvious differences in the gene mutation patterns between the C-terminus and N-terminus APC mutations group, which may have certain guiding significance for the subsequent precise treatment of mCRC.

Objective To investigate the efficacy of precise ultrasound-guided stellate ganglion block(UG-SGB)combined with ozonated autohemotherapy in the treatment of sudden hearing loss.Methods Fifty-seven patients with sudden hearing loss,27 males and 30 females,aged 19-82 years,BMI 20-29 kg/m2,ASA physical status Ⅰ or Ⅱ,were randomly divided into drugs combined with UG-SGB and ozonated autohemotherapy treatment group(group U,n=29)and drugs group(group D,n=28)accord-ing to the random number table.All patients were given drug therapy.In addition to the treatment above,pa-tients in group U also received precise ultrasound-guided stellate ganglion block once on affected side com-bined with ozonated autohemotherapy once daily for 10 consecutive days.Patients in group D received drug therapy only.The average hearing threshold of the two groups was compared before treatment(T0),at dis-charge(T1),1 month(T2),3 months(T3),and 6 months after discharge(T4).The hearing improve-ment of the two groups was also compared at T1-T4 on the basis of T0.Moreover,tinnitus rate of the two groups was recorded T0-T4.In addition,adverse reactions such as toxicosis of local anaesthetics,pneumo-thorax were recorded.Results Compared with T0,the average hearing threshold was reduced significantly in both groups at T1-T4(P＜0.05),the incidence of tinnitus was reduced significantly at T1-T4 in both groups(P＜0.05).Compared with T,,the average hearing threshold was reduced significantly in group U at T2-T4(P＜0.05).The average hearing threshold of group U was lower than that in group D at T1-T4(P＜0.05).The hearing improvement in group U was better than that in group D at T2-T4(P＜0.05).The proportion of complete hearing recovery in group U was increased significantly than that in group D at T2-T4(P＜0.05)The proportion of effective hearing improvement in group U was decreased than that in group D at T3-T4(P＜0.05).No obvious adverse reaction was recorded,such as toxicosis of local anaesthetics,pneumothorax.Conclusion Precise ultrasound-guided stellate ganglion block combined with ozonated auto-hemotherapy based on drug treatment significantly improves the average hearing threshold of patients with sudden hearing loss in acute stage and improve their hearing.

Objective:To explore the technique and clinical effects of free medial plantar flap on reconstruction of the severe defect of thumb caused by electric burn.Methods:Surgical techniques and clinical effects were explored in reconstruction with free medial plantar flap for treatment of severe electric burns of thumbs. From July 2016 to July 2021, 18 patients suffered from severe electric burns of thumbs were admitted in the Department of Burn, Zhengzhou First People's Hospital. All the wounds were the entrance of electric burns. After thorough debridement, the arteries, nerves, tendons, phalanges and interphalangeal joints were exposed to various degrees. Damaged digital proper palmar arteries were ligated and defected proper palmar digital nerves were marked and further anastomosed with the nerves carried by the flap. Palmaris longus tendon grafts were employed to reconstruct the defects of flexor pollicis longus tendon. Wounds were closed by transfer of free medial plantar flaps, and the flap donor sites were closed by inguinal skin grafts. Survival of the flap was observed 1 week after surgery, and the survival of the skin graft in the foot donor site 12 days after surgery. Outpatient follow-up including observation of the appearance and texture of the flap, evaluation of sensory function, thumb alignment and finger flexion according to the Evaluation Trial Standards of Upper Limb Partial Functional of Hand Surgery of Chinese Medical Association. Evaluate the scar hyperplasia in the foot donor site and the standing and walking functions of the donor foot.Results:All flaps survived,at 1 week after surgery. On the 12th day after surgery, all 16 foot flap survived, and 2 patients had local necrosis, and the necrosis healed completely after dressing change for 10 days, the wound healed completely. Among them, 3 patients without tendon transfer experienced a rupture of the flexor pollicis longus tendon at 2 months after surgery, and underwent another palmaris longus tendon transfer. After the surgery, functional exercise was performed with the palm and flexor fingers. After 6-12 months of follow-up, the blood supply, appearance, and texture of the flap were good and similar to that of the palmar skin of the thumb, with varying degrees of recovery in sensation. The TPD was 6-11 mm, and the thumb was restored to varying degrees. According to the Evaluation Trial Standards of Upper Limb Partial Functional of Hand Surgery of Chinese Medical Association, 13 cases in excellent and 5 cases in good. Mild scar hyperplasia remains in the flap site of donor feet, which does not affect the standing and walking functions of the donor foot.Conclusion:The texture of medial plantar skin is similar to that of palmar skin, with good wear resistance and good sensation. Furthermore, it causes a little damage to the donor site and without obvious complication. The medial plantar flap is ideal for reconstruction of a severe wound caused by electric burn in thumb.

Trichorhinophalangeal syndrome (TRPS) is a rare autosomal dominant genetic disorder characterized by distinctive craniofacial features, skeletal abnormalities and short stature;it is classified into three subtypes according to genetics and clinical manifestations. We report a Han Chinese family with 2 TRPS type III patients, the proband and his mother, with typical clinical presentation. There were also 3 ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients in this family, the proband’s mother and 2 uncles. A missense mutation, c.2762G>A (p.Arg921Gln), in the transcriptional repressor GATA binding 1 (TRPS1) gene was detected in the proband and his mother. The association between TRPS and AS and the diagnostic criteria for TRPS are discussed.

Objective: To investigate the early diagnosis and treatment for burn complicated with severe paroxysmal sympathetic hyperactivity (PSH). Methods: Medical records of patients with burn complicated with severe PSH, admitted to our department from April 2016 to March 2019 and meeting the inclusion criteria were analyzed retrospectively. There were 4 males and 1 female, aged 17 months to 39 years, with an average of (21±16) years. During occurrence of PSH, the vital signs of patients were routinely monitored and oxygen were given. Other treatment included central venous catheterization and infusion of electrolyte solution, infusion of plasma according to patients′ condition, use of opioid analgesics and benzodiazepine sedatives, physical cooling and drug cooling, and establishment or maintenance of artificial airway and use of ventilator. Heart rate was controlled below 120 beats per minute in adults and 140 beats per minute in children with comprehensive treatment dominated by analgesia and sedation. Besides, single or multiple vasoactive agents, even in large doses were used to maintain normal blood pressure of patients. The occurrence characteristics, time, and treatment outcome of PSH were analyzed. Results: PSH happened rapidly, with a sharp increase in several minutes to dozens of minutes. Five patients were with symptoms such as high body temperature, shortness of breath, very fast heart rate, normal or elevated systolic blood pressure, hyperhidrosis, and dystonia at the onset. The symptoms occurred simultaneously or successively. According to the Clinical Feature Scale, the above-mentioned 6 indexes achieved the highest score of 3 points except of systolic blood pressure. Four patients showed dilated pupils and impaired consciousness. Among the patients, PSH occurred in the acute exudation stage in 3 patients, in the fluid reabsorption stage in 1 patient, and in the late repair stage in 1 patient. PSH of patients lasted for 3 hours to 12 days. The symptoms of 4 patients were effectively controlled, and 1 patient died of deterioration. No PSH occurred in the cured patients during follow-up of 3 to 14 months. Conclusions Burn complicated with PSH can occur at any time before wound repair and in patients with different injury conditions. The causes of PSH include sudden burn, persistent pain, fright and fear, strange environment, low blood volume, and other adverse stimuli, and PSH is more likely to occur in children with underdeveloped brain function. Intravenous infusion of analgesics sedatives, physical therapy and medication to lower body temperature, stabilizing blood pressure and respiration are effective measures to treat PSH. PSH should be distinguished from the common complications of burns, such as sepsis, cerebral edema, hyperpyretic convulsion, transfusion response, stress disorder, etc.

BACKGROUND: Thoracolumbar segments (T11-L2) prone to damage due to its special anatomical and biomechanical characteristics. Therefore, fully understanding the shape of pedicle of vertebral arch and finding the visible, constant, and the point of insertion of the pedicle axis is very important to the safety of pedicle screw placement.OBJECTIVE: To measure the surgically relevant parameters of thoracolumbar pedicles between Han and Uygur males using computed tomography (CT) scan to provide some anatomic reference data for pedicle screw fixation.METHODS: The vertebral bodies and pedicles of adult males were scanned (60 cases of Han people and 60 cases of Uygur people) from T10-L3 with CT. The parameters were processed by three-dimensional reconstruction. Transverse pedicle width, pedicle axis length, transverse pedicle angle, and sagittal pedicle angle were measured by using length and angle measurement tool of browser in bone-window CT images. The age and stature information were recorded. All the data above were processed by SPSS 13.0 software.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) The mean transverse pedicle width of T12 and L1 in Han was bigger than that in the Uygur. (2) The mean transverse pedicle angle of T12 and L2 in Han was bigger than that in the Uygur. (3) The mean pedicle axis length and sagittal pedicle angle of T11 and L1 in Han were bigger than that in the Uygur (P < 0.05). (4) There were some differences among some parameters of the thoracolumbar pedicles between the Han and Uygur people.Data from any study only can be used as a guide for pedicle screw fixation. Preoperative CT evaluation may provide an individualized strategy to reduce the incidence of postoperative complications caused by misplacement.

Objective:To study the expression characteristics of Dickkopf1 (DKK1) in different time and space during tooth development of the postnatal mice, and to provide the theoretical basis for clarifying the mechanism of Wnt signaling pathway in regulating the tooth development.Methods:The postnatal Kunming mice at days 0.5, 6.5, 12.5, 18.5, 24.5, and 30.5 respectively after birth were selected and divided into various groups by time,three in each group.The mice in each group were sacrificed and the paraffin sections of mandibular bone including the first molar were prepared at the thickness of 5 μm, followed by HE staining and immunohistochemical staining in order to detect the expressions of DKK1 in tooth tissue and periodontal tissue.Results:At 0.5 d after birth, the mandibular first molar tooth germ was in the bell stage.At 6.5 d the enamel development of mandibular first molar was almost completed, and the epithelium root sheath extended to the root direction.At 12.5 d the dentin development of crown was completed, with the root formatted about 1/3. At 18.5 d the root had formatted about 2/3.At 24.5 d the root had reached the full length.At 30.5 d the apical foramen was narrow, and the root development was basically completed.There was no DKK1 expression at 0.5 d, but it expressed in the odontoblasts and predentin at 6.5 d. From days 12.5 to 30.5,the expressions of DKK1 were positive in periodontal ligament, alveolar bone, and cellular cementum as odontoblasts, which were gradually increased with the prolongation of time.However, no expression of DKK1 was detected in the pulp.Conclusion:DKK1 shows regular expressions at different tooth developmental stages after birth, suggesting its potential role in the growth of dentin and periodontal tissues.