Five previously undescribed diterpenoids, named succipenoids D‒H (1‒5), along with four undescribed lignans, named succignans A‒D (6‒9), were isolated from the dichloromethane extract of Chinese medicinal succinum. Compounds 1‒5 were characterized as nor-abietane diterpenoids, while compounds 6‒9 were identified as lignans polymerized from two groups of phenylpropanoid units. The structures of these novel compounds, including their absolute configurations, were determined through spectroscopic and computational methods. Biological assessments of renal fibrosis demonstrated that compounds 6 and 7 effectively reduce the expression of proteins associated with renal fibrosis, including α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), collagen I, and fibronectin in transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) induced normal rat kidney proximal tubular epithelial cells (NRK-52e).
Animals ; Rats ; Lignans/isolation & purification* ; Diterpenes/isolation & purification* ; Fibrosis/drug therapy* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Molecular Structure ; Cell Line ; Kidney Diseases/pathology* ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1/genetics* ; Kidney/metabolism* ; Actins/genetics* ; Fibronectins/genetics* ; Collagen Type I/genetics* ; Epithelial Cells/metabolism*

Objective:To evaluate the clinical efficacy of the Masquelet technique (induced membrane technique) combined with an antibiotic-impregnated bone cement-coated plate for the treatment of infected nonunion following internal fixation of clavicle fractures.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 12 patients with clavicular infected nonunion who underwent staged treatment using the Masquelet technique combined with an antibiotic-loaded bone cement-coated plate between May 2021 and May 2023 in the Second Ward of Traumatic Orthopedics at Gansu Provincial People's Hospital. The cohort included 8 males and 4 females, with a mean age of 28.8±3.1 years (range: 12-48 years). Among them, 10 cases had mid-third clavicular defects, and 2 cases had lateral third defects. All 12 cases involved nonunion due to bone infection following internal fixation of clavicle fractures, with 6 cases initially fixed with Kirschner wires and 6 with plates. The induced membrane technique was applied in two stages. Stage One: Radical debridement was performed, including removal of the original internal fixation and infected necrotic tissue. A plate was implanted, and the bone defect area was filled with antibiotic-loaded bone cement, fully encapsulating the plate. Stage Two: Bone graft reconstruction was carried out 6-8 weeks later, after infection control was confirmed. The induced membrane was incised, the bone cement was removed, and a bone graft was placed within the membrane. Outcomes included infection control, bone union time, pain visual analogue scale (VAS), and Constant-Murley shoulder score (CMS) at the final follow-up.Results:The interval between the first and second surgeries was 7.42±1.17 weeks (range: 6-10 weeks). All 12 patients were followed up for a mean duration of 16.4±3.9 months (range: 12-24 months). One patient experienced recurrent infection after the first-stage surgery, which was controlled after repeat debridement and replacement of antibiotic-loaded bone cement, with no recurrence during follow-up. All 12 patients achieved bony union, with a mean healing time of 3.42±0.67 months (range: 3-5 months). Radiographs showed continuous bone cortex with no visible fracture lines. At the final follow-up, the mean VAS score was 0.42±0.51, significantly lower than the preoperative score of 6.68±1.12 ( t=18.711, P<0.001). The mean CMS score was 88.93±3.94, significantly higher than the preoperative score of 44.41±7.15 ( t=20.786, P<0.001). Conclusion:The Masquelet technique combined with an antibiotic-loaded bone cement-coated plate is effective in treating infected nonunion after internal fixation of clavicle fractures, significantly improving acromioclavicular joint function.

Objective:To compare the clinical efficacy of navigation system and orthopedic robot-assisted nail placement in the treatment of lower cervical fracture and dislocation.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted to analyze the clinical data of 49 patients with fracture and dislocation of the lower cervical spine who were admitted to Honghui Hospital, Xi′an Jiaotong University School of Medicine from May 2021 to October 2022, including 38 males and 11 females, aged 29-61 years [(39.3±7.3)years]. Injury segments involved C 3 in 12 patients, C 4 in 11, C 5 in 8, C 6 in 9 and C 7 in 9. Twenty-one patients were treated with S8 navigation system (navigation group, 84 screws), and 28 with TINAVI orthopedic robot (robot group, 112 screws). The two groups were compared in terms of the total surgical duration, single screw placement time, total screw placement time, distance between the screw and the anterior cortex, incision length, intraoperative radiation dose, intraoperative blood loss and length of hospital stay. The height of intervertebral space, Cobb angle, sliding distance between vertebral bodies and American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) grade were assessed before surgery and at 3 days after surgery. Visual analogue scale (VAS), Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) score and neck dysfunction index (NDI) before surgery, at 3 days, 3 months after surgery and at the last follow-up were compared. The accuracy of screw placement, intraoperative invasion rate of adjacent facet joints and rate of postoperative complications (infection, screw loosening, etc.) were evaluated. Results:All the patients were followed up for 12-16 months [(13.6±1.9)months]. In the navigation group, the total surgical duration, distance from the screw to the anterior cortex and the intraoperative radiation dose were (236.2±30.6)minutes, (2.0±0.2)mm and (374.3±90.3)mGy respectively, which were significantly shorter or less than those in the robot group [(278.4±20.7)minutes, (10.6±2.9)mm and (448.4±77.9)mGy] ( P<0.01). The single screw placement time, total screw placement time, incision length and intraoperative blood loss were (3.5±0.4)minutes, (23.9±0.5)minutes, (9.1±2.4)cm and (422.2±30.4)ml respectively, which were significantly longer or more than those in the robot group [(2.6±0.2)minutes, (17.9±0.7)minutes, (6.6±2.6)cm and (360.3±56.3)ml] ( P<0.01). There was no significant difference in the length of hospital stay between the two groups ( P>0.05). No significant differences were observed in the height of the intervertebral space, Cobb angle, sliding distance between the vertebral bodies and ASIA grade between the two groups ( P>0.05). At 3 days after surgery, the height of intervertebral space, Cobb angle, sliding distance between vertebral bodies and ASIA grade in both groups were significantly improved when compared with those before surgery ( P<0.05 or 0.01). There were no significant differences in VAS, JOA scores or NDI between the two groups before surgery, at 3 days, 3 months after surgery and at the last follow-up ( P>0.05). The VAS, JOA scores and NDI in both groups were gradually improved at 3 days, 3 months and at the last follow-up after surgery when compared with those before surgery ( P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the accuracy of screw placement of levels 0 and 0+1 between the two groups ( P>0.05). No significant difference in the intraoperative invasion rate of adjacent facet joints between the two groups was found ( P>0.05). There were no serious complications such as infection or screw loosening after surgery in both groups. Conclusions:For lower cervical fracture and dislocation, although there are more advantages in total surgical duration, screw holding force and radiation control regarding the navigation system, and more outstanding performance in screw placement efficiency, incision length and intraoperative blood loss regarding the orthopedic robot, both of them can effectively rebuild the cervical structure, improve neurological function, relieve postoperative pain, improve screw placement accuracy and reduce facet joint injury and serious complications. Selection of the best auxiliary screw placement system should comprehensively consider patients′ conditions and the experience of the surgical team.

Objective:To analyze the prevalence, trends in disease burden, and risk factors of esophageal cancer in various provinces of China from 1990 to 2019.Methods:Utilizing data from the 2019 global burden of disease study, the disease burden of esophageal cancer of 31 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions, as well as Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and Macao Special Administrative Region of China from 1990 to 2019 were analyzed. The disease burden of esophageal cancer in China was described with the number (and incidence) of cases, the number (and mortality) of death, and disability-adjusted life year (DALY) and their age-standardized rates. Joinpoint regression analysis and t-test were used to evaluate the annual percent change and the average annual percent change (AAPC). Scatter plots and Spearman correlation coefficients were performed to analyze the correlation between the disease burden of esophageal cancer and the socio-demographic index (SDI), as well as DALY in each province. Results:In 2019, there were 278 121 new cases of esophageal cancer and 257 316 deaths in China, increased by 60.13% and 45.70% respectively compared with 1990. The top 3 provinces with the highest age-standardized incidence of esophageal cancer were Sichuan Province (25.96/100 000), Jiangsu Province (23.80/100 000), and Fujian Province (21.98/100 000). From 1990 to 2019, except for Jiangsu Province and Sichuan Province, the age-standardized incidence in other provinces showed a declining trend. The age-standardized mortality and DALYs of esophageal cancer decreased in all provinces as well as in Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions of China. The attributable risk factors of esophageal cancer caused deaths in China mainly included smoking, alcohol consumption, high body mass index, and low fruit intake, accounting for 91.38% of all the cases. With the increase of the SDI, the age-standardized rates of DALY in high incidence areas of esophageal cancer (Sichuan Province, Jiangsu Province, Fujian Province, Henan Province, Chongqing City, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Shanxi Province, and Anhui Province) demonstrated a trend of initially decline and then an upward. In contrast, the age-standardized rates of DALY of esophageal cancer in other provinces, as well as in Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions of China, showed a trend of initially upward and then decline. The age-standardized rate of DALY of esophageal cancer showed a negative correlation with SDI ( r=-0.315, P<0.001). From 1990 to 2019, the age-standardized incidence and mortality of esophageal cancer generally demonstrated a downward trend. The AAPC was -1.43% ( t=-19.16, P<0.001) for incidence and -1.83% ( t=-29.63, P<0.001) for mortality, respectively. It is projected that by 2044, the actual number of new esophageal cancer cases in China will increase from 278 121 in 2019 to 291 206 in 2044, and the actual number of deaths will increase from 257 316 to 275 856. Conclusions:In recent years, the disease burden of esophageal cancer in China remains a serious status, with significant differences in geography and gender. It is projected that by 2044, the number of new esophageal cancer cases and deaths in China will continue to increase. Effective strategies and policies are urgently needed to reduce the disease burden.

Objective:To evaluate the clinical efficacy of the Masquelet technique (induced membrane technique) combined with an antibiotic-impregnated bone cement-coated plate for the treatment of infected nonunion following internal fixation of clavicle fractures.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 12 patients with clavicular infected nonunion who underwent staged treatment using the Masquelet technique combined with an antibiotic-loaded bone cement-coated plate between May 2021 and May 2023 in the Second Ward of Traumatic Orthopedics at Gansu Provincial People's Hospital. The cohort included 8 males and 4 females, with a mean age of 28.8±3.1 years (range: 12-48 years). Among them, 10 cases had mid-third clavicular defects, and 2 cases had lateral third defects. All 12 cases involved nonunion due to bone infection following internal fixation of clavicle fractures, with 6 cases initially fixed with Kirschner wires and 6 with plates. The induced membrane technique was applied in two stages. Stage One: Radical debridement was performed, including removal of the original internal fixation and infected necrotic tissue. A plate was implanted, and the bone defect area was filled with antibiotic-loaded bone cement, fully encapsulating the plate. Stage Two: Bone graft reconstruction was carried out 6-8 weeks later, after infection control was confirmed. The induced membrane was incised, the bone cement was removed, and a bone graft was placed within the membrane. Outcomes included infection control, bone union time, pain visual analogue scale (VAS), and Constant-Murley shoulder score (CMS) at the final follow-up.Results:The interval between the first and second surgeries was 7.42±1.17 weeks (range: 6-10 weeks). All 12 patients were followed up for a mean duration of 16.4±3.9 months (range: 12-24 months). One patient experienced recurrent infection after the first-stage surgery, which was controlled after repeat debridement and replacement of antibiotic-loaded bone cement, with no recurrence during follow-up. All 12 patients achieved bony union, with a mean healing time of 3.42±0.67 months (range: 3-5 months). Radiographs showed continuous bone cortex with no visible fracture lines. At the final follow-up, the mean VAS score was 0.42±0.51, significantly lower than the preoperative score of 6.68±1.12 ( t=18.711, P<0.001). The mean CMS score was 88.93±3.94, significantly higher than the preoperative score of 44.41±7.15 ( t=20.786, P<0.001). Conclusion:The Masquelet technique combined with an antibiotic-loaded bone cement-coated plate is effective in treating infected nonunion after internal fixation of clavicle fractures, significantly improving acromioclavicular joint function.

Objective:To analyze the prevalence, trends in disease burden, and risk factors of esophageal cancer in various provinces of China from 1990 to 2019.Methods:Utilizing data from the 2019 global burden of disease study, the disease burden of esophageal cancer of 31 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions, as well as Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and Macao Special Administrative Region of China from 1990 to 2019 were analyzed. The disease burden of esophageal cancer in China was described with the number (and incidence) of cases, the number (and mortality) of death, and disability-adjusted life year (DALY) and their age-standardized rates. Joinpoint regression analysis and t-test were used to evaluate the annual percent change and the average annual percent change (AAPC). Scatter plots and Spearman correlation coefficients were performed to analyze the correlation between the disease burden of esophageal cancer and the socio-demographic index (SDI), as well as DALY in each province. Results:In 2019, there were 278 121 new cases of esophageal cancer and 257 316 deaths in China, increased by 60.13% and 45.70% respectively compared with 1990. The top 3 provinces with the highest age-standardized incidence of esophageal cancer were Sichuan Province (25.96/100 000), Jiangsu Province (23.80/100 000), and Fujian Province (21.98/100 000). From 1990 to 2019, except for Jiangsu Province and Sichuan Province, the age-standardized incidence in other provinces showed a declining trend. The age-standardized mortality and DALYs of esophageal cancer decreased in all provinces as well as in Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions of China. The attributable risk factors of esophageal cancer caused deaths in China mainly included smoking, alcohol consumption, high body mass index, and low fruit intake, accounting for 91.38% of all the cases. With the increase of the SDI, the age-standardized rates of DALY in high incidence areas of esophageal cancer (Sichuan Province, Jiangsu Province, Fujian Province, Henan Province, Chongqing City, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Shanxi Province, and Anhui Province) demonstrated a trend of initially decline and then an upward. In contrast, the age-standardized rates of DALY of esophageal cancer in other provinces, as well as in Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions of China, showed a trend of initially upward and then decline. The age-standardized rate of DALY of esophageal cancer showed a negative correlation with SDI ( r=-0.315, P<0.001). From 1990 to 2019, the age-standardized incidence and mortality of esophageal cancer generally demonstrated a downward trend. The AAPC was -1.43% ( t=-19.16, P<0.001) for incidence and -1.83% ( t=-29.63, P<0.001) for mortality, respectively. It is projected that by 2044, the actual number of new esophageal cancer cases in China will increase from 278 121 in 2019 to 291 206 in 2044, and the actual number of deaths will increase from 257 316 to 275 856. Conclusions:In recent years, the disease burden of esophageal cancer in China remains a serious status, with significant differences in geography and gender. It is projected that by 2044, the number of new esophageal cancer cases and deaths in China will continue to increase. Effective strategies and policies are urgently needed to reduce the disease burden.

Objective:To compare the clinical efficacy of navigation system and orthopedic robot-assisted nail placement in the treatment of lower cervical fracture and dislocation.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted to analyze the clinical data of 49 patients with fracture and dislocation of the lower cervical spine who were admitted to Honghui Hospital, Xi′an Jiaotong University School of Medicine from May 2021 to October 2022, including 38 males and 11 females, aged 29-61 years [(39.3±7.3)years]. Injury segments involved C 3 in 12 patients, C 4 in 11, C 5 in 8, C 6 in 9 and C 7 in 9. Twenty-one patients were treated with S8 navigation system (navigation group, 84 screws), and 28 with TINAVI orthopedic robot (robot group, 112 screws). The two groups were compared in terms of the total surgical duration, single screw placement time, total screw placement time, distance between the screw and the anterior cortex, incision length, intraoperative radiation dose, intraoperative blood loss and length of hospital stay. The height of intervertebral space, Cobb angle, sliding distance between vertebral bodies and American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) grade were assessed before surgery and at 3 days after surgery. Visual analogue scale (VAS), Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) score and neck dysfunction index (NDI) before surgery, at 3 days, 3 months after surgery and at the last follow-up were compared. The accuracy of screw placement, intraoperative invasion rate of adjacent facet joints and rate of postoperative complications (infection, screw loosening, etc.) were evaluated. Results:All the patients were followed up for 12-16 months [(13.6±1.9)months]. In the navigation group, the total surgical duration, distance from the screw to the anterior cortex and the intraoperative radiation dose were (236.2±30.6)minutes, (2.0±0.2)mm and (374.3±90.3)mGy respectively, which were significantly shorter or less than those in the robot group [(278.4±20.7)minutes, (10.6±2.9)mm and (448.4±77.9)mGy] ( P<0.01). The single screw placement time, total screw placement time, incision length and intraoperative blood loss were (3.5±0.4)minutes, (23.9±0.5)minutes, (9.1±2.4)cm and (422.2±30.4)ml respectively, which were significantly longer or more than those in the robot group [(2.6±0.2)minutes, (17.9±0.7)minutes, (6.6±2.6)cm and (360.3±56.3)ml] ( P<0.01). There was no significant difference in the length of hospital stay between the two groups ( P>0.05). No significant differences were observed in the height of the intervertebral space, Cobb angle, sliding distance between the vertebral bodies and ASIA grade between the two groups ( P>0.05). At 3 days after surgery, the height of intervertebral space, Cobb angle, sliding distance between vertebral bodies and ASIA grade in both groups were significantly improved when compared with those before surgery ( P<0.05 or 0.01). There were no significant differences in VAS, JOA scores or NDI between the two groups before surgery, at 3 days, 3 months after surgery and at the last follow-up ( P>0.05). The VAS, JOA scores and NDI in both groups were gradually improved at 3 days, 3 months and at the last follow-up after surgery when compared with those before surgery ( P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the accuracy of screw placement of levels 0 and 0+1 between the two groups ( P>0.05). No significant difference in the intraoperative invasion rate of adjacent facet joints between the two groups was found ( P>0.05). There were no serious complications such as infection or screw loosening after surgery in both groups. Conclusions:For lower cervical fracture and dislocation, although there are more advantages in total surgical duration, screw holding force and radiation control regarding the navigation system, and more outstanding performance in screw placement efficiency, incision length and intraoperative blood loss regarding the orthopedic robot, both of them can effectively rebuild the cervical structure, improve neurological function, relieve postoperative pain, improve screw placement accuracy and reduce facet joint injury and serious complications. Selection of the best auxiliary screw placement system should comprehensively consider patients′ conditions and the experience of the surgical team.

Background::Evaluating the impact of digestive system diseases is vital for devising effective prevention strategies. However, comprehensive reports on the burden of digestive system diseases in China are lacking. Our study aimed to provide an overview of the burden and trends of digestive system diseases from 1990 to 2019 in China and its provinces.Methods::This cross-sectional study utilized the Global Disease Burden Study 2019 to estimate the incidence, mortality rate, disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), years of life disability, years of life lost, and changes in the burden of digestive diseases across Chinese provinces from 1990 to 2019. The analysis of disease burden primarily examines the characteristics of sub-disease distribution, time trends, age distribution, and sex distribution. Additionally, we compared provincial age-standardized DALYs for digestive diseases with the expected rates based on the socio-demographic index (SDI).Results::In 2019, there were 499.2 million cases of digestive system diseases in China, resulting in 1,557,310 deaths. Stomach cancer, colon and rectal cancer, and esophageal cancer are the top three diseases associated with mortality and DALY related to digestive system diseases. Meanwhile, cirrhosis and other chronic liver diseases, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and gallbladder and biliary diseases are the top three kinds of diseases with the highest prevalence among digestive system diseases. The risk of gastric cancer sharply increases among men after the age of 40 years, leading to a significant disparity in burden between men and women. As the SDI increased, the DALYs associated with digestive system diseases in China and its provinces showed a downward trend.Conclusion::Our study highlights the inverse correlation between DALYs associated with digestive system diseases and the SDI.

Objective To evaluate the effects of total intravenous anesthesia on the circadian rhythms in the patients undergoing cardiac transcatheter closure.Methods Thirty patients undergoing cardiac transcathe-ter closure under elective intravenous anesthesia were included in this study.Paired t-tests were performed to com-pare the mRNA levels of the genes encoding circadian locomotor output cycles kaput(CLOCK),brain and mus-cle ARNT-1 like protein-1(BMAL1),cryptochrome1(CRY1),and period circadian clock 2(PER2),the Munich Chronotype Questionnaire(MCTQ)score,and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index(PSQI)score be-fore and after anesthesia.Multiple stepwise regression analysis was performed to screen the factors influencing sleep chronotype and PSQI total score one week after surgery.Results The postoperative mRNA level of CLOCK was higher[1.38±1.23 vs.1.90±1.47;MD(95％CI):0.52(0.20-0.84),t=3.327,P=0.002]and the postoperative mRNA levels of CRY1[1.56±1.50 vs.1.13±0.98;MD(95％CI):-0.43(-0.81--0.05),t=-2.319,P=0.028]and PER2[0.82±0.63 vs.0.50±0.31;MD(95％CI):-0.33(-0.53--0.12),t=-3.202,P=0.003]were lower than the preoperative levels.One week after surgery,the pa-tients presented advanced sleep chronotype[3:03±0:59 vs.2:42±0:37;MD(95％CI):-21(-40--1),t=-2.172,P=0.038],shortened sleep latency[(67±64)min vs.(37±21)min;MD(95％CI):-30.33(-55.28--5.39),t=-2.487,P=0.019],lengthened sleep duration[(436±83)min vs.(499±83)min;MD(95％CI):62.80(26.93-98.67),t=3.581,P=0.001],increased sleep efficiency[(87.59±10.35)％vs.(92.98±4.27)％;MD(95％CI):5.39(1.21-9.58),t=2.636,P=0.013],decreased sleep quality score[1.13±0.78 vs.0.80±0.71;MD(95％CI):-0.33(-0.62--0.05),t=-2.408,P=0.023],and declined PSQI total score[6.60±3.17 vs.4.03±2.58;MD(95％CI):-2.57(-3.87--1.27),t=-4.039,P＜0.001].Body mass index(BMI)(B=-227.460,SE=95.475,t=-2.382,P=0.025),anesthesia duration(B=-47.079,SE=18.506,t=-2.544,P=0.017),and mRNA level of PER2(B=2815.804,SE=1080.183,t=2.607,P=0.015)collectively influenced the sleep chronotype,and the amount of anesthesia medicine(B=0.067,SE=0.028,t=2.385,P=0.024)independently influenced the PSQI one week after surgery.Conclusions Total intravenous anesthe-sia can improve sleep habits by advancing sleep chronotype.BMI,anesthesia duration,and mRNA level of PER2 collectively influence sleep chronotype one week after surgery.The amount of anesthesia medicine independently influences the PSQI total score one week after surgery.

An improved U-Net model(channel attention module U-Net,CAMU-Net)is proposed to achieve precise segmentation of retinal vessels.CAMU-Net model enhances its understanding of regional features by employing residual enhancement convolution to extract important information from the regions,improves the global feature acquisition capability by introducing feature refinement module to promote feature extraction,realizes precise segmentation by adding channel attention module to capture image features accurately,and enhances its capability to perceive target boundaries and details through a multi-scale feature fusion structure.The ablation study on the DRIVE dataset validates the role of each module in retinal vessel segmentation.The comparison with other mainstream network models on DRIVE and STARE datasets verify that CAMU-Net model is superior to other models.