BACKGROUND:Bone defects can directly affect the success rate and long-term stability of dental implants.Studies have shown that salidroside has the ability to promote the proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts,but less is reported on its pathways related to osteogenic differentiation. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effects of salidroside on the proliferation and differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells and the expression of related genes and proteins through in vitro cell experiments. METHODS:Cell counting kit-8 test and alkaline phosphatase test were used to determine the optimal concentration of salidroside(0.5,1,5,10,and 50 μmol/L)in promoting the proliferation and differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells.There were four groups in the experiment:control group,salidroside group,salidroside+LY294002 group,and LY294002 group,which were cultured with osteogenic induction solution,osteogenic induction solution containing 10 μmol/L salidroside,osteogenic induction solution containing 10 μmol/L salidroside+10 μmol/L LY294002,and osteogenic induction solution containing 10 μmol/L LY294002,respectively.The effects of salidroside and LY294002,an inhibitor of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway,on the expressions of genes and proteins related to osteogenesis were observed. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Cell counting kit-8 assay and alkaline phosphatase assay showed that salidroside promoted the proliferation of MC3T3-E1 cells most significantly at 10 μmol/L.Compared with the control group,salidroside could promote mineralization,promote cell adhesion,reduce cell death,increase mRNA expression of Runx-2,osteocalcin and osteopontin(P<0.01),and increase protein expression of Runx-2 and p-Akt(P<0.01).However,the addition of LY294002 reversed the above results.These findings indicate that salidroside can promote the mineralization of MC3T3-E1 cells and the expression of osteogenesis-related genes and proteins,which may be related to the activation of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND:Stand-alone oblique lateral interbody fusion has a high rate of complications of fusion segment sink.Oblique lateral interbody fusion with posterior fixation can provide stable support,but intraoperative position changes and double incisions weaken the advantages of this technique.Oblique lateral interbody fusion combined with lateral plate fixation can achieve one-stage decompression in the same incision,while the lateral internal fixation provides stable support. OBJECTIVE:To analyze the short-term efficacy of oblique lateral interbody fusion combined with lateral plate fixation in the treatment of single-level lumbar degenerative disease. METHODS:The clinical data of 34 patients with single-level lumbar degenerative disease treated with oblique lateral interbody fusion combined with lateral plate fixation were collected from May 2020 to October 2022.Among them,14 were males and 20 were females aged from 41 to 72 years at the mean age of(58.6±9.9)years.There were 11 cases of lumbar spondylolisthesis(Ⅰ°),7 cases of lumbar disc herniation with segmental instability,and 16 cases of lumbar spinal stenosis.Operation time,blood loss,and complications were recorded.Visual analog scale scores of lumbago,radiative pain of both lower limbs,and Oswestry disability index scores were evaluated before surgery,3 months after surgery,and the last follow-up.Dural sac cross-sectional area,intervertebral height,and intervertebral fusion were measured and observed. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The 34 patients were followed up for 14-36 months,with an average of(21.3±5.2)months.(2)The operation time ranged from 50 to 92 minutes,with an average of(68.5±11.1)minutes.Intraoperative blood loss was 50-170 mL,with an average of(71.6±25.3)mL.(3)Compared with the preoperative results,the visual analog scale scores and Oswestry disability index scores were significantly decreased at 3 months after surgery and at the last follow-up(P<0.001),and the maximum Oswestry disability index scores were improved by nearly 50％.(4)Bone fusion was achieved in all patients during half-year follow-up.The overall complication rate was 21％(7/34),including 1 case of plate displacement,3 cases of cage subsidence,1 case of psoas weakness,and 2 cases of anterior thigh pain.(5)It is concluded that oblique lateral interbody fusion combined with lateral plate fixation for the treatment of lumbar degenerative diseases has the characteristics of less blood loss,short operation time,rapid postoperative recovery,and significant short-term clinical efficacy with the stable support to a certain extent.The long-term curative effect needs further follow-up observation.

BACKGROUND:We have successfully established an animal model of small ear pig in southern Yunnan province with internal tension relieving technique combined with autologous Achilles tendon for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction,and verified the stability and reliability of the model.However,whether internal tension relieving technique can promote the ligamentalization process of autologous Achilles tendon graft has not been studied. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the differences in the process of ligamentalization between conventional reconstruction and internal reduction reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament by gross view,histology and electron microscopy. METHODS:Thirty adult female small ear pigs in southern Yunnan province were selected.Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction was performed on the left knee joint with the ipsilateral knee Achilles tendon(n=30 in the normal group),and anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction was performed on the right knee joint with the ipsilateral knee Achilles tendon combined with the internal relaxation and enhancement system(n=30 in the relaxation group).The autogenous right forelimb was used as the control group;the anterior cruciate ligament was exposed but not severed or surgically treated.At 12,24,and 48 weeks after surgery,10 animals were sacrificed,respectively.The left and right knee joint specimens were taken for gross morphological observation to evaluate the graft morphology.MAS score was used to evaluate the excellent and good rate of the ligament at each time point.Hematoxylin-eosin staining was used to evaluate the degree of ligament graft vascularization.Collagen fibers and nuclear morphology were observed,and nuclear morphology was scored.Ultrastructural remodeling was evaluated by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The ligament healing shape of the relaxation group was better at various time points after surgery,and the excellent and good rate of MAS score was higher(P<0.05).Moreover,the relaxation group could obtain higher ligament vascularization score(P<0.05).(2)The arrangement of collagen bundles and fiber bundles in the two groups gradually tended to be orderly,and the transverse fiber connections between collagen gradually increased and thickened,suggesting that the strength and shape degree of the grafts were gradually improved,but the ligament remodeling in the relaxation group was always faster than that in the normal group at various time points after surgery.(3)The diameter,distribution density,and arrangement degree of collagen fibers in the relaxation group were better than those in the normal group at all time points,especially in the comparison of collagen fiber diameter between and within the relaxation group(P<0.05).

Objective To explore the clinical value of serum stromal cell-derived factor-1(SDF-1)and macro-phage inflammatory protein-1α(MIP-1α)in predicting biliary tract infection after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography(ERCP)stone removal in patients with common bile duct stones.Methods From January 2022 to January 2024,100 patients with common bile duct stones who underwent ERCP stone removal surgery in Pingdingshan First People's Hospital were collected.They were grouped into an infection group(12 cases)and a non-infection group(88 cases)based on whether biliary tract infection occurred after surgery.The general information of patients in the two groups was compared.ELISA method was used to measure the levels of serum SDF-1 and MIP-1α.Spearman method was applied to analyze the correlation between the severity of infec-tion and serum level of SDF-1 and MIP-1α.ROC curve was applied to analyze the value of serum SDF-1 and MIP-1α to predict biliary tract infection after ERCP stone removal in patients with common bile duct stones.Results A total of 36 strains of pathogenic bacteria were detected in the biliary drainage fluid samples of the infection group,among which Gram-negative bacteria accounted for 55.56%and Gram-positive bacteria accounted for 44.44%.The infection group showed significantly higher serum levels of SDF-1 and MIP-1α(P＜0.05).As the infection wors-ened,SDF-1 and MIP-1α levels progressively increased(P＜0.05).The severity of biliary tract infection was sig-nificantly positively correlated with both serum SDF-1 and MIP-1α levels(P＜0.05).For predicting biliary tract in-fection,SDF-1 and MIP-1α exhibited AUC values of 0.761 and 0.825,sensitivities of 63.33%and 66.67%,and specificities of 83.33%and 83.33%,respectively.When combined,the predictive AUC reached 0.977,with a sensitivity of 83.33%and a specificity of 98.33%.Conclusions Serum level of SDF-1 and MIP-1α are significant-ly elevated in patients with common bile duct stones and biliary tract infections after ERCP stone removal surgery,showing a positive correlation with the severity of the infection.The combination of these two biomarkers demon-strates excellent predictive efficacy for postoperative infection.

Objective:To evaluate cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow dynamics and volume changes of pulsatile tinnitus (PT) patients induced by sigmoid sinus wall dehiscence (SSWD) using MRI.Methods:This was a cross-sectional study. Totally 55 SSWD-PT patients, and 35 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were prospectively enrolled at Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University from October 2019 to September 2023. The CSF at the midbrain aqueduct level was analyzed based on phase-contrast MRI to obtain the flow dynamics information. Based on T 1-weighted turbo field echo sequence, the CSF was segmented and the volume of CSF was calculated using ITK-SNAP software. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare the differences of each parameter between the two groups. Binary logistic regression was used to analyze the parameters with statistically significant differences to obtain the independent influencing factors of SSWD-PT and establish the combined parameters. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to evaluate the efficacy of diagnosing SSWD-PT. Results:Compared with controls, the SSWD-PT group showed significantly decreased mean flux (MF), mean velocity, peak velocity( P<0.05), and significantly increased regurgitant fraction (RF), CSF volume ( P<0.05). No significant differences were observed in forward flow volume, backward flow volume, and stroke volume ( P>0.05). The logistic regression results showed that MF ( OR=0.497, 95% CI 0.305-0.808, P=0.005) and RF ( OR=1.809, 95% CI 1.040-3.147, P=0.036) were independent influencing factors of SSWD-PT. The area under the curve (AUC) of MF and RF for diagnosing SSWD-PT were 0.641 (95% CI 0.517-0.766) and 0.675 (95% CI 0.564-0.786), respectively. The AUC of the combination of MF and RF was 0.724 (95% CI 0.614-0.833). Conclusions:SSWD-PT patients have abnormal changes in CSF flow dynamics and volume. The MF and RF demonstrate moderate diagnostic value for diagnosing SSWD-PT.

Objective:To investigate the clinical features of patients with congenital atresia of the oval window (CAOW).Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 7 cases (8 ears) of surgically confirmed CAOW treated at our department from July 2018 to July 2024. Among the cases, 1 patient had bilateral CAOW, and 4 patients had unilateral CAOW combined with other types of ossicular chain malformations in the contralateral ear. We collected and analyzed the clinical data, audiological features, and temporal bone HRCT results of all patients.Results:The 7 patients were diagnosed at ages ranging from 8 to 19 years, with a mean age of (13.2±6.9) years. None of the patients exhibited significant auricular deformities. All presented with conductive hearing loss or mixed hearing loss predominantly of the conductive type, with an intact tympanic membrane. The diagnosis of CAOW was confirmed via endoscopic tympanotomy, revealing a concave oval window area on the medial wall of the tympanic cavity, sealed by a bony plate. All 8 ears exhibited additional ossicular chain deformities. Stapes absence was present in all 8 ears. Partial absence of the incus long process was observed in 3 ears, while, abnormal bony connections between the incus long process and the promontory were seen in 4 ears, 1 ear had a short malleolar handle, 1 ear had a smaller than normal malleus volume. In addition, facial nerve deformities were found in 6 ears, with 4 ears showing bifurcation of the facial nerve and 2 ears showing facial nerve obscuration of the oval window. Pure-tone audiometry revealed that 62.5% (5/8 ears) of patients had air conduction (AC) thresholds≥60 dB preoperatively, with a mean pure-tone average (PTA) of (69.0±11.8) dB HL and a mean air-bone gap (ABG) of (52.0±7.0) dB. The mean AC threshold and ABG were higher in the low-frequency (125-1 000 Hz) range compared to the high-frequency (2 000-8 000 Hz) range (both P<0.05). Preoperative HRCT showed abnormalities in all patients, with 7 ears being diagnosable as CAOW. Although the remaining 1 ear could not be diagnosed as CAOW, stapes and incus long process absence were detected. Conclusion:CAOW is rare in clinical, as the patients with non-progressive conductive hearing loss (AC≥60 dB, ABG≥50 dB) since childhood, intact tympanic membrane without malformations of auricle and external auditory canal, and thick bony plate covered the oval window of the HRCT imaging, CAOW should be highly suspected, which could be confirmed by the exploratory tympanotomy.

BACKGROUND: Gout is a chronic disease primarily caused by elevated urate levels, severely affecting joint health. Its global distribution varies, and updated data for China are lacking. This study aimed to analyze the current burden and trends of gout globally and in China, examining the burden by gender, age, and risk factors while providing future predictions. METHODS: This descriptive epidemiological secondary analysis utilized data from the Global Burden of Disease, Injuries, and Risk Factors (GBD) 2021 study. Age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR), prevalence rate (ASPR), and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) rates (ASDR) were used to assess the gout burden. Trends from 1990 to 2021 were analyzed across global regions, genders, and sociodemographic index (SDI) levels. The burden in China was further examined by gender, age, and associated risk factors. The Bayesian age-period-cohort (BAPC) model was used to predict future trends. Gout burden in China and the United States was compared. RESULTS: In 2021, gout affected 57 million people globally, with 9.4 million new cases and 1.75 million DALYs. From 1990 to 2021, the ASIR, ASPR, and ASDR increased by 17.2%, 21.9%, and 21.3%, respectively. Males experienced a significantly higher burden, with greater ASIR, ASPR, and ASDR increasing with higher SDI levels. In China, male ASIR, ASPR, and ASDR were over 2.8 times those of females, and the burden increased with age. In 2021, 31.4% of gout-related DALYs in China were attributed to high body mass index and 7.6% to kidney dysfunction. Between 1990 and 2021, the high body mass index-related burden of gout rose annually for both genders, while the kidney dysfunction-related gout burden remained stable. By 2050, the burden of gout in China is expected to continue increasing, with a slower rise in females and a decline in males after an initial increase. However, the overall burden will remain substantial. In comparison, the gout burden will be higher in the United States than in China. CONCLUSIONS Gout is becoming a significant health burden globally and in China, particularly among Chinese males and older individuals. With the aging population and lifestyle changes exacerbating the issue, effective strategies and measures are essential to prevent or reduce gout-related health issues.
Humans ; Gout/epidemiology* ; Male ; Female ; Incidence ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence ; China/epidemiology* ; Adult ; Risk Factors ; Aged ; Global Burden of Disease ; Disability-Adjusted Life Years ; Young Adult ; Adolescent ; Quality-Adjusted Life Years

Objective To explore the effect of PCSK9 inhibitor combined with atorvastatin on carotid atherosclerosis and its anti-inflammatory effect in patients with hypertension complicated with type 2 diabetes mellitus.Methods A total of 100 patients with hypertension complicated with type 2 diabetes mellitus who were treated in Nanchang Third Hospital from October 2022 to August 2023 were selected as the research subjects.They were divided into the control group and the study group by the random number table method,with 50 cases in each group.Both groups of patients received conventional antihypertensive,hypoglycemic,and antiplatelet therapy.The control group took 20 mg of atorvastatin calcium tablets orally,once a night.On the basis of the control group,the study group was additionally given 150 mg of evolocumab injection(a PCSK9 inhibitor)by subcutaneous injection,once every two weeks.Both groups of patients were followed up for 24 weeks.The levels of blood lipids,blood glucose,inflammatory cytokines,carotid intima-media thickness(IMT),atherosclerotic plaque score and adverse reactions of the patients in the two groups before and after treatment were detected and compared.Results The levels of TC,TG and LDL-C in the study group after treatment were lower than those before treatment and those in the control group at the same period,and the differences were statistically significant(P＜0.05).The levels of IL-1,IL-6,TNF-α,hs-CRP,as well as the ca-rotid IMT and atherosclerotic plaque score in the study group after treatment were lower than those before treatment and those in the control group at the same period,and the differences were statistically significant(P＜O.05).During the treatment period,there was no significant difference in the occurrence of adverse reac-tions between the two groups(P＞0.05).Conclusion The combination of PCSK9 inhibitor and atorvastatin can effectively regulate the blood lipid levels of patients with hypertension complicated and type 2 diabetes mellitus,alleviate the inflammatory response,and improve the degree of carotid atherosclerosis in these pa-tients.