OBJECTIVE: To explore decompression strategies for lateral lumbar spinal stenosis under unilateral biportal endoscopy (UBE) assistance. METHODS: A clinical data of 86 patients with lateral lumbar stenosis treated with UBE-assisted intervertebral decompression between September 2022 and December 2023 was retrospectively analyzed. There were 42 males and 44 females with an average age of 63.6 years (range, 45-79 years). The disease duration ranged from 6 to 14 months (mean, 8.5 months). Surgical levels included L _{2, 3} in 3 cases, L _{3, 4} in 26 cases, L _{4, 5} in 42 cases, and L ₅, S ₁ in 15 cases. According to Lee's grading system, there were 21 cases of grade 1, 37 cases of grade 2, and 28 cases of grade 3 for lumbar spinal stenosis. Based on the location of stenosis and clinical symptoms, the 33 cases underwent interlaminar approach, 7 cases underwent interlaminar approach with auxiliary third incision, 26 cases underwent contralateral inclinatory approach, and 20 cases underwent paraspinal approach; then, the corresponding decompression procedures were performed. Visual analogue scale (VAS) score was used to evaluate lower back/leg pain before operation and at 1 and 3 months after operation, while Oswestry disability index (ODI) was used to evaluate spinal function. At 3 months after operation, the effectiveness was evaluated using the modified MacNab evaluation criteria. The spinal stenosis and decompression were evaluated based on Lee's grading system using lumbar MRI before operation and at 3 months after operation. RESULTS: All procedures were successfully completed with mean operation time of 95.1 minutes (range, 57-166 minutes). Dural tears occurred in 2 cases treated with interlaminar approach with auxiliary third incision. All incisions healed by first intention. All patients were followed up 3-10 months (mean, 5.9 months). The clinical symptoms of the patients relieved to varying degrees. The VAS scores and ODI of lower back and leg pain at 1 and 3 months after operation significantly improved compared to preoperative levels ( P<0.05), and the indicators at 3 months significantly improved than that at 1 month ( P<0.05). According to the modified MacNab evaluation criteria, the effectiveness at 3 months after operation was rated as excellent in 52 cases, good in 21 cases, and poor in 13 cases, with an excellent and good rate of 84.9%. No lumbar instability was detected on flexion-extension X-ray films during follow-up. The Lee's grading of lateral lumbar stenosis at 2 days after operation showed significant improvement compared to preoperative grading ( P<0.05). CONCLUSION For lateral lumbar spinal stenosis, UBE-assisted decompression of the spinal canal requires the selection of interlaminar approach, interlaminar approach with auxiliary third incision, contralateral inclinatory approach, and paraspinal approach based on preoperative imaging findings and clinical symptoms to achieve better effectiveness.
Humans ; Spinal Stenosis/diagnostic imaging* ; Female ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Decompression, Surgical/methods* ; Aged ; Lumbar Vertebrae/surgery* ; Endoscopy/methods* ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects and underlying mechanism of ionizing radiation on the adipogenic of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). METHODS: Mouse MSCs were cultured in vitro and treated with 2 Gy and 6 Gy radiation with ⁶⁰Co, and the radiation dose rate was 0.98 Gy/min. Bulk RNA-seq was performed on control and irradiated MSCs. The changes of adipogenic differentiation and oxidative stress pathways of MSC were revealed by bioinformatics analysis. Oil Red O staining was used to detect the adipogenic differentiation ability of MSCs in vitro, and real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (qPCR) was used to detect the expression differences of key regulatory factors Cebpa, Lpl and Pparg after radiation treatment. At the same time, qPCR and Western blot were used to detect the effect of inhibition of Nrf2, a key factor of antioxidant stress pathway, on the expression of key regulatory factors of adipogenesis. Moreover, the species conservation of the irradiation response of human bone marrow MSCs and mouse MSC was determined by qPCR. RESULTS: Bulk RNA-seq suggested that ionizing radiation promotes adipogenic differentiation of MSCs and up-regulation of oxidative stress-related genes and pathways. The results of Oil Red O staining and qPCR showed that ionizing radiation promoted the adipogenesis of MSCs, with high expression of Cebpa, Lpl and Pparg, as well as oxidative stress-related gene Nrf2. Nrf2 pathway inhibitors could further enhance the adipogenesis of MSCs in bone marrow after radiation. Notably, the similar regulation of oxidative pathways and enhanced adipogenesis post irradiation were observed in human bone marrow MSCs. In addition, irradiation exposure led to up-regulated mRNA expression of interleukin-6 and down-regulated mRNA expression of colony stimulating factor 2 in human bone marrow MSCs. CONCLUSION Ionizing radiation promotes adipogenesis of MSCs in mice, and oxidative stress pathway participates in this effect, blocking Nrf2 further promotes the adipogenesis of MSCs. Additionally, irradiation activates oxidative pathways and promotes adipogenic differentiation of human bone marrow MSCs.
Mesenchymal Stem Cells/cytology* ; Oxidative Stress/radiation effects* ; Animals ; Adipogenesis/radiation effects* ; Mice ; Radiation, Ionizing ; Cell Differentiation/radiation effects* ; Humans ; NF-E2-Related Factor 2/metabolism* ; PPAR gamma ; Cells, Cultured

OBJECTIVE: To establish an in vitro cell model simulating acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) bone marrow microenvironment injury with the advantage of mouse serum of aGVHD model and explore the effect of serum of aGVHD mouse on the adipogenic differentiation ability of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). METHODS: The 6-8-week-old C57BL/6N female mice and BALB/c female mice were used as the donor and recipient mice of the aGVHD model, respectively. Bone marrow transplantation (BMT) mouse model (n=20) was established by being injected with bone marrow cells (1×10⁷ per mouse) from donor mice within 4-6 hours after receiving a lethal dose (8.0 Gy, 72.76 cGy/min) of γ ray general irradiation. A mouse model of aGVHD (n=20) was established by infusing a total of 0.4 ml of a mixture of donor mouse-derived bone marrow cells (1×10⁷ per mouse) and spleen lymphocytes (2×10⁶ per mouse). The blood was removed from the eyeballs and the mouse serum was aspirated on the 7^th day after modeling. Bone marrow-derived MSCs were isolated from 1-week-old C57BL/6N male mice and incubated with 2%, 5% and 10% BMT mouse serum and aGVHD mouse serum in the medium, respectively. The effect of serum in the two groups on the in vitro adipogenic differentiation ability of mouse MSCs was detected by Oil Red O staining. The expression levels of related proteins PPARγ and CEBPα were detected by Western blot. The expression differences of key adipogenic transcription factors including PPARγ, CEBPα, FABP4 and LPL were determined by real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). RESULTS: An in vitro cell model simulating the damage of bone marrow microenvironment in mice with aGVHD was successfully established. Oil Red O staining showed that the number of orange-red fatty droplets was significantly reduced and the adipogenic differentiation ability of MSC was impaired at aGVHD serum concentration of 10% compared with BMT serum. Western blot experiments showed that adipogenesis-related proteins PPARγ and CEBPα expressed in MSCs were down-regulated. Further RT-qPCR assay showed that the production of PPARγ, CEBPα, FABP4 and LPL, the key transcription factors for adipogenic differentiation of MSC, were significantly reduced. CONCLUSION The adipogenic differentiation capacity of MSCs is inhibited by aGVHD mouse serum.
Animals ; Mesenchymal Stem Cells/cytology* ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Adipogenesis ; Female ; Cell Differentiation ; Graft vs Host Disease/blood* ; Bone Marrow Cells/cytology* ; PPAR gamma/metabolism* ; Disease Models, Animal ; CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Protein-alpha/metabolism*

OBJECTIVE: To prepare clinical-grade human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-MSC) with high expression of hematopoietic supporting factors and evaluate their stem cell characteristics. METHODS: Fetal umbilical cord tissues were collected from healthy postpartum women during full-term cesarean section. Wharton's jelly was mechanically separated and hUC-MSCs were obtained by explant culture method and enzyme digestion method in an animal serum-free culture system with addition of human platelet lysate. The phenotypic characteristics of hUC-MSCs obtained by two methods were detected by flow cytometry. The differences in proliferation ability between the two groups of hUC-MSCs were identified through CCK-8 assay and colony forming unit-fibroblast (CFU-F) assay. The differences in multilineage differentiation potential between the two groups of hUC-MSCs were identified through induction of adipogenic, osteogenic, and chondrogenic differentiation. The mRNA expression levels of hematopoietic supporting factors such as SCF, IL-3, CXCL12, VCAM1 and ANGPT1 in the two groups of hUC-MSCs were identified by real-time fluorescence quantiative PCR(RT-qPCR). RESULTS: The results of flow cytometry showed that hUC-MSCs obtained by the two methods both expressed high levels of CD73, CD90 and CD105, while lowly expressed CD31, CD45 and HLA-DR. The results of CCK-8 and CFU-F assay showed that the proliferation ability of hUC-MSCs obtained by explant culture method was better than those obtained by enzyme digestion method. The results of the triple lineage differentiation experiment showed that there was no significant difference in multilineage differentiation potential between the two grous of hUC-MSCs. The results of RT-qPCR showed that the mRNA expression levels of hematopoietic supporting factors SCF, IL-3, CXCL12, VCAM1 and ANGPT1 in hUC-MSCs obtained by explant cultrue method were higher than those obtained by enzyme digestion method. CONCLUSION Clinical-grade hUC-MSCs with high expression levels of hematopoietic supporting factors were successfully cultured in an animal serum-free culture system.
Humans ; Mesenchymal Stem Cells/metabolism* ; Umbilical Cord/cytology* ; Cell Differentiation ; Female ; Cell Proliferation ; Cells, Cultured ; Chemokine CXCL12/metabolism* ; Angiopoietin-1/metabolism* ; Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1/metabolism* ; Stem Cell Factor/metabolism* ; Flow Cytometry ; Pregnancy

Patients with periodontal disease often require combined periodontal-orthodontic interventions to restore periodontal health, function, and aesthetics, ensuring both patient satisfaction and long-term stability. Managing these patients involving orthodontic tooth movement can be particularly challenging due to compromised periodontal soft and hard tissues, especially in severe cases. Therefore, close collaboration between orthodontists and periodontists for comprehensive diagnosis and sequential treatment, along with diligent patient compliance throughout the entire process, is crucial for achieving favorable treatment outcomes. Moreover, long-term orthodontic retention and periodontal follow-up are essential to sustain treatment success. This expert consensus, informed by the latest clinical research and practical experience, addresses clinical considerations for orthodontic treatment of periodontal patients, delineating indications, objectives, procedures, and principles with the aim of providing clear and practical guidance for clinical practitioners.
Humans ; Consensus ; Orthodontics, Corrective/standards* ; Periodontal Diseases/complications* ; Tooth Movement Techniques/methods* ; Practice Guidelines as Topic

Objective To investigate the dosimetric difference between manual and inverse optimization in 3-dimensional (3D) brachytherapy for gynecologic tumors. Methods This retrospective study was conducted among a total of 110 patients with gynecologic tumors undergoing intracavitary combined with interstitial brachytherapy or interstitial brachytherapy. Based on the original images, the brachytherapy plans were optimized for each patient using Gro, IPSA1, IPSA2 (with increased volumetric dose limits on the basis of IPSA1) and HIPO algorithms. The dose-volume histogram (DVH) parameters of the clinical target volume (CTV) including V200, V150, V100, D90, D98 and CI, and the dosimetric parameters D2cc, D1cc, and D0.1cc for the bladder, rectum, and sigmoid colon were compared among the 4 plans. Results Among the 4 plans, Gro optimization took the longest time, followed by HIPO, IPSA2 and IPSA1 optimization. The mean D90, D98, and V100 of HIPO plans were significantly higher than those of Gro and IPSA plans, and D90 and V100 of IPSA1, IPSA2 and HIPO plans were higher than those of Gro plans (P<0.05), but the CI of the 4 plans were similar (P>0.05). For the organs at risk (OARs), the HIPO plan had the lowest D2cc of the bladder and rectum;the bladder absorbed dose of Gro plans were significantly greater than those of IPSA1 and HIPO (P<0.05). The D2cc and D1cc of the rectum in IPSA1, IPSA2 and HIPO plans were better than Gro (P<0.05). The D2cc and D1cc of the sigmoid colon did not differ significantly among the 4 plans. Conclusion Among the 4 algorithms, the HIPO algorithm can better improve dose coverage of the target and lower the radiation dose of the OARs, and is thus recommended for the initial plan optimization. Clinically, the combination of manual optimization can achieve more individualized dose distribution of the plan.

Objective To investigate the dosimetric difference between manual and inverse optimization in 3-dimensional (3D) brachytherapy for gynecologic tumors. Methods This retrospective study was conducted among a total of 110 patients with gynecologic tumors undergoing intracavitary combined with interstitial brachytherapy or interstitial brachytherapy. Based on the original images, the brachytherapy plans were optimized for each patient using Gro, IPSA1, IPSA2 (with increased volumetric dose limits on the basis of IPSA1) and HIPO algorithms. The dose-volume histogram (DVH) parameters of the clinical target volume (CTV) including V200, V150, V100, D90, D98 and CI, and the dosimetric parameters D2cc, D1cc, and D0.1cc for the bladder, rectum, and sigmoid colon were compared among the 4 plans. Results Among the 4 plans, Gro optimization took the longest time, followed by HIPO, IPSA2 and IPSA1 optimization. The mean D90, D98, and V100 of HIPO plans were significantly higher than those of Gro and IPSA plans, and D90 and V100 of IPSA1, IPSA2 and HIPO plans were higher than those of Gro plans (P<0.05), but the CI of the 4 plans were similar (P>0.05). For the organs at risk (OARs), the HIPO plan had the lowest D2cc of the bladder and rectum;the bladder absorbed dose of Gro plans were significantly greater than those of IPSA1 and HIPO (P<0.05). The D2cc and D1cc of the rectum in IPSA1, IPSA2 and HIPO plans were better than Gro (P<0.05). The D2cc and D1cc of the sigmoid colon did not differ significantly among the 4 plans. Conclusion Among the 4 algorithms, the HIPO algorithm can better improve dose coverage of the target and lower the radiation dose of the OARs, and is thus recommended for the initial plan optimization. Clinically, the combination of manual optimization can achieve more individualized dose distribution of the plan.

Objective:To explore the protective mechanism of Xuebijing injection (referred to as Xuebijing) on sepsis-associated acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).Methods:① Animal experiments: 100 mice were randomly(random number) divided into 4 groups, including sham operation (Sham) group, cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) group, CLP+low-dose Xuebijing (L-XBJ) group, and CLP+high-dose Xuebijing (H-XBJ) group. The survival rate, lung histological changes, lung wet/dry (W/D) ratio, cell count and protein concentration in bronchoalveolar lavage fluids (BALF), inflammatory factors levels in serum, oxidative stress indicators, cell apoptosis, and key proteins of HIF-1α/p38 MAPK/NF-κB signaling pathway were measured. ② Cell experiments: Mouse alveolar macrophages (MH-S) were cultured in vitro and divided into 6 groups, including control (Con) group, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) group, LPS+L-XBJ group, and LPS+H-XBJ group, LPS+H-XBJ+ dimethyloxallyl glycine (DMOG, HIF-1α activator) group, LPS+H-XBJ+ 2-methoxyestradiol (2ME2, HIF-1α inhibitor) group. The effects of Xuebijing on inflammatory factors, oxidative stress, and cell apoptosis and their relationship with HIF-1α/p38 MAPK/NF-κB signaling pathway were detected.Results:Xuebijing increased the survival rate of mice with sepsis-associated ARDS, relieved lung tissue damage [lung injury score: CLP group (8.778±0.588), CLP+L-XBJ group (5.833±0.310), and CLP+H-XBJ group (4.750±0.246)], alleviated lung W/D ratio, and decreased pneumonia cell infiltration and protein exudation (all P<0.05). Additionally, Xuebijing treatment also diminished the expression of inflammatory factors (TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6), intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, malondialdehyde (MDA) formation, superoxide dismutase (SOD) depletion, and cell apoptosis in LPS-induced MH-S cells and CLP-induced sepsis-associated ARDS mice (all P<0.05). Furthermore, mechanistic investigation further clarified the effects of Xuebijing on inflammation, oxidative stress, and cell apoptosis through the HIF-1α/p38 MAPK/NF-κB signaling pathway. Conclusions:Xuebijing can exert anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, and anti-apoptotic effects by suppressing the HIF-1α/p38 MAPK/NF-κB signaling pathway, thereby conferring protection against sepsis-associated ARDS.

BACKGROUND:Bone mineral density is the clinical gold standard for determining bone strength,but bone mineral density is less sensitive to changes in bone mass,with large changes in bone mineral density only occurring when bone mass is significantly reduced,so bone mineral density has limited ability to predict changes in bone strength and fracture risk. OBJECTIVE:A model of the normal and osteoporotic hip joint was developed to analyze the stresses and deformation in the hip of normal and osteoporotic patients under single-leg standing conditions. METHODS:A healthy adult female volunteer at the age of 36 years was selected as the study subject.The CT data of the hip joint of this volunteer were obtained and saved in DICOM format.The hip joint model was reconstructed in three dimensions,and the material properties were assigned by the gray value assignment method to obtain the normal and osteoporotic hip joint models according to the empirical formula.The same boundary conditions and loads were set to simulate the stresses and deformation in the normal and osteoporotic hip joints in the single-leg standing position. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)In the finite element model of the normal and osteoporotic hip,the stress distribution was more concentrated in the medial region of the femoral neck.(2)In the hip bone,the stress distribution was mainly concentrated in the upper part of the acetabulum.(3)The stress peaks in the medial femoral neck and upper acetabulum were larger in the normal hip model than in the osteoporotic hip model,probably due to the reduced bone strength of the osteoporotic bone.(4)The peak Von Mises of both normal and osteoporotic hip models were concentrated on the medial femoral neck,and the peak Von Mises of the hip bone was smaller,indicating that the overall effect of osteoporosis on hip bone stresses was relatively small.(5)In terms of deformation in the single-leg standing position,the maximum deformation in the normal hip model was located at the acetabulum and femoral head,and the maximum deformation was located at the upper part of the greater trochanter of the femur.(6)It is suggested that the finite element analysis method to model the values of parameters related to bone tissue in osteoporosis may improve clinical prediction of bone strength changes and fracture risk.It is explained from the biomechanical view that the intertrochanteric femur and femoral neck are good sites for osteoporotic hip fractures.