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 investigate the molecular mechanism underlying Porphyromonas gingivalis(Pg)-induced autophagy in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ESCC).Methods After Pg infected KYSE70 cells and KYSE140 cells pretreated with siAtg7 or Chloroquin(CQ),Western blot was used to measure protein levels of Atg7,LC3-Ⅱ/LC3-Ⅰ,and p62;Immunofluorescent confocal imaging analysis was used to detect autophagosome and autolysosome;CCK-8 assay was used to test cell viability;Transwell assay was used for ESCC cell migration and invasion potentials.Likewise,miR-21-5p inhibitor,RASA1 overexpression plasmid,or U0126 were used to block miR-21-5p/RASA1/ERK signaling pathway prior to Pg infection,followed by the aforementioned methods.In addition,immunohistochemistry was used to examine Pg abundance and LC3 protein levels,and RT-PCR was used to evaluate miR-21-5p expression in ESCC and adjacent tissue samples,followed by correlation analyses be-tween Pg and LC3,and Pg and miR-21-5p.Results Pg infected KYSE70 cells and KYSE140 cells showed upreg-ulation Atg7 protein and LC3-Ⅱ/LC3-Ⅰ protein but downregulation of RASA1 protein and p62 protein,enhanced cell proliferation,migration,and invasion as well as immunofluorescent spots of red,green,and yellow in mRFP-GFP-LC3-labeled ESCC cells.Pretreatment with CQ or siAtg7 abolished the above alterations induced by Pg.Con-sistently,pretreatment with miR-21-5p inhibitor,U0126,or RASA1 overexpression plasmid also blocked Pg-stimu-lated autophagy.In ESCC samples,Pg abundance was correlated with upregulation of miR-21-5p and LC3.Con-clusion Pg promotes autophagy in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma via miR-21-5p/RASA1/ERK signaling pathway.

Objective:To investigate the interventional effect of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (BMMSC) transplantation with different doses of X-ray irradiation induced hepatic injury in mice.Methods:Eighteen female C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into 0, 2, and 3 Gy irradiation groups and 0, 2, and 3 Gy transplantation groups. The irradiation group was used as the control and injected with an equal volume of culture medium. The mice in the transplantation group were irradiated with different doses of X-ray irradiation, and BMMSCs were intravenously infused into the bone marrow. The mice were sacrificed for sampling at the end of the 21st day. Mice body weight changes were recorded daily. The changes in the content of peripheral blood lymphocytes, red blood cells, platelets, and hemoglobin were detected by an automatic blood tester. The morphological changes in mice liver tissues were observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining. The serum activities of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were detected by a biochemical analyzer. The reduced glutathione contents in liver tissue were detected by the microplate method. The malondialdehyde content in liver tissue was detected by thiobarbituric acid. The content of total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) in liver tissue was detected by the hydroxylamine method. The expression of the F4/80 protein in liver tissue was detected by the immunohistochemistry method. The protein expression of nuclear transcription factor erythroid 2 related factor 2 (Nrf2) and heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) in liver tissue was determined by the western blotting method. The mRNA expression of NLRP3, IL-6, and Nrf2 in liver tissue was detected by a real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The multiple-group comparisons were analyzed by factorial analysis of variance. The inter-group comparisons were analyzed by the LSD method for statistical analysis.Results:The contents of peripheral blood lymphocytes, erythrocytes, platelets, and hemoglobin were significantly decreased in the 3 Gy irradiation group than the 0 Gy irradiation group ( P<0.05), while the activities of serum ALT and AST were significantly increased ( P<0.05). The malondialdehyde content, F4/80 protein expression level, nucleotide-binding domain and leucine-rich repeats, nucleotide oligomerization domain-like receptor family, pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3), and interleukin 6 mRNA expression levels were significantly increased in liver tissue, while the contents of T-SOD and glutathione, Nrf2 and HO-1 protein expression levels, and Nrf2 mRNA expression level in liver tissue were significantly decreased ( P<0.05). The contents of peripheral blood lymphocytes, red blood cells, platelets, and hemoglobin were significantly increased in the 3 Gy transplantation group than the 3 Gy irradiation group ( P<0.05), while the activities of serum ALT and AST were significantly decreased ( P<0.05). The malondialdehyde content, F4/80 protein expression level, NLRP3 and interleukin-6 mRNA expression levels in liver tissue were significantly decreased ( P<0.05), while the content of T-SOD and glutathione, Nrf2 and HO-1 protein expression levels, and Nrf2 mRNA expression level in liver tissue were significantly increased ( P<0.05). Conclusion:X-ray irradiation at a dose of 3 Gy can induce liver oxidative damage in mice. BMMSC transplantation can improve X-ray irradiation-induced liver oxidative damage in mice, and its mechanism of action may be related to the regulation of the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway.

Objective To explore the improving effect and mechanism of saikosaponin A on insomnia rats based on cAMP/PKA/CREB pathway.Methods Seventy-five SD rats were randomly divided into blank group,model group,low-dose saikosaponin A group(0.625 mg·kg-1),high-dose saikosaponin A group(2.500 mg·kg-1)and Estazolam group(0.1 mg·kg-1),with 15 rats in each group.Insomnia rat model was established by intraperitoneal injection of Phenylalanine(PCPA,0.1 mg·kg-1).The general condition and circadian rhythm of rats were observed;the sleep latency and sleep duration of rats were measured by pentobarbital sodium righting experiment.The sleep phase of rats was observed,and the duration of slow wave sleep phase 1(SWS1),slow wave sleep phase 2(SWS2),rapid eye movement sleep phase(REMS)and total sleep time(TST)were recorded.The mRNA expression levels of hypothalamic circadian genes Clock,Bmal1 and clock-controlled genes Rev-erbα and Rorα were determined by qRT-PCR.The expression level of NeuN in hippocampus was determined by immunofluorescence.The level of cAMP in brain tissue was determined by ELISA.The expression levels of Clock,Bmal1,Rev-erbα,Rorα and cAMP/PKA/CREB pathway-related proteins in brain tissue were determined by Western Blot.Results Compared with the blank group,the rats in the model group had disordered circadian rhythms,extreme excitement,irritability,and reduced sleep;the sleep latency was significantly prolonged(P＜0.05),and the sleep duration and SWS1,SWS2,REMS and TST were significantly shortened(P＜0.05).The arrangement of neurons was disordered,and the IOD value of NeuN positive neurons was significantly decreased(P＜0.05).The mRNA and protein expression levels of Clock,Bmal1,Rev-erbα and Rorα in brain tissue were significantly decreased(P＜0.05).The expression levels of cAMP,p-PKA/PKA and p-CREB/CREB in brain tissue were significantly decreased(P＜0.05).Compared with the model group,the aggressiveness of the rats in the administration group was significantly weakened,the circadian rhythm was rhythmic,the activity was reduced,and the sleep was increased.The sleep latency was significantly shortened(P＜0.05),and the sleep duration and SWS1,SWS2,REMS and TST were significantly prolonged(P＜0.05).The disorder of neuronal arrangement was restored,and the IOD value of NeuN positive neurons was significantly increased(P＜0.05).The mRNA and protein expression levels of Clock,Bmal1,Rev-erbα and Rorα in brain tissue were significantly increased(P＜0.05).The protein expression levels of cAMP,p-PKA/PKA and p-CREB/CREB in brain tissue were significantly increased(P＜0.05).Conclusion Saikosaponin A may improve the circadian rhythm of insomnia rats by activating cAMP/PKA/CREB pathway.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effectiveness of dorsal perforator flap of cross-finger proper digital artery in the treatment of finger soft tissue defect caused by high-pressure injection injury. METHODS: Between July 2011 and June 2020, 14 cases of finger soft tissue defect caused by high-pressure injection injury were repaired with dorsal perforator flap of cross-finger proper digital artery. All patients were male, with a mean age of 36 years (range, 22-56 years). The defects were located on the index finger in 8 cases, middle finger in 4 cases, and ring finger in 2 cases. The causes of injury include 8 cases of emulsion paint injection, 4 cases of oil paint injection, and 2 cases of cement injection. The time from injury to debridement was 2-8 hours, with a mean time of 4.5 hours. The soft tissue defects sized from 4.0 cm×1.2 cm to 6.0 cm×2.0 cm. The flaps sized from 4.5 cm×1.5 cm to 6.5 cm×2.5 cm. The donor site of the flap was repaired with skin graft. The pedicle was cut off at 3 weeks after operation, and followed by functional exercise. RESULTS: All flaps and skin grafts at donor sites survived, and the wounds healed by first intention. Twelve patients were followed-up 16-38 months (mean, 22.6 months). The texture and appearance of all flaps were satisfactory. The color and texture of the flaps were similar to those of the surrounding tissues. The two-point discrimination of the flap was 10-12 mm, with a mean of 11.5 mm. There were different degrees of cold intolerance at the end of the affected fingers. At last follow-up, the finger function was evaluated according to the Upper Extremity Functional Evaluation Standard set up by Hand Surgery Branch of Chinese Medical Association, 3 cases were excellent, 8 cases were good, and 1 case was poor. CONCLUSION The dorsal perforator flap of cross-finger proper digital artery can effectively repair finger soft tissue defect caused by high-pressure injection injury. The operation was simple, and the appearance and function of the finger recover well.
Humans ; Male ; Adult ; Female ; Perforator Flap ; Upper Extremity ; Fingers/surgery* ; Ulnar Artery ; Skin Transplantation

Objective:To explore the clinical effect of cosmetic reconstruction for partial defect of distal segment of digits.Methods:Form January 2018 to January 2021, the Department of Hand Surgery of Institute for Hygiene of Ordnance Industry(The 521 Hospital of Weapon Industry) admitted 129 patients with partial defect of distal segment of thumb or fingers with phalange or tendon exposure. The patients were 111 males and 18 females with an average age of 34(17-59) years old. The sizes of nailbed defect were 0.4 cm×1.1 cm-1.8 cm×2.0 cm, the length of phalange defect was 0.4-1.8 cm, and the sizes of the soft tissue defect were 1.6 cm×1.8 cm-3.2 cm×4.8 cm. Great toe tissue flaps were used to reconstruct the partial defect of distal segment of thumb or fingers after debridement. Wounds of fibular flap of great toe in 77 cases were directly sutured in 17 patients. The donor sites in rest 60 great toes were narrowed first and then repaired with skin grafts in 10 cases, with artificial dermis in 28 cases and with transverse V-Y advancement flaps of ipsilateral great toes for 22 cases. Forty-nine of 52 donor site wounds for hallux toenail flap were repaired with artificial dermis and 3 with free peroneal artery perforator flaps. The method was outpatient follow-up. Postoperative follow-up lasted until July 2022. The check-items for follow-up included: occurrence of necrosis, appearance, shape and texture of the flap, appearance of the reconstructed nails, TPD of the reconstructed digit pulps, tolerance to cold on the scars of flaps, flexion and extension of the reconstructed digits. The healing time of phalanges of the reconstructed digits was evaluated by X-rays. The appearance, sensation, the tolerance to cold of great toe and the movement of donor foot were also assessed.Results:Postoperative follow-up lasted for 18 to 24 months, with an average of 21 months. A total of 128 flaps survived. Necrosis occurred in 1 fibular hallux flap, the necrosis was cured with a reverse digital proper artery island flap. Thereafter, all flaps healed well. The appearance, shape, texture and nails of reconstructed digits were close to the contralateral digits. The reconstructed thumb and finger were evaluated according to Zook, 127 cases were excellent and 2 cases were good.TPD of the pulps of the reconstructed digits was 4-10 mm. The mean score of the Vancouver scar scale(VSS) was 0.6 for scars of the reconstructed digits. The mean score of the Visual analog scale(VAS) was 0.3 for the tolerance to cold. Flexion and extension function recovered well in all the reconstructed digits. According to the Evaluation Criteria of Upper limb Function Hand Surgery Society of Chinese Medical Association, the function of hand was excellent in 127 cases and 1 in each of good and fair. X-rays of all digits showed the phalange healing of the reconstructed digits, with an average healing time of 2 months after surgery, without phalange resorption, infection, nonunion nor stress fracture. There was no difference between the length of the donor great toe and the contralateral toe, except the donor site of the great toe nail root. There was no significant visual difference between the appearance of the donor great toe and the contralateral toe. TPD of the pulps of donor great toe was 4-8 mm. The mean score of the VSS was 1.4 for scars in the donor great toe. The mean score of the VAS was 0.7 for the tolerance to cold of the donor great toe. There was no stress fracture at donor site, and the functions of donor foot were not affected when walking, running, jumping and tiptoeing in all patients.Conclusion:It is an ideal method for reconstructing a partial defect of distal segment of digit by great toe flap. It can not only reconstruct the partial defect of distal segment of the digit, but also results in a good appearance and satisfactory functions of the reconstructed digit. Damage to the donor site is minimum. The length of the donor great toe is unchanged, and it has little impact on sensation and appearance of the donor great toe. Meanwhile, there is no adverse effect on walking, running and jumping with the donor foot.

Objective:To investigate the clinical effects of Masquelet technique with the transfer of free iliac inguinal flap in reconstruction of infectious bone and soft tissue defect after metacarpal fracture surgery.Methods:From January 2014 to January 2020, 16 patients suffered from infectious bone and soft tissue defect after surgery of metacarpal fracture were treated in Department of Hand Surgery, Institute for Hygiene of Ordnance Industry (Weapon Industry 521 Hospital). Debridement and vacuume sealing drainage (VSD) coverage of wound were carried out in emergency surgery, and Masquelet technique combined with free iliac inguinal flap for reconstruction of infected metacarpal bone defect were performed in sub-emergency surgery. The patients were 14 males and 2 females with an average age of 38 (20-50) years old. Plates were removed in 10 patients and retained in 6 patients. Defects of metacarpal bone ranged from 0.8 cm×0.8 cm×2.0 cm to 1.5 cm×2.0 cm× 5.1 cm in size. Soft tissue defects ranged from 3.6 cm×6.8 cm to 7.8 cm×11.6 cm. Tendon defects were found in all 16 patients. After the primary procedure of Masquelet technique combined with free iliac inguinal flap, routine anti-infection, anticoagulant, antispasmodic and other treatments were offered to all patients. Then all patients were observed by fortnightly reviews. After infection was cleared, the second phase of Masquelet treatment began. The defects of metacarpal bone were reconstructed with autologous cancellous bone grafts, and measures to prevent from infection together with other therapies were offered after the surgery. Follow-up of the second phase surgery was carried out once per 1-2 weeks and then per 2-4 months after bone union. The follow-up review items included: wound infection and necrosis, appearance, shape, texture and sensory recovery of flap. Bone union of infectious metacarpal defect was evaluated, recurrence of infection was closely observed as well as the resorption or nonunion of bone by X-rays. Hand function was assessed according to the Evaluation Trial Standards of Upper Limb Partial Functional of Hand Surgery of Chinese Medical Association. Donor sites healing and functional recovery were also included in the postoperative observation.Results:The follow-up time ranged from 1.5-3.0 (average 2.4) years. There was no necrosis of iliac inguinal flap, no recurrence of infection, and the flaps all healed well. The appearance, shape and texture of flaps were found close to the adjacent skin in all patients. Two-point discriminations (TPD) of the transferred iliac inguinal flaps were at 8-10 mm. X-ray reviews showed that bone union achieved in all patients. The time of bone union were 2.1-3.4 months (2.9 months in average) after bone grafting. There was no bone resorption, infection or nonunion. According to the Evaluation Standard of Upper Limb Partial Functional of Hand Surgery of Chinese Medical Association, 13 patients were excellent and 3 patients were good. All donor sites had primary healing with the motion of donor hips unaffected.Conclusion:Masquelet technique combined with free iliac inguinal flap is an effective, safe and feasible surgical procedure in reconstruction of infectious bone and soft tissue defect after metacarpal fracture surgery. It offers a satisfactory outcome with relatively less damage to the donor site.

Pulmonary blast injury has become the main type of trauma in modern warfare, characterized by externally mild injuries but internally severe injuries, rapid disease progression, and a high rate of early death. The injury is complicated in clinical practice, often with multiple and compound injuries. Currently, there is a lack of effective protective materials, accurate injury detection instrument and portable monitoring and transportation equipment, standardized clinical treatment guidelines in various medical centers, and evidence-based guidelines at home and abroad, resulting in a high mortality in clinlcal practice. Therefore, the Trauma Branch of Chinese Medical Association and the Editorial Committee of Chinese Journal of Trauma organized military and civilian experts in related fields such as thoracic surgery and traumatic surgery to jointly develop the Clinical treatment guideline for pulmonary blast injury ( version 2023) by combining evidence for effectiveness and clinical first-line treatment experience. This guideline provided 16 recommended opinions surrounding definition, characteristics, pre-hospital diagnosis and treatment, and in-hospital treatment of pulmonary blast injury, hoping to provide a basis for the clinical treatment in hospitals at different levels.

Objective:To explore the clinical application and effect of repairing the donor site of ipsilateral fibular hallux flap with the transverse V-Y advancement flap of the great toe.Methods:Form January 2017 to January 2020, the donor sites of the ipsilateral fibular hallux flap were repaired by the transverse V-Y advancement flap of the great toe in the Department of Hand Surgery, 521 Hospital of Weapon Industry on 20 patients, including 16 males and 4 females with an average age of 33 (18-52) years old. First, the donor site of the fibular hallux flap was sutured to reduce the size of wound. The width of the remaining wound was 0.4 to 1.6 cm, and the area of the remaining wound was 0.5 cm×0.8 cm-1.6 cm×1.8 cm. Then the remaining wound was repaired with the transverse V-Y advancement flap of the ipsilateral great toe. The distance for transfer of transverse advancement V-Y flap was 0.2-0.8 cm, and the area of the transverse V-Y advancement flap was 1.0 cm×1.4 cm-1.8 cm×2.4 cm. The end of postoperative follow-up was scheduled in July 2021. The follow-up items included: survival of the transverse V-Y advancement flap, wound infection, appearance, shape, texture and sensation of the V-Y advancement flap, pain on the V-Y advancement flap and the great toe, cold tolerance and the scar condition at the donor site of the ipsilateral fibular hallux flap and the V-Y advancement flap, the appearance, sensation and flexion and extension of the great toe at the donor site, other discomforts in the donor site of great toe, walking and other functions affected by the discomforts.Results:The postoperative follow-up lasted from 12 to 18(average of 14) months. All the V-Y advancement flaps survived without infection at the donor sites of the great toe, and donor sites healed primarily. The appearance, shape and texture of the advancement V-Y flap were close to the skin of the same area of the contralateral great toe. The TPD of the V-Y advancement flap and the ipsilateral great toe ranged from 4 to 7 mm. The average score of the Visual analog scale(VAS) was 0.3 and 0.6 respectively in the evaluation of cold tolerance of the advancement V-Y flap and the ipsilateral great toe. The average score of the Vancouver scar scale(VSS) was 0.2 and 1.2 respectively in the scar evaluation of the V-Y advancement flap and the ipsilateral great toe. There was no visual difference between the appearance of the great toe at the donor site and the contralateral toe. There was no pain and other discomfort on the V-Y advancement flap and the ipsilateral great toe. The functions of the donor foot were not affected in walking, running, jumping and tiptoeing in all cases.Conclusion:It is a simple, safe and effective method to repair the donor site of the small-area ipsilateral fibular hallux flap by the transverse V-Y advancement flap of the great toe. It only causes a small wound but the appearance and function of the ipsilateral great toe can be repaired with a transverse V-Y advancement flap of the great toe.

Objective To study the radioactive concentration of ¹³¹I in the air of workplaces where sodium iodide [¹³¹I] oral solution was administrated for patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) in the Department of Nuclear Medicine, and to estimate the internal radiation dose to the staff. Methods Workplaces of radioiodine ¹³¹I therapy for DTC patients in the Department of Nuclear Medicine of a hospital were investigated. Air samples in ¹³¹I administration areas and treatment wards were collected respectively and were measured by low-background gamma-ray spectrometry to calculate the activity concentration of ¹³¹I in the air and to further estimate the internal radiation dose to staffs. Results The activity concentration in the ¹³¹I administration area within the first 3 h of administration was 3～187 Bq/m³. During administration and within the first 3 h of administration, the staff exposed in the administration area for 5～30 min received an internal radiation dose of 0.08～0.50 μSv and 0.00～0.04 μSv, respectively. The highest activity concentration of ¹³¹I in the air of the ward was measured on the day of administration, reaching 3091 Bq/m³. After patients were discharged, the activity concentration in the ward gradually decreased to 10～242 Bq/m³ within 48 h. Within 48 h after patients were discharged, the staff exposed in the ward for 5～30 min received an internal radiation dose of 0.01～14.11 μSv. Conclusion A high activity concentration of ¹³¹I in the air was recorded during administration for DTC patients in radioiodine ¹³¹I therapy, and thus we recommend remote instructed administration or administration through a shielded window. We also recommend that non-treatment related personnel except medical staffs should not enter the ward during patients’ hospitalization at which the activity concentration of ¹³¹I in the ward was the highest. After patients were discharged, a delayed entry into the ward is recommended to reduce the internal radiation dose.