ObjectiveTo observe the clinical effectiveness and safety of Xiaozhong Zhitong Mixture （消肿止痛合剂） combined with antibiotic bone cement in the treatment of diabetic foot ulcer （DFU） with damp-heat obstructing syndrome. MethodsA total of 72 DFU patients with damp-heat obstructing syndrome were randomly assigned to treatment group （36 cases） and the control group （36 cases）. Both groups received standard treatment and topical antibiotic bone cement for ulcer wounds， while the treatment group received oral Xiaozhong Zhitong Mixture （50 ml per time， three times daily） in additionally. Both groups underwent daily wound dressing changes for 21 consecutive days. Ulcer healing rate， serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha （TNF-α）， interleukin-1 beta （IL-1β）， malondialdehyde （MDA）， superoxide dismutase （SOD）， C-reactive protein （CRP）， and white blood cell （WBC） count were observed before and after treatment， and visual analog scale （VAS） scores for wound pain， traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndrome scores， and the DFU Healing Scale （DMIST scale） were also compared. Liver and kidney function were evaluated before and after treatment， and adverse events such as allergic reactions， worsening ulcer pain were recorded. ResultsTotally 35 patients in the treatment group and 33 in the control group were included in the final analysis. The ulcer healing rate in the treatment group was （87.93±9.34）%， significantly higher than （81.82±12.02）% in the control group （P = 0.035）. Compared to pre-treatment levels， both groups showed significant reductions in serum CRP， WBC， MDA， IL-1β， and TNF-α levels， with an increase in SOD level （P＜0.05）. TCM syndrome scores， VAS， and DMIST scores also significantly decreased in both groups （P＜0.05）， with greater improvements in the treatment group （P＜0.05）. No significant adverse reactions were observed in either group during treatment. ConclusionXiaozhong Zhitong Mixture combined with antibiotic bone cement has significant advantages in promoting DFU healing， reducing inflammatory response， and alleviating oxidative stress in DFU patients with damp-heat obstructing syndrome， with good safety for DFU patients with damp-heat obstructing syndrome.

BACKGROUND:Flap transplantation technique is a commonly used surgical procedure for the treatment of severe tissue defects,but postoperative flap necrosis is easily triggered by ischemia-reperfusion injury.Therefore,it is still an important research topic to improve the survival rate of transplanted flaps. OBJECTIVE:To review the pathogenesis and latest treatment progress of flap ischemia-reperfusion injury. METHODS:CNKI,WanFang Database and PubMed database were searched for relevant literature published from 2014 to 2024.The search terms used were"flap,ischemia-reperfusion injury,inflammatory response,oxidative stress,Ca2+overload,apoptosis,mesenchymal stem cells,platelet-rich plasma,signaling pathways,shock wave,pretreatment"in Chinese and English.After elimination of irrelevant literature,poor quality and obsolete literature,77 documents were finally included for review. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Flap ischemia/reperfusion injury may be related to pathological factors such as inflammatory response,oxidative stress response,Ca2+overload,and apoptosis,which can cause apoptosis of vascular endothelial cells,vascular damage and microcirculation disorders in the flap,and eventually lead to flap necrosis.Studies have found that mesenchymal stem cell transplantation,platelet-rich plasma,signaling pathway modulators,shock waves,and pretreatment can alleviate flap ischemia/reperfusion injuries from different aspects and to varying degrees,and reduce the necrosis rate and necrosis area of the grafted flap.Although there are many therapeutic methods for skin flap ischemia/reperfusion injury,a unified and effective therapeutic method has not yet been developed in the clinic,and the advantages and disadvantages of various therapeutic methods have not yet been compared.Most of the studies remain in the stage of animal experiments,rarely involving clinical observations.Therefore,a lot of research is required in the future to gradually move from animal experiments to the clinic in order to better serve the clinic.

BACKGROUND:Osteosarcoma has a complex pathogenesis and a poor prognosis.While advancements in medical technology have led to some improvements in the 5-year survival rate,substantial progress in its treatment has not yet been achieved. OBJECTIVE:To screen key molecular markers in osteosarcoma,analyze their relationship with osteosarcoma treatment drugs,and explore the potential disease mechanisms of osteosarcoma at the molecular level. METHODS:GSE99671 and GSE284259(miRNA)datasets were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus database.Differential gene expression analysis and Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis(WGCNA)on GSE99671 were performed.Functional enrichment analysis was conducted using Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes separately for the differentially expressed genes and the module genes with the highest positive correlation to the disease.The intersection of these module genes and differentially expressed genes was taken as key genes.A Protein-Protein Interaction network was constructed,and correlation analysis on the key genes was performed using CytoScape software,and hub genes were identified.Hub genes were externally validated using the GSE28425 dataset and text validation was conducted.The drug sensitivity of hub genes was analyzed using the CellMiner database,with a threshold of absolute value of correlation coefficient|R|>0.3 and P<0.05. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Differential gene expression analysis identified 529 differentially expressed genes,comprising 177 upregulated and 352 downregulated genes.WGCNA analysis yielded a total of 592 genes with the highest correlation to osteosarcoma.(2)Gene Ontology enrichment results indicated that the development of osteosarcoma may be associated with extracellular matrix,bone cell differentiation and development,human immune regulation,and collagen synthesis and degradation.Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment results showed the involvement of pathways such as PI3K-Akt signaling pathway,focal adhesion signaling pathway,and immune response in the onset of osteosarcoma.(3)The intersection analysis revealed a total of 59 key genes.Through Protein-Protein Interaction network analysis,8 hub genes were selected,which were LUM,PLOD1,PLOD2,MMP14,COL11A1,THBS2,LEPRE1,and TGFB1,all of which were upregulated.(4)External validation revealed significantly downregulated miRNAs that regulate the hub genes,with hsa-miR-144-3p and hsa-miR-150-5p showing the most significant downregulation.Text validation results demonstrated that the expression of hub genes was consistent with previous research.(5)Drug sensitivity analysis indicated a negative correlation between the activity of methotrexate,6-mercaptopurine,and pazopanib with the mRNA expression of PLOD1,PLOD2,and MMP14.Moreover,zoledronic acid and lapatinib showed a positive correlation with the mRNA expression of PLOD1,LUM,MMP14,PLOD2,and TGFB1.This suggests that zoledronic acid and lapatinib may be potential therapeutic drugs for osteosarcoma,but further validation is required through additional basic experiments and clinical studies.

Diabetic ulcer （DU） wound is one of the chronic and serious complications of diabetes characterized by prolonged wound healing， and it is more common in foot and lower extremity ulcers. DU has brought great economic and psychological pressure to patients and seriously affected the quality of life of patients because of its great difficulty in treatment， long treatment process， and high morbidity and mortality. Therefore， how to help the rapid healing of DU wounds， reduce the disability rate and mortality rate， protect limb function， and improve the quality of life is an important topic and hot spot in the field of medical research. The pathogenesis of DU is complex， mainly including microcirculation disorder， peripheral neuropathy， inflammation and infection， and excessive apoptosis of cells， involving physiological processes such as wound inflammation， granulation tissue hyperplasia and re-epithelialization. A large number of previous studies have found that Chinese medicine can regulate phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B （PI3K/Akt）， Wnt/β-catenin， nuclear factor-κB （NF-κB）， Notch， nuclear factor E₂-related factor 2 （Nrf2）， transforming growth factor-β （TGF-β）/Smad， and other signaling pathways， regulate abnormal glucose metabolism， improve microcirculation， inhibit inflammation and oxidative stress， regulate cell proliferation and excessive apoptosis， and promote wound tissue growth to promote the rapid healing of DU wounds under the guidance of treatment based on traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndrome differentiation and internal and external treatment. Therefore， this paper reviewed Chinese medicinal monomers or Chinese medicinal compounds in recent years in regulating the above signaling pathways and the expression of key protein molecules and promoting the rapid healing of DU wounds， aiming to provide ideas and a theoretical basis for the in-depth study and clinical application of Chinese medicine in promoting the healing of DU wounds.

BACKGROUND:Persistent hyperglycemia has been identified as promoting neurovascular dysfunction,leading to irreversible endothelial dysfunction,increased neuronal apoptosis,oxidative stress and inflammation.These changes in combination or alone lead to microvascular and macrovascular lesions as well as progressive neuropathy.Noncoding RNAs may provide a new strategy for understanding the etiology,pathogenesis and treatment of the disease. OBJECTIVE:To review the role and mechanism of noncoding RNAs in the occurrence and development of diabetic peripheral neuropathy by reviewing relevant literature at home and abroad,in order to provide new ideas and approaches for noncoding RNAs in the prevention,diagnosis and treatment of diabetes neuropathy. METHODS:CNKI and PubMed were retrieved for relevant literature published from database inception to 2022.The key words were"noncoding RNA;lncRNA;miRNA;diabetes peripheral neuropathy;expression profile"in Chinese and English,respectively.The retrieved documents were summarized and analyzed,and 61 articles were finally selected for further review. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Noncoding RNA plays a key role in the pathophysiological process of diabetic peripheral neuropathy.Among the most widely studied regulatory noncoding RNA species,there are long noncoding RNAs,circular RNAs and microRNAs.(2)Through the regulation of noncoding RNAs,the activation or inhibition of related cell pathways,inflammatory genes and downstream-related cytokines will inhibit cell apoptosis,improve inflammation,and thus change the expression of target genes to participate in the process of diabetic neuralgia.(3)Although many microRNAs and long noncoding RNAs have been found to participate in diabetic peripheral neuropathy,the mechanisms of many noncoding RNAs are unclear,and the same noncoding RNAs may play different roles in different modes.Therefore,it is necessary to further study their action modes in disease etiology and pathology,thereby clarifying their role in the pathogenesis of diabetic peripheral neuropathy.However,the criteria for evaluating noncoding RNA activity have not yet been established,and further research is needed on which specific noncoding RNAs play a dominant regulatory role.(4)MicroRNAs,long noncoding RNAs and their target genes can regulate progressive neuropathy,which are expected to become new targets for the clinical prevention and treatment of diabetic peripheral neuropathy and new biomarkers for the development and prognosis of diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

BACKGROUND:Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is an effective and even the only way to cure various hematological diseases,but the short-term mortality rate is relatively high after transplantation. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the risk factors affecting the overall survival of patients with hematological diseases in the short term(within 100 days)after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation,so as to reduce mortality and effectively prevent related risks in the short term(within 100 days)after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. METHODS:Clinical data of 585 patients with hematological diseases who underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation at the Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Center of First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from January 1,2018 to June 30,2021 were retrospectively analyzed.The risk factors that affected overall survival within 100 days after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation were explored. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:A total of 585 patients with hematologic diseases underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.92 patients died within 100 days after transplantation,with a mortality rate of 15.7%(92/585).The median age of death cases was 26.5 years old(1-56 years),and the median survival time of death cases was 48 days(0-97 days).Univariate analysis exhibited that age≥14 years old,acute graft-versus-host disease,grade IV acute graft-versus-host disease,bacterial bloodstream infection,as well as carbapenem-resistant organism bloodstream infection,were risk factors for overall survival within 100 days after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation(P<0.05).Multivariate regression analysis showed that age≥14 years old,grades Ⅲ-Ⅳ acute graft-versus-host disease,bacterial bloodstream infection,and carbapenem-resistant organism bloodstream infections were independent risk factors for overall survival(within 100 days)in patients after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.Hazard ratios were 1.77(95%CI 1.047-2.991),7.926(95%CI 3.763-16.695),2.039(95%CI 1.117-3.722),and 3.389(95%CI 1.563-7.347),respectively.In conclusion,all-cause mortality rate after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is relatively high in the short term.A timely diagnosis and effective treatment of bacterial bloodstream infection and acute graft-versus-host disease are essential to improving allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation outcomes.

BACKGROUND:Mesenchymal stem cells have great potential in the treatment of ischemia-reperfusion injury of skin flaps.However,their defects and the decline of their role in the treatment of ischemia-reperfusion injury of skin flaps restrict their wide application. OBJECTIVE:To review the strategies for improving the treatment of ischemia-reperfusion injury of skin flaps with mesenchymal stem cells,and provide a reference for its further theoretical research and clinical application. METHODS:Relevant documents included in CNKI,WanFang and PubMed were searched.The Chinese and English search terms were"mesenchymal stem cell,ischemia-reperfusion adjustment of skin flap,mesenchymal stem cells,stem cells,skin flap,ischemia-reperfusion injury,pretreatment,gene modification,biomaterial packaging,joint application".The relevant documents since 2007 were retrieved,and the documents with little relationship between the research content and the article theme,poor quality and outdated content were eliminated through reading the article,and finally 75 documents were included for summary. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Mesenchymal stem cells can inhibit inflammatory reactions,resist oxidative stress and induce angiogenesis,which has great potential in the treatment of skin flap ischemia-reperfusion injury.(2)Although mesenchymal stem cells have shown great potential in the treatment of skin flap ischemia-reperfusion injury,their shortcomings in treatment have limited their widespread clinical application.Through pre-treatment(cytokines,hypoxia,drugs,and other pre-treatment mesenchymal stem cells),gene-modified mesenchymal stem cells,biomaterial encapsulation of mesenchymal stem cells,as well as the combined use of mesenchymal stem cells and other drugs or therapeutic methods,can not only overcome the shortcomings of mesenchymal stem cells in treatment,but also improve their therapeutic effectiveness in skin flap ischemia-reperfusion injury.(3)Therefore,further improving the effectiveness of mesenchymal stem cells in treating skin flap ischemia-reperfusion injury and exploring its therapeutic potential are of great significance for the research of mesenchymal stem cells and the treatment of skin flap ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Objective: To explore the effect of different concentrations of relaxin-2(RLN-2) on the proliferation and migration abilities of human immortalized keratinocytes(HaCaT cells). Methods: Methods HaCaT cells were cultured in media with different concentrations of RLN-2, and the cells were cultured in media without RLN-2 as the control group.The effect on cell proliferation was assessed by using the CCK-8 reagent, the cell migration ability was evaluated throughin vitrocell scratch assay, the cell cycle was examined by flow cytometry, and the expression levels of cell cycle proteins Cyclin B1 and Cyclin A2 were detected by Western blot. Results: After being cultured for 24 hours under RLN-2 concentration ranging from 10～100 ng/ml, HaCaT cells showed progressively increased proliferation and migration capabilities compared to the control group, with elevated expression levels of cell cycle proteins Cyclin B1 and Cyclin A2 and an increased proportion of cells in S and G2/M phases, peaking at 100 ng/ml. However, HaCaT cells cultured with 200 ng/ml of RLN-2 exhibited reduced proliferation and migration capabilities, decreased expression levels of Cyclin B1 and Cyclin A2, and a lower proportion of cells in S and G2/M phases compared to the 100 ng/ml group. Conclusion RLN-2 can enhance the migration ability of HaCaT cells within an appropriate concentration range and may also promote cell proliferation by increasing the expression of related cell cycle proteins and the proportion of cells in S and G2/M phases.

Objective:To investigate the effects of botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A) and magnesium sulfate on the survival rate of random-pattern skin flaps (RSF) with different length-to-width ratios.Methods:Using a random number table method, 45 SD rats were divided into three groups: the saline group (Group A), the BTX-A group (Group B), and the magnesium sulfate group (Group C), with 15 rats in each group. Each group was further subdivided into three subgroups based on different length-to-width ratios of RSF (1∶1, 2∶1, 3∶1), with 5 rats in each subgroup. The preparation of the RSF involved using the midline of the rat’s back as the axis and the level 1 cm below the iliac crest line as the base, extending towards the head. The skin tissue was incised to the dorsal fascia layer, separating the subcutaneous tissue at the superficial layer of the deep fascia, while severing the blood vessels and their branches on both sides and at the base. After hemostasis, the flap was sutured in place. Immediately after surgery, 0.2 ml of saline, BTX-A (25 U/ml), or magnesium sulfate solution (50 mg/ml) was injected into the proximal, middle, and distal ends of the flap. On the seventh day post-surgery, the gross appearance of the flap was assessed, and the survival rate was calculated. The surviving flap tissue underwent hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining to evaluate microvascular density (MVD) and the degree of vasodilation (including vessel outer diameter, inner diameter, and wall thickness). Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression level of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Statistical analysis was performed using GraphPad Prism 9.0.1 software, with data expressed as Mean ± SD. One-way ANOVA was used for multiple group comparisons, and Tukey’s test was used for pairwise comparisons.Results:On the seventh day post-surgery, flaps with a length-to-width ratio of 1∶1 healed well in all subgroups. In the case of flaps with a 2∶1 ratio, Group A exhibited partial necrosis at the distal end, characterized by blackened, non-elastic scabs and exudate. Groups B and C generally healed well. For flaps with a 3∶1 ratio, Group A exhibited extensive necrosis at both the middle and distal ends, with similar blackened, non-elastic scabs, non-bleeding cut sections, and exudate. Groups B and C showed only partial blackening at the distal end, with most areas healing effectively. The survival rates of flaps with a 1∶1 ratio did not show significant differences among the three groups ( P>0.05). Compared to Group A, Groups B and C had significantly higher survival rates for flaps with 2∶1 and 3∶1 ratios ( P<0.01), with no significant difference between Groups B and C ( P>0.05). HE staining indicated that as the length-to-width ratios increased, tissue edema and inflammatory cell infiltration also increased in all groups. Groups B and C had significantly reduced inflammatory changes compared to Group A, with a greater number of newly formed microvessels observed. Quantitative analysis revealed that MVD in Groups B and C was significantly higher than in Group A, regardless of the flap ratio ( P<0.05), with no significant difference between Groups B and C ( P>0.05). Vasodilation analysis showed that the outer diameter and wall thickness of vessels in Groups B and C were significantly greater than those in Group A ( P<0.05), with no significant difference between Groups B and C ( P>0.05). Immunohistochemical staining revealed that VEGF expression levels in Groups B and C were higher than in Group A, regardless of the flap ratio ( P<0.01). In flaps with a 1∶1 ratio, VEGF expression was higher in Group C than in Group B ( P<0.05), with no significant difference between the two groups for other flap ratios ( P>0.05). Conclusion:In RSF with length-to-width ratios of 2∶1 and 3∶1, subcutaneous injections of BTX-A or magnesium sulfate after replantation can promote the expansion and formation of blood vessels in the flap, increase the expression of VEGF, and improve the survival rate of the RSF.

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) combined with lower cervical fracture is often categorized into unstable fracture, with a high incidence of neurological injury and a high rate of disability and morbidity. As factors such as shoulder occlusion may affect the accuracy of X-ray imaging diagnosis, it is often easily misdiagnosed at the primary diagnosis. Non-operative treatment has complications such as bone nonunion and the possibility of secondary neurological damage, while the timing, access and choice of surgical treatment are still controversial. Currently, there are no clinical practice guidelines for the treatment of AS combined with lower cervical fracture with or without dislocation. To this end, the Spinal Trauma Group of Orthopedics Branch of Chinese Medical Doctor Association organized experts to formulate Clinical guidelines for the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis combined with lower cervical fracture in adults ( version 2024) in accordance with the principles of evidence-based medicine, scientificity and practicality, in which 11 recommendations were put forward in terms of the diagnosis, imaging evaluation, typing and treatment, etc, to provide guidance for the diagnosis and treatment of AS combined with lower cervical fracture.