BACKGROUND:Chondrocyte apoptosis is an important factor in the development of osteoarthritis,and Complanatoside A has a flavonoid effect,which can inhibit apoptosis of various cells,but its effect on chondrocyte apoptosis and the mechanism of action are not clear. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the intrinsic association and mechanism of Complanatoside A in chondrocyte apoptosis based on the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. METHODS:(1)The cartilage tissues of the femur and tibia transected during knee arthroplasty were collected,and chondrocytes were isolated,cultured in vitro,and identified.(2)Cell counting kit-8 was used to detect the optimal intervention concentration of Complanatoside A in the concentration range of 0-160 μmol/L.(3)Chondrocytes were divided into blank group,sodium nitroprusside(1.5 mmol/L)-induced group,and sodium nitroprusside(1.5 mmol/L)+Complanatoside A(5 μmol/L)group.The viability and apoptosis rate of the cells in each group were detected by cell counting kit-8 and flow cytometry.The expression of type Ⅱ collagen and SOX9 was detected by immunofluorescence staining.The expression of apoptosis-related proteins and Wnt/β-catenin pathway proteins was detected by western blot assay. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The cells extracted in vitro were cultured and stained,and were clearly identified as chondrocytes.Complanatoside A had no obvious cytotoxicity to chondrocytes in the concentration range of 0-80 μmol/L,and significantly improved the chondrocyte viability in the concentration range of 2.5-10 μmol/L,especially when the concentration was 5 μmol/L.The apoptotic rate of chondrocytes was higher in the sodium nitroprusside-induced group than the blank control group,while the apoptotic rate was lower in the sodium nitroprusside+Complanatoside A group than the sodium nitroprusside-induced group.The fluorescence intensity of type Ⅱ collagen and SOX9 in chondrocytes was weaker in the sodium nitroprusside-induced group than the blank control group,while the fluorescence intensity of type Ⅱ collagen and SOX9 in the sodium nitroprusside+Complanatoside A group was higher than that of the sodium nitroprusside-induced group.In the sodium nitroprusside-induced group,the protein expression of Bax,Caspase-3,matrix metalloproteinase 13,Wnt3a,Wnt5a and β-catenin was higher than that of the blank control group,while the protein expression of Bcl-2 was lower than that of the blank control group.In the sodium nitroprusside+Complanatoside A group,except for the protein expression of Bcl-2 which was higher than that of the sodium nitroprusside-induced group,the expression of the other aforementioned proteins was lower than that of the sodium nitroprusside-induced group.To conclude,Complanatoside A has a certain inhibitory effect on chondrocyte apoptosis,which could regulate apoptosis-related proteins and promote the expression of chondrocyte regulatory factors,and presumably might play a role through inhibiting the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND:Socket-shield technique can effectively maintain labial soft and hard tissues,but the incidence of postoperative complications such as exposure and displacement of root shield is relatively high.It is speculated that the root shield may be exposed and displaced due to excessive load after long-term function of dental implants. OBJECTIVE:Through three-dimensional finite element analysis,we aim to study the influence of varying root shield thicknesses on the stress distribution,equivalent stress peaks,and displacement in the root shield,periodontal ligaments,implant,and surrounding alveolar bone under normal occlusal loading.We also attempt to analyze the correlation between the thickness of the root shield and occurrence of mechanical events such as root shield exposure,displacement,and fracture. METHODS:Cone-beam CT data of a patient who met the indication standard of socket-shield technique for maxillary central incisor were retrieved from database.Reverse engineering techniques were used to build models of the maxillary bone and root shield,while forward engineering was used to create models for the implant components based on their parameters.Models depicting various root shield thicknesses(0.5,1.0,1.5,and 2.0 mm)were created using Solidworks 2022 software.ANSYS Workbench 2021 software was then used to simulate and analyze the effects of varying root shield thicknesses on stress distribution,equivalent stress peaks,and displacement of the root shields,periodontal ligaments,implants,and surrounding alveolar bone under normal occlusion. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)In all root shield models,the stress was concentrated on the palatal cervical side,both sides of the edges and the lower edge of the labial side.As the thickness of the root shield increased,the equivalent stress peak and displacement showed a decreasing trend.The 0.5 mm thickness model produced a stress concentration of 176.20 MPa,which exceeded the yield strength(150 MPa)of tooth tissue.(2)The periodontal ligament stress in each group was concentrated in the neck margin and upper region.With the increase of root shield thickness,the equivalent stress peak and displacement of periodontal ligament showed a decreasing trend.(3)Implant stress in all models was concentrated in the neck of the implant and the joint of the implant-repair abutment,and the labial side was more concentrated than the palatal side.With the increase of root shield thickness,the equivalent stress peak of the implant in the model showed an increasing trend.(4)In each group of models,stress of cortical bone concentrated around the neck of the implant and the periphery of the root shield,and the labial side was more concentrated than the palatal side.With the increase of the thickness of the root shield,the equivalent stress peak around the root shield decreased;the peak value of the equivalent stress of the bone around the neck of the implant showed an increasing trend.In the model,the stress of cancellous bone was mainly concentrated around the neck of the lip of the implant,the top of the thread,the root tip and the lower margin of the root shield,and the labial side was more concentrated than the palatal side.With the increase of the thickness of the root shield,the peak value of the equivalent stress of the bone around the root shield in the model showed a decreasing trend.The minimum principal stress of cortical bone in each group of models was concentrated around the neck of the implant,exhibiting a fan-shaped distribution.As the thickness of the root shield increased,the minimum principal stress of cortical bone showed an increasing trend.(5)These results indicate that different thicknesses of the root shield have different biomechanical effects.The root shield with a thickness of 0.5 mm is easy to fracture.For patients with sufficient bone width,the root shield with a thickness of 2.0 mm is an option to reduce the risk of complications such as root shield exposure,fracture,and displacement.Meanwhile,it should be taken into account to protect the periodontal ligament in the preparation process,and rounding treatments ought to be carried out on both sides and the lower edge of the root shield.

Polycystic ovary syndrome （PCOS）， a common reproductive endocrine disorder in women， is one of the leading causes of ovulatory infertility in women of reproductive age. Due to its heterogeneous etiology， complex symptoms， and challenging treatment， PCOS has become a focal point of research in gynecological and reproductive medicine globally. The pathogenesis of PCOS is complex and may involve regulatory mechanisms such as inflammatory responses， oxidative stress， and cellular autophagy. Crown-like structures （CLSs） refer to pro-inflammatory microenvironments formed by macrophages engulfing adipocytes. The inflammatory disorders induced by CLSs are one of the key factors contributing to the development of PCOS and its complications. Current studies have indicated that the obese status in PCOS accelerates the formation of CLSs， and the density of CLSs can predict the progression of metabolic disorders and influence the outcomes of various metabolic diseases. Traditional Chinese Medicine （TCM） offers the unique advantages of a holistic view， four diagnostic methods， and syndrome differentiation and treatment to ameliorate the symptoms and signs of PCOS through multiple levels， pathways， and targets. Although studies on the mechanisms of metabolic diseases and CLS formation have been reported in China and abroad， there is still a lack of literature on the correlation between CLSs and PCOS， as well as reviews on TCM interventions targeting CLSs for treating this disease. Therefore， this paper summarized the correlation between obese PCOS and CLSs and reviewed recent studies on TCM interventions based on CLS formation （adipose tissue-macrophage inflammatory crosstalk） in the treatment of obese PCOS， aiming to provide new research perspectives for the prevention and treatment of PCOS using TCM.

Polycystic ovary syndrome （PCOS）， a common reproductive endocrine disorder in women， is one of the leading causes of ovulatory infertility in women of reproductive age. Due to its heterogeneous etiology， complex symptoms， and challenging treatment， PCOS has become a focal point of research in gynecological and reproductive medicine globally. The pathogenesis of PCOS is complex and may involve regulatory mechanisms such as inflammatory responses， oxidative stress， and cellular autophagy. Crown-like structures （CLSs） refer to pro-inflammatory microenvironments formed by macrophages engulfing adipocytes. The inflammatory disorders induced by CLSs are one of the key factors contributing to the development of PCOS and its complications. Current studies have indicated that the obese status in PCOS accelerates the formation of CLSs， and the density of CLSs can predict the progression of metabolic disorders and influence the outcomes of various metabolic diseases. Traditional Chinese Medicine （TCM） offers the unique advantages of a holistic view， four diagnostic methods， and syndrome differentiation and treatment to ameliorate the symptoms and signs of PCOS through multiple levels， pathways， and targets. Although studies on the mechanisms of metabolic diseases and CLS formation have been reported in China and abroad， there is still a lack of literature on the correlation between CLSs and PCOS， as well as reviews on TCM interventions targeting CLSs for treating this disease. Therefore， this paper summarized the correlation between obese PCOS and CLSs and reviewed recent studies on TCM interventions based on CLS formation （adipose tissue-macrophage inflammatory crosstalk） in the treatment of obese PCOS， aiming to provide new research perspectives for the prevention and treatment of PCOS using TCM.

Objective: To explore the protective effect of mild moxibustion on the ovary of mice with premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) and its mechanism. Methods: SPF female ICR mice with normal estrus cycle were divided into blank group, model group, moxibustion group and moxibustion + Compound C group according to the random number table method, with 20 mice in each group. The mice in the blank group were given normal saline daily. The mice in the other groups were gavaged with Tripterygium wilfordii polyglycosides[75 mg/(kg·d)] for 14 consecutive days for modeling. An hour later, the mice in the moxibustion group were treated with mild moxibustion every day, and bilateral "shenshu" and "guanyuan" "zhongwan" were alternately applied every other day, and each point was treated with mild moxibustion for 10 minutes each day. Thirty minutes after gavaging Tripterygium wilfordii polyglycosides, the mice in the moxibustion + Compound C group were given intraperitoneal injection of Compound C (10 mg/kg); an hour later, mild moxibustion was applied same as the moxibustion group. The mild moxibustion was applied once a day for 14 consecutive days. The protective effect of moxibustion on ovary was evaluated by ovarian index, rate of estrus cycle disorder, ovarian tissue morphology, the number of follicles at all levels and serum sex hormone levels. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry were used to detect the mRNA and protein expression of adenosine 5′-monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1α (PGC-1α) in ovarian tissue. Serum sex hormones oxidative stress markers, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in ovarian granulosa cells were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, luciferase method and chemifluorescence method, respectively. Results: Compared with the model group, the ovarian index of the moxibustion group increased (P<0.05), the rate of estrous cycle disorder decreased (P<0.05), the number of atretic follicles decreased (P<0.05), and the number of primordial follicles, primary follicles, secondary follicles and antral follicles all increased (P<0.05). The levels of serum anti-Müllerian hormone and estrogen increased (P<0.05), while the level of follicle-stimulating hormone decreased (P<0.05); the expressions of protein and mRNA of AMPK and PGC-1α were upregulated (P<0.05); the activity of serum superoxide dismutase increased, the content of malondialdehyde decreased, and the ATP level of granulosa cells increased, while the mean fluorescence intensity of ROS decreased (P<0.05). However, when Compound C was given before moxibustion intervention, the protective effect on the ovary was significantly reduced, as shown by the reduction of ovarian index (P<0.05), the rate of estrus cycle disorder increased (P <0.05), the number of atretic follicles increased (P<0.05), and the number of primordial follicles, primary follicles, secondary follicles and antral follicles decreased (P<0.05). Conclusion Moxibustion can protect ovarian function in mice by promoting the activation of AMPK and PGC-1α signaling, inhibiting oxidative stress response and regulating hormone levels.

Objective : To investigate the fertility level of registered population in Baoshan District, Shanghai Municipality and the incidence of adverse birth outcomes of live births from 2013 to 2022, so as to provide the evidence for improving maternal and child health care strategies. Methods: The data pertaining to live births registered in Baoshan District from 2013 to 2022 were collected through the Shanghai Birth Medical Information System, including the basic information of live births and maternal fertility. The indicators such as fertility level, parity, birth age and incidence of adverse birth outcomes of live births were descriptively analyzed. The trend of crude birth rate and total fertility rate was analyzed by annual percent change (APC). Results: A total of 56 719 live births were registered in Baoshan District from 2013 to 2022. The crude birth rate was 6.54‰, the total fertility rate was 31.78‰, and the sex ratio at birth was 105.61. The crude birth rate showed a downward trend from 2016 to 2022 (APC=-11.054%, P<0.05), and the total fertility rate showed a downward trend from 2017 to 2022 (APC=-10.377%, P<0.05). The proportion of second parity and above showed an increasing trend from 2013 to 2017 (P<0.05) and a decreasing trend from 2017 to 2022 (P<0.05). The maternal childbearing age showed an increasing trend from 2013 to 2022 (P<0.05), the incidence of premature infants and low birth weight infants showed an increasing trend (both P<0.05). The incidence of premature infants and low birth weight infants increased with the rising childbearing age (both P<0.05). Conclusions The fertility level in Baoshan District was relatively low from 2013 to 2022. The proportion of second parity and above showed an upward trend followed by a downward trend. The incidence of premature infants and low birth weight infants increased with the rising childbearing age.

Esophageal cancer （EC） is a common malignant tumor of the digestive system with an extremely poor prognosis. MicroRNA （miRNA） is an important regulator in tumor occurrence and development， and can participate in malignant biological behaviors such as tumor cell proliferation， invasion， metastasis and apoptosis. Traditional Chinese medicine has the characteristics of accurate curative effects， wide range of effects， and few side effects. The review uses miRNA as the entry point to systematically elaborate on the mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine-mediated miRNA intervening in EC. The results showed that active ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine （including curcumin， Tussilago farfara polysaccharides， Atractylodes macrocephala polysaccharides and ophiopogonin B） and Dougen guanshitong oral liquid could up-regulate the expressions of miRNAs such as miRNA-532-3p （miR-532-3p）， miR-551b-3p， miR-99a， miR-34a， miR-199a-3p and miR-377； and the active ingredients/parts of traditional Chinese medicine （including chrysin and Actinidia arguta extract）， and Chinese herbal formulas （including Chaihu shugan san combined with Xuanfu daizhe decoction and Modified jupi zhuru decoction） could down-regulate the expressions of miRNAs such as miR-199a-3p， miR-451 and miR-21， which could regulate the expressions of signaling pathways （phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B， etc.） or their downstream protein（zinc-finger and homeobox protein 1， etc.） or enzymes（thymidine kinase-1， etc.）， inhibit the proliferation， invasion and metastasis of EC cells and induce apoptosis， thereby ultimately achieving the purpose of preventing the disease from aggravating.

Objective To explore the clinical value of chitinase 3-like protein 1(CHI3L1)in the diagnosis of lung cancer.Methods A total of 106 patients with lung cancer admitted to the North District of the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University from January to December 2022 were selected as the lung cancer group,76 patients with benign lung disease admitted during the same period were selected as the benign lung disease group and 20 healthy subjects were selected as the control group.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect CHI3L1 levels.The levels of carcinoembryonic antigen(CEA),neuron-specific eno-lase(NSE),cytokeratin-19 fragment(CYFRA21-1),squamous cell carcinoma antigen(SCC-Ag)and gastrin-releasing peptide precursor(ProGRP)were determined by chemiluminescence assay.Results The levels of CEA,ProGRP,NSE,CYFRA21-1 and CHI3L1 in lung cancer group were significantly higher than those in control group,and the differences were statistically significant(P＜0.05).Serum CEA in lung cancer group was significantly higher than that in benign lung disease group,while serum CHI3L1 was significantly lower than that in benign lung disease group,with statistical significance(P＜0.05).Serum levels of NSE and Pro-GRP were higher in patients with small cell lung cancer than those with lung adenocarcinoma and lung squa-mous cell carcinoma(P＜0.05).Compared with patients with lung adenocarcinoma and small cell lung canc-er,the serum CYFRA21-1 level in patients with lung squamous cell carcinoma was higher,and the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05).Compared with the control group,the serum levels of NSE,CY-FRA21-1 and CHI3L1 in patients with stage Ⅰ to Ⅱ lung cancer group were significantly increased,and the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05).Multivariate Logistic stepwise regression analysis was per-formed for CEA,ProGRP,NSE,CYFRA21-1 and CHI3L1,and it was found that NSE and CHI3L1 had an effect on the occurrence of lung cancer.The sensitivity,specificity and area under the curve of CHI3L1 and NSE were 96.2％,90.0％and 0.965 respectively.Conclusion Serum CHI3L1 can assist in the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of lung cancer.The combined detection of CHI3L1 and NSE is helpful for the early de-tection of lung cancer and has good clinical application value.

Severe open injury of lower limbs is complex and difficult to cure in a short time,which can lead to serious infection,amputation and so on.For the treatment of open injury,wound repair is extremely important.A variety of new technologies such as new dressings,platelet-rich plasma(PRP),and vacuum sealing drainage(VSD)have recently been applied to lower limb wound repair,which can not only improve the functional prognosis and aesthetic effect,but also improve the quality of wound healing.This review will summarize the research progress of wound repair methods for open injury of lower limbs,so as to further guide clinical application.

Objective·To investigate the efficacy and safety of hypertonic dextrose prolotherapy(DPT)in the treatment of postherpetic neuralgia.Methods·Seventy-eight patients with postherpetic neuralgia who visited the Department of Pain of The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University from June 2019 to December 2022 were selected.The patients were randomly assigned to a control group and a research group in a 1∶1 ratio,with 39 patients in each group.The control group was treated with traditional analgesic solution,while the research group was treated with traditional analgesic solution combined with DPT.Visual analog scale(VAS)was used to evaluate the patients'pain level before and after treatment,flow cytometry was used to measure the patients'T-cell subsets,and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)was used to measure the levels of C-reactive protein(CRP),interleukin-6(IL-6),and IL-10 cytokines.The VAS scores were compared between the two groups of patients before and at 1,2,4,8,and 12 weeks after treatment.CD4+/CD8+,CRP,IL-6,IL-10 levels,and the incidence of adverse reactions before and 2 weeks after treatment were compared between the two groups.Results·There was no statistically significant difference in sex ratio,age,and disease duration between the two groups of patients.The VAS scores of the two groups of patients at 1,2,4,8,and 12 weeks after treatment were significantly lower than those before treatment,and the differences were statistically significant(all P<0.05).The VAS scores of the research group at 1,2,4,8,and 12 weeks after treatment were significantly lower than those of the control group(all P<0.05).There was no statistically significant difference in basal CD4+/CD8+,CRP,IL-6 and IL-10 levels between the two groups of patients.IL-6 and CRP levels in the research group were significantly lower after treatment than those in the control group,and the differences were statistically significant(all P=0.000).CD4+/CD8+ and IL-10 levels were significantly higher in the research group than those in the control group after treatment,and the difference was statistically significant(all P=0.000).No adverse reactions such as local nerve damage,epidural hematoma,infection,pneumothorax or allergy occurred in both groups of patients during the treatment.Conclusion·DPT can significantly reduce the pain of PHN patients,improve patients'T lymphocyte subpopulations and cytokine expression,and can be safely applied to the clinic.