BACKGROUND:Studies have shown that metformin has anti-inflammatory,anti-tumor,anti-aging and vasoprotective effects,and can inhibit the progression of osteoarthritis,but its specific mechanism of action remains unclear. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the mechanism of metformin on cartilage protection in a rat model of osteoarthritis. METHODS:Forty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups(n=10 per group):blank,control,sham-operated,and metformin groups.The blank group did not undergo any surgery.In the sham-operated group,the joint cavity was exposed.In the model group and the metformin group,the modified Hulth method was used to establish the osteoarthritis model.At 1 day after modeling,the rats in the metformin group were given 200 mg/kg/d metformin by gavage,and the model,blank,and sham-operated groups were given normal saline by gavage.Administration in each group was given for 4 weeks consecutively.Hematoxylin-eosin staining,toluidine blue staining,and safranin O-fast green staining were used to observe the morphological structure of rat knee joints.Immunohistochemical staining and western blot were used to detect the protein expression of SOX9,type Ⅱ collagen,a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs 5(ADAMTS5),Beclin1,P62,phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase(PI3K),p-PI3K,protein kinase B(AKT),p-AKT,mammalian target of rapamycin(Mtor),and p-Mtor in rat cartilage tissue. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The results of hematoxylin-eosin,toluidine blue and safranin O-fast green staining showed smooth cartilage surface of the knee joints and normal histomorphology in the blank group and the sham-operated group,while in the model group,there was irregular cartilage surface of the knee joint and cartilage damage,with a decrease in the number of chondrocytes and the content of proteoglycans in the cartilage matrix.In the metformin group,there was a significant improvement in the damage to the structure of the cartilage in the knee joints of the rats,and the cartilage surface tended to be smooth,with an increase in the number of chondrocytes and the content of proteoglycans in the cartilage matrix.Immunohistochemistry staining and western blot results showed that compared with the control and sham-operated groups,the expression of SOX9,type Ⅱ collagen,and Beclin1 proteins in the cartilage tissue of rats in the model group was significantly decreased(P<0.05).Conversely,the expression of ADAMTS5,P62,as well as p-PI3K,p-AKT,and p-Mtor proteins was significantly increased(P<0.05).Furthermore,compared with the model group,the expression of SOX9,type Ⅱ collagen,and Beclin1 proteins in the cartilage tissue of rats in the metformin group was significantly increased(P<0.05),while the expression of ADAMTS5,P62,as well as p-PI3K,p-AKT,and p-Mtor proteins was significantly decreased(P<0.05).To conclude,Metformin can improve the autophagy activity of chondrocytes and reduce the degradation of cartilage matrix in osteoarthritis rats by inhibiting the activation of PI3K/AKT/Mtor signaling pathway,thus exerting a protective effect on articular cartilage.

Osteoporotic proximal humeral fracture (OPHF) is one of the common osteoporotic fractures in the aged, with an incidence only lower than vertebral compression fracture, hip fracture, and distal radius fracture. OPHF, secondary to osteoporosis and characterized by poor bone quality, comminuted fracture pattern, slow healing, and severely impaired shoulder joint function, poses a big challenge to the current clinical diagnosis and treatment. In the field of diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of OPHF, traditional Chinese and Western medicine have accumulated rich experience and evidence from evidence-based medicine and achieved favorable outcomes. However, there is still a lack of guidance from a relevant consensus as to how to integrate the advantages of the two medical systems and achieve the integrated diagnosis and treatment. To promote the diagnosis and treatment of OPHF with integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine, relevant experts from Orthopedic Expert Committee of Geriatric Branch of Chinese Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Youth Osteoporosis Group of Orthopedic Branch of Chinese Medical Association, Osteoporosis Group of Orthopedic Surgeon Branch of Chinese Medical Doctor Association, and Osteoporosis Committee of Shanghai Association of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine have been organized to formulate Expert consensus on the diagnosis and treatment of osteoporotic proximal humeral fracture with integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine ( version 2024) by searching related literatures and based on the evidences from evidence-based medicine. This consensus consists of 13 recommendations about the diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of OPHF with integrated traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine, aimed at standardizing, systematizing, and personalizing the diagnosis and treatment of OPHF with integrated traditional Chinse and Western medicine to improve the patients ′ function.

The incidence of osteoporotic thoracolumbar vertebral fracture (OTLVF) in the elderly is gradually increasing. The kyphotic deformity caused by various factors has become an important characteristic of OTLVF and has received increasing attention. Its clinical manifestations include pain, delayed nerve damage, sagittal imbalance, etc. Currently, the definition and diagnosis of OTLVF with kyphotic deformity in the elderly are still unclear. Although there are many treatment options, they are controversial. Existing guidelines or consensuses pay little attention to this type of fracture with kyphotic deformity. To this end, the Lumbar Education Working Group of the Spine Branch of the Chinese Medicine Education Association and Editorial Committee of Chinese Journal of Trauma organized the experts in the relevant fields to jointly develop Clinical guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of osteoporotic thoracolumbar vertebral fractures with kyphotic deformity in the elderly ( version 2024), based on evidence-based medical advancements and the principles of scientificity, practicality, and advanced nature, which provided 18 recommendations to standardize the clinical diagnosis and treatment.

Abstract: Objective　To explore the distribution characteristics of protein gene product 9.5 (PGP9.5) in the proximal and distal lesions of liver tissue in patients with alveolar echinococcosis (AE), and to clarify the relationship between the positive nerve fiber density of PGP9.5 in the proximal lesion of liver tissue of patients with AE and clinical pathological features and biochemical indexes. Methods　From July 2019 to July 2022, 59 patients with AE who were hospitalized in the Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery of the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University were selected, and their liver tissues at the proximal and distal ends of the lesion were collected, and their clinicopathological data and biochemical index information were collected at the same time. Immunohistochemical method was used to detect the density of PGP9.5 positive nerve fibers in the proximal and distal liver tissues of 59 patients with AE, and to analyze the difference between the density of PGP9.5 positive nerve fibers in the proximal and distal liver tissues of patients with AE, and to further analyze the relationship between the density of PGP9.5 positive nerve fibers in the proximal liver tissues of patients with AE and clinicopathological features and biochemical indexes. Results　The nerves in the proximal lesion of the liver tissue in patients with AE increased, mainly distributed in the outer layer of the fibrous capsule enclosing the lesion, and no obvious abnormalities were observed in the distal nerves. The density of PGP9.5 positive nerve fibers in the liver tissue of patients with AE was significantly higher than that in the distal part of the lesion, with statistical significance (Z=-4.237, P<0.05). The density of PGP9.5 positive nerve fibers in the liver tissue of patients with AE was correlated with the increase of liver volume (Z=-2.632, P<0.05). Conclusions　The area of PGP9.5 positive nerve fibers in the proximal liver tissue of patients with alveolar echinococcosis increases, suggesting that PGP9.5 positive nerve is involved in the pathogenesis of AE, and its specific role needs further study.

Objective:To evaluate the clinical feasibility, safety, and advantages of small lateral cervical incision for parathyroid exploration and resection.Methods:A total of 31 consecutive patients who underwent parathyroidectomy with a small lateral cervical incision, in the Department of Endocrinology and Breast Surgery of the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from Apr. to Nov. 2021, including 11 males and 20 females, aged (49.32±13.79) years, ranging from 28 to 86 years, were selected to make retrospective statistical analysis of the surgical time, hospital stay, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative drainage and postoperative complications of the patients. All patients were injected with carbon nanoparticles suspension injection guided by color ultrasound to locate the enlarged parathyroid gland before surgery. EXCEL 2019 software was used for statistical analysis.Results:Thirty-one patients underwent parathyroidectomy through a small lateral cervical incision. Primary hyperparathyroidism was performed in 19 cases (including 2 cases with bilateral small lateral cervical incision, 2 cases with unilateral excision of thyroid mass combined with parathyroidectomy, 1 case with resection of huge parathyroid adenoma, and 1 case with local anesthesia) . Twelve patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism underwent total parathyroidectomy through bilateral small lateral cervical incision and forearm autogenous parathyroid transplantation (including bilateral thyroid mass resection combined with bilateral total parathyroidectomy and forearm autogenous parathyroid transplantation in 2 cases, local anesthesia and cervical plexus nerve block in 2 cases, and ectopic parathyroid gland in thyroid in 1 case) . Among them, the average operative time of patients with primary hyperparathyroidism was (54.74±27.71 & 74.14±31.73) min, the average intraoperative blood loss was (8.11±5.05 & 14.43±10.94) ml, the average postoperative drainage was (14.37±24.64 & 26.36±32.87) ml, the average postoperative parathyroid hormone was (11.59±16.46 & 26.65±56.38) pg/ml, the average hospital stay was (10.00±5.09 & 10.96±4.55) d, and the postoperative complication rate was (3.2% & 0%) .Conclusions:Parathyroid gland exploration and resection through small lateral cervical incision is a safe and effective surgical method and can also complete thyroid exploration and parathyroidectomy at the same time. Appropriate anesthesia should be selected after a full assessment of the patient’s basic condition.

Objective:To investigate the clinical efficacy of laparoscopic adrenalectomy and traditional open adrenalectomy for adrenal tumors in children.Methods:In Department of Pediatric Surgery, Fujian Provincial Maternity and Children′s Hospital from June 2008 to June 2016, the clinical data of 31 pediatric adrenal tumors was retrospectively analyzed.According to different surgical methods, they were divided into traditional open adrenalectomy group and laparoscopic adrenalectomy group.Bleeding loss, operation duration, incision length, abdominal drainage time, postoperative hospital stay, postoperative complications and recurrence were compared between the 2 groups.Results:There was no significant difference in age, sex, weight, and tumor size between the 2 groups (all P>0.05). The intraoperative bleeding loss was (18.06±4.86) mL for open adrenalectomy group and (15.20±4.48) mL for laparoscopic adrenalectomy group, and there existed no significant difference in the amount of bleeding between the 2 groups( T=-1.702, P>0.05). The operation duration was (137.44±19.32) min for open adrenalectomy group versus (134.80±6.21) min for laparoscopic adrenalectomy group, and there was no significant difference in operation duration between the 2 groups ( T=-0.504, P>0.05). The length of incision was (7.94±1.34) cm for open adrenalectomy group versus (3.44±0.21) cm for laparoscopic adrenalectomy group, the length of incision in laparoscopic group was shorter than that in open adrenalectomy group.There was significant difference in the length of incision between the 2 groups ( T=-12.843, P<0.001). The hospitalization time was (9.63±2.55) d for open adrenalectomy group versus (7.20±1.37) d for laparoscopic adrenalectomy group, the hospitalization time in laparoscopic group was shorter than those in open adrenalectomy group.The difference of operation time between the 2 groups was statistically significant ( T=-3.261, P=0.003). The average indwelling time of abdominal drainage tube was(5.94±1.53) d for open adrenalectomy group versus (4.80±1.74) d for laparoscopic adrenalectomy group, with no significant difference in postoperative abdominal drainage time between the 2 groups( T=-1.938, P>0.05). There was 1 case of retroperitoneal hematoma in laparoscopic adrenalectomy group and 2 cases of complications in open adrenalectomy group.There was no significant difference in the incidence of complications between the 2 groups ( P=1.000). There were 3 cases of distant metastasis and 1 case of recurrence in laparoscopic group, and 2 cases of distant metastasis and 1 case of recurrence in open adrenalectomy group.There was no significant difference in recurrence between the 2 groups ( P=1.000). Conclusions:Compared with open adrenalectomy surgery, laparoscopic adrenalectomy in children has various advantages, including beautiful incision, less trauma and fast recovery.However, it is necessary to select the appropriate cases.

During the occurrence, development and treatment of gynecological tumors, mainly including cervical cancer, endometrial cancer and ovarian cancer, patients are prone to sleep disorders which seriously affect the quality of life. At present, there are few relevant studies on gynecological tumors associated with sleep disorders, and there is a lack of research on TCM syndromes, so there is no targeted treatment plan. This article mainly introduces the present situation of diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders caused by gynecological tumors in Chinese and western medicine, to provide reference for further study.

Objective: To investigate the clinical efficacy and adverse effects of stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) in the treatment of T₂N₀M₀ non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. Methods: By retrospectively analyzing the clinical data of 30 inoperable patients with stage T₂N₀M₀ NSCLC treated by SBRT, the overall survival, progression-free survival, cancer-specific survival and adverse effects were determined. Results: The median follow-up was 18.4 months. The 1-, 2-, and 3-year overall survival rates were 92.2%, 92.2% and 80.6%, respectively. The corresponding cause-specific survivals were 95.7%, 95.7% and 83.7%. The progression-free survivals were 70.2%, 54.1% and 40.6%. The local control rates were 100%, 94.4%, and 94.4%. The regional controls were 84.2%, 72.1%, and 54.1%; and distant controls were 84.6%, 72.4% and 64.3%, respectively. Twenty patients (66.7%) developed symptoms of grade 1 radiation-related toxicities: dyspnea, chest pain, fatigue, cough, esophagitis, or pneumonia. Among these, 5 patients suffered grade ≥2 radiation pneumonitis, and one patient experienced grade 4 radiation pneumonitis. Conclusions SBRT was efficient and safe for patients with inoperable T₂N₀M₀ NSCLC, imposing tolerable toxicities.

Genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM),is a common disease in postmenopausal women.It is reported that the incidence of GSM in breast cancer patients (79％-95％) was higher than that in normal counterparts (more than 50％).GSM significantly reduced the quality of life in breast cancer patients,but was not given enough attention,and most of breast cancer patients with GSM were not diagnosed and treated.In addition,chemotherapy and endocrine therapy for breast cancer may increase the incidence and severity of GSM.Hence,prevention and treatment of GSM should be strengthened in breast cancer patients.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of Silibinin capsules combined with routine therapy on serum oxidative injury and liver function of patients with alcoholic liver disease (ALD) complicated with early liver fibrosis.METHODS: The patients with ALD complicated with early liver fibrosis selected from our hospital during Apr. 2013-Jan. 2015 were divided into control group and study group according to random number table, with 38 cases in each group. Control group received routine symptomatic treatment [temperance, oral administration of Inosine tablets (0. 4 g/times, bid), vitamin and microelement supplementation, etc. ]. Study group was additionally given Silibinin capsule (70 mg/time, bid) orally, for consecutive 48 weeks, on the basis of control group. The clinical efficacies and the incidence of ADR were compared between 2 groups. The changes of serum oxidative injury indexes (SOD, MDA), liver fibrosis indexes [laminin (LN), hyaluronic acid (HA), type IV collagen (IV-C), type Ⅲ procollagen (PC Ⅲ)] and liver function indexes (ALT, AST) were recorded before and after treatment. RESULTS: Before treatment, there was no statistical significance in baseline information between 2 groups (P>0. 05). After treatment, total response rate of study was significantly higher than that of control group (P<0. 05), but there was no statistical significance in the incidence of ADR between 2 groups (P>0. 05). Compared with before treatment, serum levels of MDA, liver fibrosis indexes and liver function indexes in 2 groups were decreased significantly (P<0. 05), while SOD levels were increased significantly (P<0. 05); the improvement of study group was more significant than control group (P<0. 05). CONCLUSIONS: Silibinin capsules combined with routine treatment can enhance clinical efficacy of ALD patients with early liver fibrosis, mainly manifesting as improving oxidative stress, regulating liver function and inhibiting the development of liver fibrosis.