BACKGROUND:The treatment of early knee osteoarthritis can be achieved through two knee preservation treatments:Unicondylar knee arthroplasty and high tibial osteotomy.However,further exploration is needed to determine whether there are differences in knee joint recovery between the two knee preservation surgeries at different stages after surgery. OBJECTIVE:To compare the efficacy and related complications of unicondylar knee arthroplasty and high tibial osteotomy in the treatment of varus osteoarthropathy of the knee,and to provide a reference for clinical decision. METHODS:A total of 103 patients with varus osteoarthritis of the knee underwent surgical treatment in the Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University from September 2018 to September 2022 were selected.Among them,86 patients were followed up for more than 1 year.According to different surgical methods,the patients were divided into unicondylar knee arthroplasty group(49 cases)and high tibial osteotomy group(37 cases).Knee function,pain,and line of force correction were evaluated before surgery,4 weeks,3 months,6 months,and 1 year after surgery in both groups.Hospital for special surgery knee score,functional score of Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index,changes of lateral space of the knee joint,range of motion,proprioception(position sense),and postoperative activity recovery speed were evaluated comprehensively. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)There were no significant differences in preoperative hospital for special surgery knee score,Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index score and lateral knee compartment size between the two groups.(2)The hospital for special surgery knee score of patients undergoing unicondylar knee arthroplasty was better than that of patients undergoing high tibial osteotomy within 4 weeks after surgery(P<0.05).At 3 and 6 months after surgery,compared with the improvement of the two groups,the hospital for special surgery knee score in the unicondylar knee arthroplasty group was lower than that in the high tibial osteotomy group,and the difference was significant(P<0.05).The range of motion flexion value and position perception of patients undergoing high tibial osteotomy were significantly better than those undergoing unicondylar knee arthroplasty 6 months after surgery(P<0.05).(3)The unicondylar knee arthroplasty group was better than the high tibial osteotomy group in terms of the speed of knee movement recovery(P<0.05).(4)However,there was no significant difference between the two groups in the change of hospital for special surgery knee score,range of motion,and the width of lateral knee space during 1-year follow-up.(5)All patients were followed up for more than 1 year,and no adverse complications were found during the follow-up.(6)It is indicated that the short-term effect of knee functional recovery in patients with high tibial osteotomy is better than that in patients with unicondylar knee arthroplasty,but there is no significant difference in medium-and long-term efficacy between the two kinds of surgery for medial knee arthritis.

In order to explore the possible role and molecular mechanism of the combined action of leech and bear bile in liver and gallbladder diseases, this study first used network pharmacology methods to screen the components and targets of leech and bear bile, as well as the related target genes of liver and gallbladder diseases. The selected key genes were subjected to interaction network and GO/KEGG enrichment analysis. Then, using sodium oleate induced HepG2 cell lipid deposition model and DL-ethionine induced mouse fatty liver model, the activity of leech and bear bile alone and in combination in reducing liver fat was evaluated in vitro and in vivo, and the expression of key pathway related proteins suggested by network pharmacology was detected by Western blot. The results of network pharmacology analysis showed that the active ingredients of leech and bear bile have 295 intersecting targets with liver and gallbladder related diseases, involving more than 200 signaling pathways, including the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway and phospholipase D signaling pathway closely related to glucose and lipid metabolism. The results of in vitro validation experiments showed that both leech and bear bile, alone and in combination, can significantly inhibit the lipid deposition induced by sodium oleate in human liver cells, reduce the triacylglycerol level in cell culture supernatant, and inhibit the lipid content in liver cells. The observation results of Nile red staining confocal microscopy showed that the combination of leech and bear bile had better activity in reducing lipid deposition in liver cells compared to using them alone. In a mouse fatty liver model, the combination of leech and bear bile can better reduce elevated organ indices, blood lipids, and liver lipid levels, as well as lower the levels of serum liver injury biomarkers. The animals used in this experiment and related disposal meet the requirements of animal welfare. Before the experiment, it was reviewed and approved by IACUC, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. The Western blot experiment results showed that the combination of leech and bear bile can significantly upregulate the expression levels of p-PI3K and p-Akt proteins, and increase the p-PI3K/PI3K and p-Akt/Akt ratios, which is consistent with the predicted results of network pharmacology. The combination of leech and bear bile has great potential for treating fatty liver disease, and activating the PI3K/Akt pathway may be one of the important mechanisms for reducing lipid deposition in liver cells.

ObjectiveTo investigate the immunomodulatory effect of polysaccharides from Astragali Radix-Angelicae Sinensis Radix herb pair（Qi-gui polysaccharides） on lipopolysaccharide（LPS）-induced RAW264.7 macrophages and to characterize the structure of the active component Qi-gui homogeneous polysaccharide（AAPS-4a）， and evaluate its protective effect on ulcerative colitis（UC）. MethodsThe effects of six Qi-gui polysaccharides（0.01-100 mg·L^-1） on the proliferation of RAW264.7 cells were assessed by cell proliferation and activity assay（CCK-8）， and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay（ELISA） was used to investigate the effects of the six polysaccharides（3， 10 mg·L^-1） on the secretion levels of tumor necrosis factor（TNF）-α， interferon（IFN）-β， and nitric oxide（NO） in LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells. After screening for active polysaccharides， high-performance size-exclusion chromatography（HPSEC） was used to determine its homogeneity and relative molecular weight， then its characteristic functional groups were identified by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy（FT-IR）， monosaccharide composition was analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography（HPLC）， methylation analysis combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry（GC-MS） was performed to determine the types and linkage modes of sugar residues， and one- and two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance（NMR） were used to identify the sugar residue composition and configuration of the active polysaccharide. Finally， experimental animals were divided into the normal group， model group， AAPS-4a low-dose group（50 mg·kg^-1）， AAPS-4a high-dose group（100 mg·kg^-1）， and sulfasalazine（SASP） group （75 mg·kg^-1）. Except for the normal group， the acute UC mouse model was induced using 3.5% dextran sulfate sodium salt（DSS）. Each treatment group was administered the corresponding dose via oral gavage for 7 days， and changes in body weight were recorded. After treatment， the spleen index and disease activity index（DAI） score were calculated， TNF-α and interleukin-6（IL-6） levels in the serum were detected by ELISA， and histopathological changes in colon tissue were observed by hematoxylin-eosin（HE） staining. ResultsAt the cellular level， AAPS-4a exhibited a dose-dependent inhibition of LPS-induced increases in TNF-α， IFN-β， and NO levels（P<0.01）. Structural characterization of AAPS-4a revealed that it was a homogeneous polysaccharide with a relative molecular weight of 7.6×10³ Da， consisting of mannose（Man）， glucose（Glc）， and galactose（Gal） in a molar ratio of 1.3∶23.9∶1.0. It was primarily composed of five sugar residues of 1，6-α-D-Glcp， T-α-D-Glcp， 1，3-β-D-Galp， 1，4-α-D-Manp， and 1，2-α-D-Galp. In vivo experiments showed that compared with the normal group， the model group demonstrated markedly increased DAI score and spleen index， significantly reduced colon length， and significantly elevated levels of TNF-α and IL-6（P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the AAPS-4a high-dose group significantly reduced the DAI score and spleen index， as well as TNF-α and IL-6 levels， and improved colonic atrophy（P<0.05， P<0.01）. Pathological observations showed that AAPS-4a significantly inhibited inflammatory cell infiltration in colon tissue and alleviated pathological damage. ConclusionAAPS-4a， a neutral homogeneous polysaccharide composed of 1，6-α-D-Glcp， T-α-D-Glcp， 1，3-β-D-Galp， 1，4-α-D-Manp and 1，2-α-D-Galp， is identified as a key bioactive component contributing to the anti-UC effect of the Qi-gui herb pair. Its immunoregulatory and anti-UC properties suggest its potential as a therapeutic agent for UC.

BACKGROUND:Achilles tendon adhesion after Achilles tendon injury can lead to decreased biomechanical properties,weakened healing ability,and ultrastructural changes of Achilles tendon,which further affects patients'daily life and work ability.Therefore,how to effectively deal with and prevent Achilles tendon adhesion has become a hot and difficult problem in clinical treatment. OBJECTIVE:To analyze the effects of biological amniotic membranes on postoperative Achilles tendon adhesion,biomechanics,and ultrastructural changes in rats with Achilles tendon rupture. METHODS:Sixty 6-week-old SD rats were selected to establish bilateral Achilles tendon rupture models and divided into two groups(n=30 per group)by the random number table method.In the model group,the severed end of the tendon was sutured directly.In the amniotic membrane group,the biological amniotic membrane was wrapped around the broken anastomosis and fixed by a suture.The adhesion,biomechanics,morphology,and structure of the Achilles tendon and the expression of p38 and ERK1/2 protein were evaluated 1,2,and 4 weeks after surgery. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)1 week after operation,the Achilles tendon and peritendinous tissues of the two groups were mildly edema,and the adhesion of the Achilles tendon tissues in the model group was more obvious.2 weeks after the intervention,the Achilles tendon and peritendinous tissues of the model group still had edema,and the adhesion degree between the Achilles tendon and the surrounding tissues was heavier than that of the amniotic membrane group.4 weeks after operation,there was no edema around the Achilles tendon in both groups,and the healing was well.The adhesion degree of the Achilles tendon in the amniotic membrane group was less than that in the model group.The maximum tension of Achilles tendons in the amniotic membrane group was higher than that in the model group at 2 and 4 weeks after operation(P<0.001).(2)Hematoxylin-eosin staining and transmission electron microscopy revealed that 1 week after operation,the tendon structure of rats of the two groups was disordered and the collagen fibers were sparsely arranged,in which the model group demonstrated obvious inflammatory reaction and adhesion to the Achilles tendon.Two weeks after operation,the model group still demonstrated obvious inflammatory response,adhesion of Achilles tendon,and irregular ordering of collagen fibers.The amniotic membrane group exhibited an orderly arrangement of collagen fibers and expansion of the endoplasmic reticulum of fibroblasts.At 4 weeks after operation,the collagen fibers of the Achilles tendon in the model group were thickened and disordered,and the rough endoplasmic reticulum was less in the fibroblasts,while the collagen fibers in the amniotic membrane group were ordered and thin,and the fibroblasts contained a large number of rough endoplasmic reticulum.(3)Four weeks after operation,western blot assay exhibited that the expressions of p38 and ERK1/2 protein in the Achilles tendon tissue of rats in the amniotic membrane group were lower than those in the model group(P<0.05).(4)The results confirm that the biologic amniotic membrane can promote the healing and inhibit the adhesion of Achilles tendon after the operation of the ruptured Achilles tendon,which may be associated with the regulation of the MAPK/ERK signaling pathway.

Echinococcosis is a common zoonotic disease in livestock; the type with the highest incidence is cystic echinococcosis (CE). In clinical management, patients with CE of the liver in which the cyst wall is calcified have been found to have better prognoses than those without calcification. In this study, we collected calcified and uncalcified cyst wall tissue from patients with hepatic CE and observed significant changes in the expression of 2336 messenger ribonucleic acids (mRNAs), 178 long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), 210 microRNAs (miRNAs), and 33 circular RNAs (circRNAs) using high-throughput sequencing (HTS). Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses of differentially expressed RNAs (DERNAs: DEmRNAs, DElncRNAs, DEmiRNAs, and DEcircRNAs) were performed to explore these RNAs’ potential biological functions and signaling pathways. Ultimately, the results of hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase deoxyuridine triphosphate (dUTP) nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining confirmed the correlation between calcification and apoptosis of the cyst wall. In summary, this study was an initial exploration of the molecular-biological mechanism underlying spontaneous calcification of the hydatid cyst wall, and it provides a theoretical basis for exploring new targets for drug treatment in CE.

Objective To explore the perioperative safety of video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) in Day Care Unit and the risk factors for delayed discharge under centralized management model. Methods The patients with VATS managed by the Day Care Unit of the Drum Tower Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University Medical School in 2021 were retrospectively collected. The patients’ postoperative data and risk factors for delayed discharge were analyzed. Results A total of 383 patients were enrolled, including 179 males and 204 females with an average age of 46.09±14.82 years. Eleven (2.87%) patients developed grade 3-4 postoperative complications during the hospitalization. Eighteen (4.70%) patients visited unscheduled outpatient clinic within 7 days, and 6 (1.57%) patients were re-hospitalized within 30 days after discharge. The remaining patients had no significant adverse events during the 30-day follow-up. The average length of hospital stay was 2.27±0.35 d. The length of hospital stay was over 48 h in 48 (12.53%) patients. The independent risk factor for delayed discharge was lobectomy or combined resection (OR=3.015, 95%CI 1.174-7.745, P=0.022). Conclusion VATS can be safely conducted under the centralized management in Day Care Unit. The risk factor for delayed discharge is the extent of surgical resection.

Objective Viral encephalitis is an infectious disease severely affecting human health.It is caused by a wide variety of viral pathogens,including herpes viruses,flaviviruses,enteroviruses,and other viruses.The laboratory diagnosis of viral encephalitis is a worldwide challenge.Recently,high-throughput sequencing technology has provided new tools for diagnosing central nervous system infections.Thus,In this study,we established a multipathogen detection platform for viral encephalitis based on amplicon sequencing. Methods We designed nine pairs of specific polymerase chain reaction(PCR)primers for the 12 viruses by reviewing the relevant literature.The detection ability of the primers was verified by software simulation and the detection of known positive samples.Amplicon sequencing was used to validate the samples,and consistency was compared with Sanger sequencing. Results The results showed that the target sequences of various pathogens were obtained at a coverage depth level greater than 20×,and the sequence lengths were consistent with the sizes of the predicted amplicons.The sequences were verified using the National Center for Biotechnology Information BLAST,and all results were consistent with the results of Sanger sequencing. Conclusion Amplicon-based high-throughput sequencing technology is feasible as a supplementary method for the pathogenic detection of viral encephalitis.It is also a useful tool for the high-volume screening of clinical samples.

The Piezo protein is a non-selective mechanosensitive cation channel that exhibits sensitivity to mechanical stimuli such as pressure and shear stress. It converts mechanical signals into bioelectric activity within cells, thus triggering specific biological responses. In the digestive system, Piezo protein plays a crucial role in maintaining normal physiological activities, including digestion, absorption, metabolic regulation, and immune modulation. However, dysregulation in Piezo protein expression may lead to the occurrence of several pathological conditions, including visceral hypersensitivity, impairment of intestinal mucosal barrier function, and immune inflammation.Therefore, conducting a comprehensive review of the physiological functions and pathological roles of Piezo protein in the digestive system is of paramount importance. In this review, we systematically summarize the structural and dynamic characteristics of Piezo protein, its expression patterns, and physiological functions in the digestive system. We particularly focus on elucidating the mechanisms of action of Piezo protein in digestive system tumor diseases, inflammatory diseases, fibrotic diseases, and functional disorders. Through the integration of the latest research findings, we have observed that Piezo protein plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of various digestive system diseases. There exist intricate interactions between Piezo protein and multiple phenotypes of digestive system tumors such as proliferation, apoptosis, and metastasis. In inflammatory diseases, Piezo protein promotes intestinal immune responses and pancreatic trypsinogen activation, contributing to the development of ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, and pancreatitis. Additionally, Piezo1, through pathways involving co-action with the TRPV4 ion channel, facilitates neutrophil recruitment and suppresses HIF-1α ubiquitination, thereby mediating organ fibrosis in organs like the liver and pancreas. Moreover, Piezo protein regulation by gut microbiota or factors like age and gender can result in increased or decreased visceral sensitivity, and alterations in intestinal mucosal barrier structure and permeability, which are closely associated with functional disorders like irritable bowel sydrome (IBS) and functional consitipaction (FC). A thorough exploration of Piezo protein as a potential therapeutic target in digestive system diseases can provide a scientific basis and theoretical support for future clinical diagnosis and treatment strategies.

To establish a method for determining 26 inorganic elements in earthworm polypeptide and determine the elemental content in different batches of earthworm polypeptide, microwave digestion method was used to pre-treat the samples, and ICP-MS method was used to determine the content of 26 elements in different batches of earthworm polypeptide. The linear relationships of 26 elements were good in the range of 0-1 000 μg·L^-1, with R² greater than 0.999, precision RSD 0.21%-2.71%, repeatability RSD 0.19%-4.69%, stability RSD 0.11%-4.24%, and recovery rates of 82.41%-116.16%. The data was plotted using Origin 2022 software to characterize the distribution of elements content. SPSS 27.0 was used for principal component analysis, and SIMCA 14.1 software was used for OPLS-DA analysis. The results showed that among the 26 elements, the higher content of earthworm polypeptide was K, Na, and Ca, followed by Zn, Fe, Al, B and other trace elements, In, Sc, Co, Pb, Bi and other elements had little or no detectable content, and there were differences in the content of polypeptide in different batches. This study provides a theoretical basis for the production quality control, quality evaluation and drug efficacy application of earthworm polypeptide through the determination and analysis of the elements and content of earthworm polypeptide.

ObjectiveTo explore the impact of blood-invigorating and stasis-dissolving medicinals combined with conventional western medicine on the major adverse cardiovascular events （MACE） in patients with coronary heart disease （CHD） after percutaneous coronary intervention （PCI）. MethodsA prospective cohort study was conducted to collect data on consecutive cases of CHD after PCI. According to whether blood-invigorating and stasis-dissolving medicinals were used， the cases were divided into a Chinese herbal medicinals （CHM） group and control group. The primary outcome was the incidence of MACE one year after PCI， while the secondary outcomes included TCM syndrome score and echocardiography left ventricular ejection fraction （LVEF）. Logistic regression analysis was performed to explore the influencing factors of MACE. ResultsA total of 844 patients who met the criteria were included， with 617 in the CHM group and 227 in the control group. The main blood-invigorating and stasis-dissolving medicinals being used were Danshen （Radix et Rhizoma Salviae Miltiorrhizae， 46.35%）， Chuanxiong （Rhizoma Chuanxiong， 45.87%）， and Chishao （Radix Paeoniae Rubra， 42.30%）. After a median follow-up of 12.73 months， the incidence of MACE in the CHM group （142/617， 23.01%） was significantly lower than that in the control group （68/227， 29.96%） with significant difference （OR=0.70， 95%CI 0.50 to 0.98， P = 0.04）. The LVEF of the CHM group ［（60.06±6.13）%］ was higher than that of the control group ［（58.27±7.36）%］ with significant difference （t = 0.356， P＜0.01）. The TCM syndrome score in the CHM group decreased to 12.66±4.47， while that in the control group increased to 13.81±3.88， with the results favoring the CHM group （t = 2.78， P＜0.01）. Univariate analysis showed correlations between the incidence of MACE after PCI and the use of blood-invigorating and stasis-dissolving medicinals， LVEF， usage of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system （RAAS） inhibitors， TCM syndrome score， and usage of β blockers （P＜0.05）. Multivariate analysis showed that the use of blood-invigorating and stasis-dissolving medicinals was significantly associated with the reduction of MACE （P＜0.01）， while the baseline LVEF decline， TCM syndrome score increase， no use of RAAS inhibitors or β blockers were the risk factors of MACE after PCI （P＜0.05）. ConclusionThe use of blood-invigorating and stasis-dissolving medicinals based on the conventional western medicine can reduce the risk of MACE one year after PCI of CHD， improve the TCM syndromes and protect heart function.