Downregulation of NOX4 improves airway remodeling and inflammation by the TGF-ß1-Smad2/3 pathway in asthma.

Asthma is a respiratory inflammatory disease, and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase 4 (NOX4) is involved in the progression of respiratory diseases. However, the role of NOX4 in asthma remains unclear. In the present study, we aimed to explore the effects of NOX4 on airway remodeling and inflammation. NOX4 expression was measured using immunocytochemistry (IHC), western blot, and real-time PCR (qPCR). Lung tissues were stained using the H&E assay. ELISA was used to examine the levels of airway remodeling-related indicators, and qPCR was used to detect airway inflammatory factors. The results indicated that NOX4 is highly expressed in lung tissues, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), and serum of OVA-treated mice. Inhibition of NOX4 alleviated OVA-induced airway remodeling and inflammation. Similarly, TGF-ß1 was also upregulated in BALF and serum OVA-induced mice. Inhibition of TGF-ß1 signaling also improved airway remodeling and inflammation induced by OVA. Moreover, the downregulation of NOX4 inactivated the TGF-ß1-Smad2/3 pathway, and TGF-ß1 decreased Smad2/3 expression. Moreover, inhibition of the TGF-ß1 was enhanced, while TGF-ß1 reversed the effects on airway remodeling and inflammation induced by NOX4 inhibition. Taken together, the downregulation of NOX4 improves airway remodeling and inflammation via inactivation of the TGF-ß1-Smad2/3 pathway in asthma mice, suggesting that NOX4 may be a therapeutic target for asthma.

Combined anteroposterior approaches in lateral position treatment of lumbosacral tuberculous in single-stage.

BACKGROUND: The local anatomy of the lumbosacral region of spine is complicated, with special biomechanical characteristics. For surgical management of tuberculous spondylitis reported in the literature, the methods would be two-stage anterior and posterior approaches or one-stage anterior and posterior approach with patient's intraoperative position being changed. These types of surgery approaches would result in long operative duration and more intraoperative blood loss, and most important there is no coordination between anterior and posterior procedures. METHODS: The purpose of this study was to introduce a new procedure called in the lateral position single -stage combined anteriorposterior approaches for treatment of lumbosacral tuberculous spondylitis and to evaluate its preliminary surgical outcomes. Fifteen patients with lumbosacral tuberculous spondylitis who underwent single-stage anterior and posterior radical focal debridement and reconstruction in lateral position in our hospital from April 2005 to June 2012 were included in the study. There were 6 males and 9 females with the average age of 46.8 years. The tuberculous lesions involved the following regions: L3-4 in 5cases, L4-5 in 5 cases, L5-S1 in 2 cases, L4 in one case, and L5 in 2 cases. The assessment of surgical outcomes was conducted with clinical symptoms and radiological findings,including operative time, blood loss. deformity angle, Frankel grade and Kirkaldy-Willis evaluation. RESULTS: Operation posture: The right lateral position was used for 11 patients and the left lateral position was used for the remaining 4 patients. The average duration of operation for the 15 patients was 270 min. The average intraoperative blood loss was 1720 ml. The mean follow-up period was 4.2 years. There was no recurrence. The postoperative radiological findings showed that the interbody bone grafts were fixed without any dislodgment. There was significant difference between preoperative and postoperative lumbosacral lordotic angles. Kirkaldy-Willis classification rating for the 13 cases with satisfactory results. CONCLUSION: Single-stage combined anterior and posterior surgical management of lumbosacral tuberculous spondylitis with patient in lateral position can achieve radical focal debridement, anterior and posterior procedure coordination and spinal reconstruction.

Investigation of the gene co-expression network and hub genes associated with acute mountain sickness.

BACKGROUND: Acute mountain sickness has become a heavily researched topic in recent years. However, the genetic mechanism and effects have not been elucidated. Our goal is to construct a gene co-expression network to identify the key modules and hub genes associated with high altitude hypoxia. RESULTS: The GSE46480 dataset of rapidly transported healthy adults with acute mountain sickness was selected and analyzed by weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) to construct a co-expression network. The Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis of the data set were carried out using Database for Annotation Visualization and Integrated Discovery (DAVID), and the hub genes were selected. We found that the turquoise module was most significantly correlated with acute mountain sickness. The functional enrichment analysis showed that the turquoise module was related to the apoptotic process, protein transport, and translation processes. The metabolic pathway analysis identified hsa03010:ribosome and hsa04144:endocytosis as the most important pathways in the turquoise module. Ten top 10 hub genes (MRPL3, PSMC6, AIMP1, HAT1, DPY30, ATP5L, COX7B, UQCRB, DPM1, and COMMD6) for acute mountain sickness were identified. CONCLUSION: One module and 10 hub genes were identified, which were related to acute mountain sickness. The reference provided by this module may help to elucidate the mechanism of acute mountain sickness. In addition, the hub genes may be used in the future as a biomarker and therapeutic target for accurate diagnosis and treatment.

[Vertebral in vivo motion of adjacent segments in patients with degenerative spondylolisthesis].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the in vivo vertebral motion of adjacent segments in patients with degenerative spondylolisthesis (DS) during functional weight-bearing activities. METHODS: A total of 15 symptomatic L4 DS patients (mean age 54.4 years) and 15 asymptomatic volunteers (mean age 53.4 years) were recruited. The vertebral segment motion of each subject was reconstructed with three-dimensional computed tomography and solid modeling software. In vivo lumbar vertebral motion during functional postures (flexion-extension, left-right twisting and left-right bending) was observed with dual fluoroscopic imaging. Coordinate systems were established at the vertebral center of L3-S1 to obtain the intervertebral range of motion (ROM) at L3/4, L4/5 and L5/S1 in DS and normal groups. RESULTS: The motion pattern at L3/4 with DS was altered. During left-right bending, the rotation along sagittal axis was significantly larger than normal group (4.4° ± 2.8° vs 2.1° ± 1.7°, P < 0.05). During left-right twisting, the rotation along vertical axis was significantly larger than normal group (4.3° ± 2.8° vs 2.1° ± 1.3°, P < 0.05). During flexion to extension, the rotation along frontal axis was larger than DS group (3.9° ± 3.3° vs 3.2° ± 2.5°). However the difference was insignificant. The motion pattern at L4/5 and L5/S1 with DS had no significant difference with normal group. CONCLUSION: The slipped segments of degenerative spondylolisthesis are stable. However, the ROM of cranial segment increases.

[Application of digital orthopedic technology for observing degenerative lumbar segmental instability of three-dimensional kinematic characteristics in vivo].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the characteristics of three-dimensional motion of lumbar instability segmental in vivo under physiological weight bearing so as to establish three-dimensional diagnostic criteria for degenerative lumbar segmental instability (DLSI). METHODS: Eight patients aged 29-65 years with DLSI at L3/4 were studied as instability group (L3/4), 9 patients aged 51-60 years with DLSI at L4/5 as instability group (L4/5) and 10 healthy volunteers aged 26-51 years as normal group. Three-dimension (3D) reproductions by matching lumbar spine models were reconstructed from thin-section computed tomography scans. Spine motions were then reproduced by matching lumber spine models and images from dual fluoroscopic imaging system (DFIS). The models were matched to the osseous outlines of images from two orthogonal views to determine the SD position of vertebrae for each pose. From local coordinate systems at end plates, the motion of cephalad vertebrae relative to cauddal vertebrae was calculated for vertebrae levels. RESULTS: The motion pattern at L3/4 was altered . During flexion-extension, migration was significantly larger than normal group along sagittal axis (P < 0.05); rotation was significantly larger than normal group along vertical axis; migration was significantly smaller than normal group along vertical axis; during left-right twisting, rotation was significantly larger than normal group along vertical axis (P < 0.05). The motion pattern at L4/5 was also altered . During flexion-extension, migrations was significantly larger than normal group along sagittal axis (P < 0.05). During left-right twisting, migration and rotation were significantly smaller than normal group along vertical axis (P < 0.05). Rotation was significantly larger than normal group along sagittal axis. During left-right bending, rotation was significantly larger than normal group along sagittal axis (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Lumbar instability segments were significantly different compared with normal lumbar segments. And lumbar instability segments (at L3/4) were also different from lumbar instability segments (at L4/5). Different three-dimensional diagnostic criteria should be formulated for different lumbar instability segments.

Effects of anti-osteoporosis treatment in elderly patients with osteoporosis and lumbar discectomy and fusion.

BACKGROUND: The effect of anti-osteoporosis treatment in elderly patients with osteoporosis and lumbar discectomy and fusion (LIF) for lumbar degenerative diseases is not well known. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of perioperative anti-osteoporosis treatment in the patients with osteoporosis and LIF. METHODS: From January to December 2022, patients were divided into three groups according to the inclusive criteria: the normal group (Group A), the osteopenia group (Group B) and the osteoporosis group (Group C). Quantitative computed tomography (QCT), height of the intervertebral space (HIS), segmental sagittal angle (SSA), visual analogue scale (VAS) score and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) were compared between the groups at the follow-up time. The serum Ca2 + , osteocalcin (OC), propeptide of type I procollagen (PINP) C-terminal cross-linking telopeptide of type I collagen (ß-CTX) and 25-OH vitamin D (25-OH VD) levels were compared between the groups at the time of follow-up. Interbody fusion was graded on the X-ray and CT images at the follow-up time. RESULTS: There were 165 patients in this study. There were significant differences in the mean age, mean score, HIS and SSA between the groups at the different follow-up times. There were significant differences in the concentrations of serum Ca2 + , OC, ß-CTX, 25-OH VD and PINP at the sixth month after surgery between the groups. There were significant differences in the concentrations of serum Ca2 + , ß-CTX and 25-OH VD between the pre-surgery and at six months after surgery in Group B and ß-CTX and 25-OH VD in Group C. There was a significant difference in the degree of fusion between Group B and C (χ2= 5.6243, P< 0.05). CONCLUSION: In elderly patients with LIF and osteoporosis, anti-osteoporosis therapy could reduce bone resorption and thus facilitate fusion. Anti-osteoporosis medication tends to enhance radiological, functional, and fusion short-term outcomes.

Hydrous mantle plume promoted the generation of continental flood basalts in the Tarim large igneous province.

Recent research on the water content of large igneous provinces (LIPs) has revealed that water has a significant impact on the formation of LIPs. However, most studies focus on the water content of mafic-ultramafic rocks, while relatively little attention has been paid to the water content of continental flood basalts (CFB), which form the major part of LIPs and are characterized by huge volumes (> 1 × 105 km3) and short eruption times. Here, we determined water contents of clinopyroxene crystals from the Akesu diabase, which is co-genetic with flood basalts of the Tarim LIP in China. Based on these measurements, we obtained a water content of higher than 1.23 ± 0.49 wt.% for the parental magma to the Tarim CFB and a minimum water content of 1230 ± 490 ppm for the mantle source, thus indicating the presence of a hydrous mantle plume. Combined with previous studies, our results suggest that water plays a key role in the formation of the Tarim LIP. Additionally, the whole-rock compositions of the Akesu diabase indicate a contribution of pyroxenite in the mantle source. This is consistent with a model, in which water was brought into the Tarim mantle plume by a subducted oceanic plate that entered the deep mantle.

Motion characteristics of the vertebral segments with lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis in elderly patients.

OBJECTIVE: Although some studies have reported on the kinematics of the lumbar segments with degenerative spondylolisthesis (DS), few data have been reported on the in vivo 6 degree-of-freedom kinematics of different anatomical structures of the diseased levels under physiological loading conditions. This research is to study the in vivo motion characteristics of the lumbar vertebral segments with L4 DS during weight-bearing activities. METHODS: Nine asymptomatic volunteers (mean age 54.4) and 9 patients with L4 DS (mean age 73.4) were included. Vertebral kinematics was obtained using a combined MRI/CT and dual fluoroscopic imaging technique. During functional postures (supine, standing upright, flexion, and extension), disc heights, vertebral motion patterns and instability were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: Although anterior disc heights were smaller in the DS group than in the normal group, the differences were only significant at standing upright. Posterior disc heights were significantly smaller in DS group than in the normal group under all postures. Different vertebral motion patterns were observed in the DS group, especially in the left-right and cranial-caudal directions during flexion and extension of the body. However, the range of motions of the both groups were much less than the reported criteria of lumbar spinal instability. CONCLUSION: The study showed that lumbar vertebra with DS has disordered motion patterns. DS did not necessary result in vertebral instability. A restabilization process may have occurred and surgical treatment should be planned accordingly.

The effect of the X-Stop implantation on intervertebral foramen, segmental spinal canal length and disc space in elderly patients with lumbar spinal stenosis.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the biomechanical effect of the X-Stop device on the intervertebral foramen (IVF) and segmental spinal canal length (SSCL), as well as the intervertebral disc space at the implanted and the adjacent segments in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eight elderly patients with LSS, scheduled for X-stop implantation, were CT or MRI scanned to construct 3D vertebral models (L2-S1). Before and after the surgery, each patient was also imaged using a dual-fluoroscopic image system during weight-bearing standing and maximum extension-flexion. The positions of the vertebrae were then determined using an established 2D-3D model matching method. RESULTS: The data revealed that the postoperative IVF area was significantly increased by 32.9% (or 32 mm2) (p<0.05) and the IVF width was increased by 24.4% (or 1.1 mm, p=0.06) during extension, but with minimal change in standing and flexion. The IVF heights were significantly (p<0.05) increased at standing by 1.2 mm and extension by 1.8 mm, but not at flexion. The SSCL were significantly (p<0.05) increased at extension by 1.2 mm, but not at standing and flexion. Anterior disc space of the implanted level was significantly decreased from 8.0 to 6.6 mm during standing. CONCLUSION: The X-Stop implantation efficiently enlarged the IVF area in the elderly patients with LSS at the operated level with little biomechanical effect immediately on the superior and inferior adjacent levels. However, it reduced the anterior disc space at the implanted level.

The usefulness of magnetic resonance imaging for sequestered lumbar disc herniation treated with endoscopic surgery.

Forty two patients with sequestered lumbar intervertebral disc herniation were treated by endoscopic surgery with the mobile Endospine system. The herniations and migration were confirmed on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The interlamina fenestration and pars interarticularis fenestration approaches were used for intracanal herniations and far lateral lumbar disc herniations (FLLDH) according to the degree of migration as observed on MRI. Sequestered herniations were exposed and removed completely with the mobile endoscopic system for all patients without neurologic complications or dural tears. Intraoperative findings were compared with preoperative MRI results. Of 24 caudal intracanal herniations, 15 had sequestered nuclei located ventrally beneath the dural theca and the transverse nerve root; 5 were between the transverse nerve root and dural theca (axillary); 4 were dorsally located on the nerve root and dural theca. However, preoperative MRI did not clearly display the sequestered nuclei between the transverse nerve root and dural theca (axillary), or the dorsally migrated disc on the nerve root and dural theca. Of 6 cranial intracanal herniations, 5 had free fragments located beneath the dural theca, and 1 dorsal to the dural sac. Of the 2 dorsal herniations, the migrated nucleus adhered to the dural sac was not found on preoperative MRI; in the other case, dorsal migration of nucleus, annulus and endplate around the dural sac was also not observed on preoperative MRI. Among the 10 FLLDH, preoperative MRI showed cranial migration and foraminal obstruction in all patients, with sequestered disc material at the ventral and medial sides of the exiting nerve root, displacing the exiting nerve root and ganglion cranially and dorsally. During the 12 to 48 month postoperative follow-up period, 26 patients had excellent clinical results and 15 patients had good results (Macnab scale). In conclusion, MRI is important for evaluating sequestered lumbar disc herniation, although it has its limitations. Sequestered herniations can be exposed and removed completely with the mobile endoscopic system.

[Insertion technique and clinical application of regional method axis pedicle screw].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinical efficacies and outcomes of regional method axis pedicle screw insertion technique. METHODS: During the period of April 2004 to June 2010, a total of 23 cases with traumatic instability of upper cervical vertebrae were recruited. There were 19 males and 4 females with a mean age of 45.8 years. They underwent surgical operations after an excellent traction reduction of cervical vertebrae. The entry points were drawn on axial facet joint and all of them distributed in the region of upper inner 1/4 of lower articular process. So the regional method was employed to determine the entry point. All subjects underwent the reconstruction of posterior stability. Axial pedicle screws were inserted by the insertion technique of axial pedicle screw via the "regional method". The entry region was in the upper inner 1/4 area of lower articular process. The entry angle, medial inclination and superior inclination were determined by the direction of inner wall and upper wall of isthmus. Postoperative cervical radiography and CT examination were performed to confirm the screw position. RESULTS: Forty-six axial pedicle screws were implanted. No significant complications occurred. All screws stayed in excellent positions without the invasion of vertebral artery and spinal canal. CONCLUSIONS: The "regional method" insertion technique of axial pedicle screw require no memory of complex entry points and entry angle parameters. And there is no need of identifying the anatomical landmarks. Thus this approach is accurate, safe and suitable for most patients.

Evaluation of the Effect of Changing the Normalised Appointment Mode During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Epidemic on the Development of Day Surgery.

Objective: To investigate the effect of changing the normal appointment mode on day surgery. Methods: From December 2020 to December 2021, 302 patients with day surgery admitted to the hospital by using the unified reservation mode of the intelligent bed system were selected as the experimental group, while 302 patients with day surgery admitted to the hospital by using the decentralised bed reservation mode were randomly selected as the control group. The same-day surgery cancellation rate, bed utilisation rate and patient satisfaction were analysed and compared between the two groups. Results: The treatment experience of the patients in the experimental group was higher than that in the control group. The same-day surgery cancellation rate was lower than that of the control group, with a statistically significant difference (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The unified computer reservation mode of the intelligent bed reservation system is superior to the decentralised reservation mode across departments. A daytime intelligent bed reservation mode was adopted for unifying bed appointments, which could effectively reduce the same-day cancellation rate of day surgery, improve bed utilisation and improve patient satisfaction.

Identification of Tissue-Specific Expressed Hub Genes and Potential Drugs in Rheumatoid Arthritis Using Bioinformatics Analysis.

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a common autoimmune disease characterized by progressive, destructive polyarthritis. However, the cause and underlying molecular events of RA are not clear. Here, we applied integrated bioinformatics to identify tissue-specific expressed hub genes involved in RA and reveal potential targeted drugs. Methods: Three expression profiles of human microarray datasets involving fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, the differentially expressed mRNAs (DEGs), miRNAs (DEMs), and lncRNAs (DELs) between normal and RA synovial samples were screened using GEO2R tool. BioGPS was used to identified tissue-specific expressed genes. Functional and pathway enrichment analyses were performed for common DEGs using the DAVID database, and the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of common DEGs was constructed to recognize hub genes by the STRING database. Based on receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, we further investigated the prognostic values of tissue-specific expressed hub genes in RA patients. Connectivity Map (CMap) was run to identify novel anti-RA potential drugs. The DEM-DEG pairs and ceRNA network containing key DEMs were established by Cytoscape. Results: We obtain a total of 418 DEGs, 23 DEMs and 49 DELs. 64 DEGs were verified as tissue-specific expressed genes, most derive from the hematologic/immune system (20/64, 31.25%). GO term and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis showed that DEGs focused primarily on immune-related biological process and NF-κB pathway. 10 hub genes were generated via using MCODE plugin. Among them, SPAG5, CUX2, and THEMIS2 were identified as tissue-specific expressed hub genes, these 3 tissue-specific expressed hub genes have superior diagnostic value in the RA samples compared with osteoarthritis (OA) samples. 5 compounds (troleandomycin, levodopa, trichostatin A, LY-294002, and levamisole) rank among the top five in connectivity score. In addition, 5 miRNAs were identified to be key DEMs, the lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA network with five key DEMs was formed. The networks containing tissue-specific expressed hub genes are as follows: ARAP1-AS2/miR-20b-3p/TRIM3, ARAP1-AS2/miR-30c-3p/FRZB. Conclusion: This study indicates that screening for identify tissue-specific expressed hub genes and ceRNA network in RA using integrated bioinformatics analyses could help us understand the mechanism of development of RA. Besides, SPAG5 and THEMIS2 might be candidate biomarkers for diagnosis of RA. LY-294002, trichostatin A, and troleandomycin may be potential drugs for RA.

Glucopyranose from Pleurotus geesteranus prevent alcoholic liver diseases by regulating Nrf2/HO-1-TLR4/NF-κB signalling pathways and gut microbiota.

This study investigated the effects of PGPs (Pleurotus geesteranus polysaccharides), a glucopyranose isolated from the mycelium of Pleurotus geesteranus and characterized with the main chain of →4)-α-D-Glcp-(1→, on the prevention against alcohol liver diseases (ALD), with the aim of providing a theoretical basis for the application of P. geesteranus as prebiotic agents in preventing and treating gut dysbiosis and alcohol-related metabolic disorders in individuals with ALD. The results showed that PGP treatment reduced oxidative stress by up-regulating the Nrf2/HO-1 signalling pathways, and decreased the pro-inflammatory factors by down-regulating TLR4/NF-κB signalling pathways. Furthermore, we validated effects of PGPs on balancing the gut-liver axis by maintaining the integrity of the intestinal epithelial barrier of decreasing intestinal permeability, increasing intestinal tight-junction protein and mucin expression and elevating the abundance of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) producers in the intestine by regulating the microbiota composition.

Ultrasound Comparative Analysis of Coronary Arteries before and after Immune Blocking Therapy with Gamma Globulin in Children with Kawasaki Disease.

Objective: To investigate the ultrasound characteristics and clinical efficacy of coronary arteries before and after immune blocking therapy with gamma globulin in children with Kawasaki disease. Methods: A total of 64 children with Kawasaki disease who were treated in our hospital from January 2018 to October 2021 were selected. All the children were given immune blocking therapy with gamma globulin on the basis of conventional treatment. The disappearance time of related symptoms and signs (fever, mucosal congestion, cervical lymphadenopathy, and swelling of the hands and feet) in children were counted. The white blood cell count (WBC), platelet count (PLT), C-reactive protein (CRP), and procalcitonin (PCT) levels of the children before and after treatment were compared, and the characteristics of coronary echocardiography before and after treatment were observed for analysis and discussion, to carefully observe whether the coronary artery involvement of the children was improved. Results: The inner diameter of the left and right coronary arteries significantly decreased (P < 0.05), and the levels of leukocytes, platelets, CRP, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and endostatin were significantly decreased compared with those before treatment, with a statistical difference (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The effect of gamma globulin in the treatment of Kawasaki disease is remarkable, which can improve the blood indexes, VEGF, and endostatin levels in children, significantly reduce coronary dilatation, and reduce the incidence of coronary artery disease. Echocardiography is of high value in the examination of children with Kawasaki disease, which can accurately detect the size, location, and inner diameter of coronary artery lesions, and can effectively evaluate the treatment effect on children.

[Lateral position one-stage combined posteroanterior approaches for the treatment of lumbosacral tuberculous spondylitis].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the feasibility of a one-stage combined posteroanterior approaches for the treatment of lumbosacral tuberculous spondylitis with the patients lying in a lateral position. METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted for 15 patients with lumbosacral tuberculosis undergoing one-stage combined posteroanterior approaches for radical lesion resection and reconstruction. All patients were observed and evaluated by clinical and imaging studies. RESULTS: Operative posture:11 cases for right side and 4 cases for left side. The mean operative duration was 280 min (range: 230 - 380 min) and the mean estimated volume of blood loss 1720 ml (range: 1100 - 3000 ml). Imaging results: No recurrence of tuberculose focus was found until the last follow-up. Upon image reviewing, it showed no loosening or displacement except for two cases of slightly collapsed titanium mesh. Preoperative and postoperative changes in the degree of lumbar lordosis were statistically significant [(20 ± 5)° vs (31 ± 5)°, P < 0.05]. The Kirkaldy-Willis classification rating yielded satisfactory results for 13 cases. CONCLUSION: The patients with lumbosacral tuberculosis undergoing one-stage combined posteroanterior approaches may achieve radical lesion resection, posteroanterior collaboration and reconstruction. It avoids a 2-stage operation, eliminates the need of changing a patient's body position with secondary sterilization and shortens the operative duration. Lumbosacral surgery for tuberculosis combines the respective advantages of anterior, posterior and combined posteroanterior approaches and yet makes up for their deficiencies.

[In vitro cartilage tissue engineering with cartilage extracellular matrix-derived porous scaffolds and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells].

OBJECTIVE: To develop a novel cartilage ECM-derived porous scaffold (CEDPS) and investigate the attachment, proliferation and distribution of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) cultured in vitro within the scaffolds. METHODS: Cartilage microfilaments were prepared after pulverization and gradient centrifugation and prepared into suspension after acellularization treatment. The scaffolds were examined by histological staining, scanning electron microscope (SEM), biochemical and biomechanical analysis. After labeling with PKH26, the canine BMSCs were seeded onto the scaffolds. The attachment, proliferation and differentiation of cells were observed by inverted fluorescent microscope and SEM. RESULTS: On histology, most extracellular matrices were retained in the scaffold after the removal of cell fragments. Safranin O staining and immunofluorescence examination with collagen II antibodies provided positive results. Biochemical analysis showed that the collagen content was (708.2 ± 44.7) µg/mg, glycosaminoglycan (254.7 ± 25.9) µg/mg and DNA (0.021 ± 0.007) µg/mg. Mechanical testing showed the compression moduli (E) were (1.226 ± 0.288) and (0.052 ± 0.007) MPa under dry and wet conditions respectively. Inverted fluorescent microscope and SEM showed moderate cell adhesion, chondrocyte-like morphology and matrix synthesis around cells. CONCLUSION: The CEDPS retains most extracellular matrices after a thorough decellularization so as to possess an excellent microstructure with ideal biomechanical characteristics and a good biocompatibility. Thus it is a suitable candidate as an alternative cell-carrier for cartilage tissue engineering. Chondrogenic BMSCs and CEDPS may be used to construct cartilage-like tissue in vitro.

Electrical conductivity of melts: implications for conductivity anomalies in the Earth's mantle.

Magmatic liquids, including silicate and carbonate melts, are principal agents of mass and heat transfer in the Earth and terrestrial planets, and they play a crucial role in various geodynamic processes and in Earth's evolution. Electrical conductivity data of these melts elucidate the cause of electrical anomalies in Earth's interior and shed light on the melt structure. With the improvement in high-pressure experimental techniques and theoretical simulations, major progress has been made on this front in the past several decades. This review aims to summarize recent advances in experimental and theoretical studies on the electrical conductivity of silicate and carbonate melts of different compositions and volatile contents under high temperature and pressure. The electrical conductivity of silicate melts depends strongly on temperature, pressure, water content and the ratio of non-bridging oxygens to tetrahedral cations (NBO/T). By contrast, the electrical conductivity of carbonate melts exhibits a weak dependence on temperature and pressure due to their fully depolymerized structure. The electrical conductivity of carbonate melts is higher than that of silicate melts by at least two orders of magnitude. Water can increase electrical conductivity significantly and reduce the activation energy of silicate melts. Conversely, this effect is weak for carbonate melts. In addition, the replacement of alkali-earth elements (Ca2+ or Mg2+) with alkali elements causes a significant decrease in the electrical conductivity of carbonate melts. A distinct compensation trend is revealed for the electrical conductivity of silicate and carbonate melts under anhydrous and hydrous conditions. Several important applications of laboratory-based melt conductivity are introduced in order to understand the origin of high-conductivity anomalies in the Earth's mantle. Perspectives for future studies are also provided.

Effectiveness of Preoperative Embolization in Patients with Spinal Metastases: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Debate on the effectiveness of preoperative embolization for spinal metastatic lesions, especially for nonhypervascular tumors, has persisted. The present study aimed to identify the effectiveness of preoperative embolization in patients who had undergone surgery for spinal metastasis. METHODS: Two of us (Z.T. and Z.H.) independently searched the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases to identify eligible clinical studies that had compared the outcomes of patients treated surgically for spinal metastatic disease with or without preoperative embolization. The primary outcomes included intraoperative blood loss, perioperative blood loss, and transfusion requirements. The secondary outcomes include the operative time, overall survival, and complication rates. Meta-analyses were performed for subgroups of hypervascular, nonhypervascular, and mixed tumors. A fixed effects model was applied when I2 was <50%, and a random effects model was applied when I2 was >50%. RESULTS: A total of 12 studies (1 randomized controlled trial and 11 retrospective case-control studies), with 744 patients, were included. Significantly less intraoperative blood loss (mean difference [MD], -1171.49 mL; 95% confidence interval [CI], -2283.10 to -59.88; P = 0.039), fewer blood transfusions (MD, -3.13 U; 95% CI, -4.86 to -1.39; P < 0.001), and shorter operative times (MD, -33.91 minutes; 95% CI, -59.65 to -8.17; P = 0.010) were identified for the embolization group in the hypervascular subgroup. In the nonhypervascular and mixed tumor subgroups, no differences in effectiveness were identified in blood loss, transfusion requirement, or operative time when stratified by the use of embolization. The overall survival and complication rates were similar between the embolization and nonembolization groups in each subgroup. CONCLUSIONS: The current data support the use of preoperative embolization for hypervascular metastatic tumors to the spine. However, little evidence is available to support the use of preoperative embolization for nonhypervascular metastatic tumors to the spine.

Differential diagnosis of breast cancer assisted by S-Detect artificial intelligence system.

Objective Traditional breast ultrasound relies too much on the operation skills of diagnostic doctors, and the repeatability in different doctors was low. This study aimed to evaluate the assistant diagnostic value of S-Detect artificial intelligence (AI) system in differentiating benign from malignant breast masses. Methods The ultrasound images of 40 patients who underwent ultrasound examination in our hospital were collected. The conventional ultrasound images, elastic images, and S-Detect mode of breast lesions were analyzed. The breast imaging reporting and data system recommended by the American Society of Radiology (BI-RADS) classification for each breast mass was evaluated both by the doctor and AI. The receiver operator characteristics (ROC) curves were drawn to compare the diagnostic efficiency. Result Among the 40 lesions, 16 were benign, and 24 were malignant. The S-Detect AI system had a high diagnostic efficiency for malignant mass, with sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 95.8%, 93.8%, and 89.6%. The accuracy of AI was higher than the elastic image and then than the conventional gray-scale image. With the assistance of the S-Detect AI system, the accuracy of BI-RADS classification was improved significantly. Conclusion The S-Detect AI system will enhance breast cancer diagnostic accuracy and improve ultrasound examination quality.