[Effects of gelatin methacrylate anhydride hydrogel loaded with small extracellular vesicles derived from human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells in the treatment of full-thickness skin defect wounds in mice].

Objective: To investigate the effects of gelatin methacrylate anhydride (GelMA) hydrogel loaded with small extracellular vesicles derived from human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUCMSCs-sEVs) in the treatment of full-thickness skin defect wounds in mice. Methods: This study was an experimental study. hUCMSCs-sEVs were extracted by ultracentrifugation, their morphology was observed through transmission electron microscope, and the expression of CD9, CD63, tumor susceptibility gene 101 (TSG101), and calnexin was detected by Western blotting. The human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), the 3rd and 4th passages of human epidermal keratinocytes (HEKs) and human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs) were all divided into blank control group (routinely cultured) and hUCMSC-sEV group (cultured with the cell supernatant containing hUCMSCs-sEVs). The cell scratch test was performed and the cell migration rates at 6, 12, and 24 h after scratching were calculated, the cell Transwell assay was performed and the number of migration cells at 12 h after culture was calculated, and the proportion of proliferating cells was detected by 5-acetylidene-2'-deoxyuridine and Hoechst staining at 24 h after culture, with sample numbers being all 3. The simple GelMA hydrogel and the GelMA hydrogel loaded with hUCMSCs-sEVs (hereinafter referred to as hUCMSC-sEV/GelMA hydrogel) were prepared. Then the micromorphology of 2 kinds of hydrogels was observed under scanning electron microscope, the distribution of hUCMSCs-sEVs was observed by laser scanning confocal microscope, and the cumulative release rates of hUCMSCs-sEVs at 0 (immediately), 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 d after soaking hUCMSC-sEV/GelMA hydrogel in phosphate buffer solution (PBS) were measured and calculated by protein colorimetric quantification (n=3). Twenty-four 6-week-old male C57BL/6J mice were divided into PBS group, hUCMSC-sEV alone group, GelMA hydrogel alone group, and hUCMSC-sEV/GelMA hydrogel group according to the random number table, with 6 mice in each group, and after the full-thickness skin defect wounds on the back of mice in each group were produced, the wounds were performed with PBS injection, hUCMSC-sEV suspenson injection, simple GelMA coverage, and hUCMSC-sEV/GelMA hydrogel coverage, respectively. Wound healing was observed on post injury day (PID) 0 (immediately), 4, 8, and 12, and the wound healing rates on PID 4, 8, and 12 were calculated, and the wound tissue was collected on PID 12 for hematoxylin-eosin staining to observe the structure of new tissue, with sample numbers being both 6. Results: The extracted hUCMSCs-sEVs showed a cup-shaped structure and expressed CD9, CD63, and TSG101, but barely expressed calnexin. At 6, 12, and 24 h after scratching, the migration rates of HEKs (with t values of 25.94, 20.98, and 20.04, respectively), HDFs (with t values of 3.18, 5.68, and 4.28, respectively), and HUVECs (with t values of 4.32, 19.33, and 4.00, respectively) in hUCMSC-sEV group were significantly higher than those in blank control group (P<0.05). At 12 h after culture, the numbers of migrated HEKs, HDFs, and HUVECs in hUCMSC-sEV group were 550±23, 235±9, and 856±35, respectively, which were significantly higher than 188±14, 97±6, and 370±32 in blank control group (with t values of 22.95, 23.13, and 17.84, respectively, P<0.05). At 24 h after culture, the proportions of proliferating cells of HEKs, HDFs, and HUVECs in hUCMSC-sEV group were significantly higher than those in blank control group (with t values of 22.00, 13.82, and 32.32, respectively, P<0.05). The inside of simple GelMA hydrogel showed a loose and porous sponge-like structure, and hUCMSCs-sEVs was not observed in it. The hUCMSC-sEV/GelMA hydrogel had the same sponge-like structure, and hUCMSCs-sEVs were uniformly distributed in clumps. The cumulative release rate curve of hUCMSCs-sEVs from hUCMSC-sEV/GelMA hydrogel tended to plateau at 2 d after soaking, and the cumulative release rate of hUCMSCs-sEVs was (59.2±1.8)% at 12 d after soaking. From PID 0 to 12, the wound areas of mice in the 4 groups gradually decreased. On PID 4, 8, and 12, the wound healing rates of mice in hUCMSC-sEV/GelMA hydrogel group were significantly higher than those in the other 3 groups (P<0.05); the wound healing rates of mice in GelMA hydrogel alone group and hUCMSC-sEV alone group were significantly higher than those in PBS group (P<0.05). On PID 8 and 12, the wound healing rates of mice in hUCMSC-sEV alone group were significantly higher than those in GelMA hydrogel alone group (P<0.05). On PID 12, the wounds of mice in hUCMSC-sEV/GelMA hydrogel group showed the best wound epithelization, loose and orderly arrangement of dermal collagen, and the least number of inflammatory cells, while the dense arrangement of dermal collagen and varying degrees of inflammatory cell infiltration were observed in the wounds of mice in the other 3 groups. Conclusions: hUCMSCs-sEVs can promote the migration and proliferation of HEKs, HDFs, and HUVECs which are related to skin wound healing, and slowly release in GelMA hydrogel. The hUCMSC-sEV/GelMA hydrogel as a wound dressing can significantly improve the healing speed of full-thickness skin defect wounds in mice.

[Strolling through the glorious years of Alveolar Surgery, bravely stepping onto the path of practice and innovation].

This article summarizes and organizes relevant publications in journals, along with a review of medical history, systematically summarizing the development process of dental alveolar surgery in China. The initial establishment phase (1935-1952) marked the starting point of Chinese Alveolar Surgery. Despite the impact of wars, it laid the foundation for subsequent research and practice. During the early development phase (1953-1966), the "Chinese Journal of Stomatology" was founded, which promoted the development of Alveolar Surgery. Research focused on tooth extraction methods and complications. Tooth Transplantation and Preprosthetic Surgery gradually began to take off. The stagnant phase (1967-1977) occurred due to the interruption of international exchanges, leading to an almost complete halt in the development of Alveolar Surgery. Entering the rapid catch-up phase (1978-1985), Alveolar Surgery scholars in China began striving to overcome the stagnation of the previous decade. While some progress was made, no significant innovative achievements emerged. In the scientific development phase (1986-2010), clinical research, basic experiments, and paper writing in modern Chinese Alveolar Surgery began to adhere to scientific standards with the rise of experimental medicine. The exploration and innovation stage (2011-2023) is the current development phase, during which Chinese Aveolar Surgery has reached its peak, making substantial progress in technology, clinical practices, and basic research, gradually reaching or even surpassing international advanced levels. Looking back at the development history in China, we can find the wisdom and hard work of the older generation of Alveolar Surgery scholars. However, contemporary challenges and issues, such as standardizing technology, promoting clinical practices, and talent cultivation, need to be addressed by present-day Alveolar Surgery professionals as they forge ahead.

Serum fibroblast growth factor-2 levels complement vital biomarkers for diagnosing heart failure.

BACKGROUND: Early diagnosis of atrial fibrillation is important as it is crucial for improving patient outcomes. Fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF2) may serve as a diagnostic biomarker for heart failure due to its ability to promote cardiac fibrosis and hypertrophy; however, the relationship between FGF2 concentration and heart failure is unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to explore whether FGF2 could aid in distinguishing patients with heart failure from healthy controls and those with dyspnea without heart failure. Additionally, to evaluate the possible correlation between serum FGF2 levels and its diagnostic parameters in patients with heart failure. METHODS: Plasma FGF2 concentration was measured in 114 patients with a complaint of dyspnea (enrolled in the study between January 2022 and August 2022). Based on heart failure diagnosis, the patients were assigned to three groups, as follows: heart failure (n = 80), non-heart-failure dyspnea (n = 34), and healthy controls (n = 36), following physical examination. Possible correlations between serum FGF2 levels and other prognostic parameters in patients with heart failure were analyzed. RESULTS: Serum FGF2 levels were higher in patients with heart failure (125.60 [88.95, 183.40] pg/mL) than in those with non-heart-failure dyspnea (65.30 [28.85, 78.95] pg/mL) and healthy controls (78.90 [60.80, 87.20] pg/mL) (p < 0.001). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis identified FGF2 concentration as a significant predictor in heart failure diagnosis, with an area under the curve of 0.8693 (p < 0.0001). Importantly, in the heart failure group, serum FGF2 concentrations correlated with key prognostic parameters for heart failure, such as reduced left ventricular ejection fraction and elevated serum levels of N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated serum FGF2 level is strongly associated with an increased risk of heart failure and could serve as a useful biomarker to complement vital diagnostic parameters for heart failure.

[Regulatory mechanisms and clinical significance of circadian disruption in intensive care unit patients].

Organisms adapt to the circadian changes in the external environment by regulating various life activity processes and establishing regular circadian cycles. A growing number of studies indicate that there is an extensive association between circadian disruption and critical illness, and circadian disruption is a pathological syndrome influencing the clinical outcome of critically ill patients. As a result of the disease itself, the ICU environment and medical interventions, critically ill patients often experience severe circadian disruption, which leads to aberrations in a wide range of physiological and behavioral functions of the organism, and finally exacerbates disease progression. In this paper, we reviewed the regulatory mechanisms of biological circadian rhythms, the causes and consequences of circadian disruption in critically ill patients, the assessment of circadian disruption, and strategies to restore circadian homeostasis to assist in the comprehensive treatment of critically ill patients.

[Characteristics of genioglossus neuromuscular activity in patients with obstructive sleep apnea during drug-induced sleep].

Objective: To analyze genioglossus (GG) activation responses to the negative pressure of upper airway cavity during awake and different sleep stages in patients with different obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) graduation. Methods: This prospective cohort study started from August 2019 to January 2021, recruited 42 male OSA patients aged from 21 to 59 (38.77±8.42) years. After completing whole night polysomnography (PSG) and upper airway CT, each subject underwent drug-induced sleep with simultaneous monitoring of genioglossal electromyography (GGEMG) and pressure of epiglottis (Pepi). Subjects were divided into three groups of mild OSA(7 males), moderate OSA(12 males), and severe OSA(23 males). The differences in upper airway CT measurements, parameters of GGEMG and Pepi during awake and induced sleep were compared. Statistical analysis was conducted by SPSS 21.0. Results: There was no significant difference in the GGEMG parameters between the mild and moderate groups. In wakefulness, the peak phasic GGEMG of the severe group was higher than the mild group (t=1.249, P=0.025), with no statistically difference in the corresponding Pepi. In the sleep onset, the GGEMG parameters and Pepi in severe group were higher than the other two groups. Linear regression analysis of the maximum GGEMG and maximum Pepi at the end of obstructive apnea (OA) in all moderate plus severe patients (n=35) was shown nonlinear correlation (r=0.28, P=0.694). The airway length of the glossopharyngeal cavity was linearly correlated with the maximum Pepi of OA (r=0.468, R2=0.219, P=0.005). Conclusions: The individual difference of GG activation in OSA patients is related to the severity of the disease (frequency of respiratory events) and negative pressure stimulation. In moderate and severe OSA patients, GG activity is not in harmony with the corresponding negative pressure stimulation, which may be one of the mechanisms leading to the aggravation of OSA.

[Diagnosis and treatment procedures and health management for patients with hereditary angioedema].

As a recognized rare and highly fatal disease, hereditary angioedema (HAE) is difficult to diagnose and characterized by recurrent edema involving the head, limbs, genitals and larynx, etc. Diagnosis of HAE is not difficult. However, low incidence and lack of clinical characteristics lead to difficulty of doctors on timely diagnosis and correct intervention for HAE patients. Therefore, it is crucial to improve the awareness of this disease and prevent its recurrence. for HAE patients. In view of absent cognition of doctors and the general public on HAE, patients often suffer from sudden death or become disabled due to laryngeal edema which cannot be treated in time. Thus, based on the Internet mobile terminal platform, the team set up an all-day rapid emergency response system which is provided for HAE patients by setting up "one-click help". The aim is to offer optimization on overall management of HAE and designed the intelligent follow-up management to provide timely assistance and specialized suggestion for patients with acute attacks.

[A comparative study for the efficacies of transaxillary non-inflatable endoscopic surgery versus traditional surgery for papillary thyroid carcinoma].

Objective: To compare the efficacies between open surgery and axillary non-inflatable endoscopic surgery in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on 343 patients with unilateral PTC treated by traditional open surgery (201 cases) and transaxillary non-inflating endoscopic surgery (142 cases) from May 2019 to December 2021 in the Head and Neck Surgery of Sichuan Cancer Hospital. Among them, 97 were males and 246 were females, aged 20-69 years. 1∶1 propensity score matching (PSM) was performed on the enrolled patients, and the basic characteristics, perioperative clinical outcomes, postoperative complications, postoperative quality of life (Thyroid Cancer-Specific Quality of Life), aesthetic satisfaction and other aspects of the two groups were compared after successful matching. SPSS 26.0 software was used for statistical analysis. Results: A total of 190 patients were enrolled after PSM, with 95 cases in open group and 95 cases in endoscopic group. Intraoperative blood losses for endoscopic and open groups were [20 (20) ml vs. 20 (10) ml, M (IQR), Z=-2.22], postoperative drainage volumes [170 (70)ml vs. 101 (55)ml, Z=-7.91], operative time [135 (35)min vs. 95 (35)min, Z=-7.34], hospitalization cost [(28 188.7±2 765.1)yuan vs. (25 643.5±2 610.7)yuan, x¯±s, t=0.73], postoperative hospitalization time [(3.1±0.9)days vs. (2.6±0.9)days, t=-3.24], and drainage tube placement time [(2.5±0.8) days vs. (2.0±1.0)days, t=-4.16], with statistically significant differrences (all P<0.05). There was no significant difference in surgical complications (P>0.05). There were significant diffferences between two groups in the postoperative quality of life scores in neuromuscular, psychological, scar and cold sensation (all P<0.05), while there were no statistically significant differences in other quality of life scores (all P>0.05). In terms of aesthetic satisfaction 6 months after surgery, the endoscopic group was better than the open group, with statistically significant difference (χ2=41.47, P<0.05). Conclusion: Endoscopic thyroidectomy by a gasless unilateral axillary approach is a safe and reliable surgical method, which has remarkable cosmetic effect and can improve the postoperative quality of life of patients compared with the traditional thyroidectomy.

[Preliminary insights into the practice of hypoallergenic home visiting program].

Allergic diseases affect about 40% of the world's population. Environmental factors are important in the occurrence and development of allergic diseases. Dust mites are one of the most important allergens in the indoor environment. The World Health Organization proposes the "four-in-one, combination of prevention and treatment" treatment principle for allergic diseases, in which environmental control to avoid or reduce allergens is the first choice for treatment. Modern people spend much more time at home (including sleeping) than outdoors, and the control of the home environment is particularly critical. This practice introduces the hypoallergenic home visit program, which including home environment assessment, environmental and behavioral intervention guidance, and common household hypoallergenic supplies and service guidance for the patient's home environment. The real-time semi-quantitative testing of dust mite allergens, qualitative assessments of other indoor allergens, record of patients' household items and lifestyle, and precise, individualized patient prevention and control education will be conducted. The hypoallergenic home visit program improves the doctors' diagnosis and treatment data dimension, and becomes a patient management tool for doctors outside the hospital. It also helps patients continue to scientifically avoid allergens and irritants in the environment, effectively build a hypoallergenic home environment, reduce exposure to allergens in the home environment, and achieve the goal of combining the prevention and treatment of allergic diseases.

[Clinical application effect of sequential nursing on the management of new skin on face and neck after deep burns].

Objective: To explore the clinical application effect of sequential nursing on the management of new skin on face and neck after deep burns. Methods: The retrospective case-control research approach was used. From January to December 2019, 109 patients who met the inclusion criteria were admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Army Medical University (the Third Military Medical University) within 1 week after deep burn wound healing on the face and neck. Fifty-five patients who were admitted to the hospital from January to June and received comprehensive treatment and conventional nursing were included in conventional nursing group (27 males and 28 females, aged 21-65 (40±17) years), and fifty-four patients who were admitted to the hospital from July to December and received comprehensive treatment and sequential nursing were included in sequential nursing group (29 males and 25 females, aged 18-57 (37±11) years). The scores of pigmentation, vascularity, pliability, and thickness in Vancouver scar scale (VSS), the total score of VSS, the score of itch's impact on sleep in the four-item itch questionnaire (FIIQ), and the total score of FIIQ of patients were counted in the two groups before the first treatment (hereinafter referred to as treatment) and 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year after treatment. The treatment effective rate and the score of patients' satisfaction with the treatment effect in one year after treatment and the occurrence of adverse reaction during the treatment were counted. Data were statistically analyzed with independent sample t test, Mann-Whitney U test, and chi-square test. Results: The scores of pigmentation, vascularity, pliability, and thickness in VSS and the total VSS score of patients between the two groups before treatment were close (P>0.05). The pliability score in VSS and total VSS score after 3 months of treatment, the score of vascularity in VSS and total VSS score after 6 months of treatment, and the scores of pigmentation, vascularity, pliability, and thickness in VSS and total VSS score of patients after 1 year of treatment in sequential nursing group were significantly lower than those in conventional nursing group (with Z values of -2.51, -3.37, -2.05, -3.28, -3.12, -5.86, -4.63, -5.56, -6.76, respectively, P<0.05 or P<0.01). The score of itch's impact on sleep in FIIQ after 3 months of treatment of patients in sequential nursing group was significantly lower than that in conventional nursing group (Z=-4.17, P<0.01), and the total scores of FIIQ after 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year of treatment of patients in sequential nursing group were significantly lower than those in conventional nursing group (with Z values of -6.56, -5.53, -5.84, respectively, P<0.01). After 1 year of treatment, the treatment effective rate of patients in sequential nursing group was 96.3% (52/54), which was significantly higher than 81.8% (45/55) in conventional nursing group (χ2=5.83, P<0.05), and the score of patients' satisfaction with the treatment effect in sequential nursing group was significantly higher than that in conventional nursing group (Z=-4.49, P<0.01). During the treatment period, there was no adverse reaction in patients in sequential nursing group, but there were 3 patients with pruritus and peripheral erythema on the wound in conventional nursing group, which were improved after dressing changes. Conclusions: Sequential nursing can effectively improve the prevention and management of new skin scars in patients after deep burns on the face and neck, improve the itching, the efficiency of treatment, and the satisfaction of patients with the treatment effect.

[Clinical features and prognoses of re-operated patients for persistent/recurrent papillary thyroid carcinoma].

Objective: To investigate the clinicopathological characteristics and the survival of re-operated patients for persistent/recurrent papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and risk factors for re-recurrence after the second operation. Method: A retrospective analysis of 69 cases underwent re-operation for persistent/recurrent PTC in Sichuan Cancer Hospital from January 2010 to December 2016 was performed. There were 21 males and 48 females, aged 14-85 (44.8) years old. According to the imaging after initial treatment, they were divided into a recurrence group (42 cases) and a persistent disease/residual group (27 cases). The positive rates of ipsilateral paratracheal lymph node metastases at re-operation were calculated and compared by chi-square test. Patients were divided into different subgroups according to potential risk factors for re-recurrence. Kaplan-Meier (K-M) method was used for survival analysis. Results: The positive rate of ipsilateral paratracheal lymph node metastasis in recurrence group (15/42, 35.7%) was significantly lower than that in the persistent disease/residual group (17/27, 63.0%) (χ2=4.91, P<0.05). The follow-up period after re-operation was 60-104 months, with a median of 66 months, and 8 patients were lost to follow-up. Permanent hypoparathyroidism occurred in 2 cases (2.9%) and permanent recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy in 1 case (1.4%). Twenty patients had structural recurrences and/or distant metastases. The 5-year disease-specific survival rate was 92.8% and the 5-year recurrence-free survival rate was 68.1%. Survival analysis was performed on risk factors such as age≥55 years old, recurrent tumor diameter ≥4 cm, number of positive lymph nodes ≥ 10, and obvious extracapsular invasion (ENE). Among them, age and diameter of recurrent tumor had significant influences on recurrence-free survival rate (χ2 was 6.36, 8.17, respectively, both P values<0.05). There was a statistically significant difference in recurrence-free survival rates between ENE(+) group and ENE(-) group (χ2=5.52, P<0.05). Conclusion: For the re-operated patients due to persistence/ recurrence PTC, attention should be paid to protecting the parathyroid gland and recurrent laryngeal nerve during re-operation. Timely and effective postoperative follow-up for patients aged ≥ 55 years, with recurrent tumor diameter ≥ 4 cm and ENE(+), can significantly improve their prognoses.

Global prevalence of metabolic syndrome in patients with psoriasis in the past two decades: current evidence.

Patients with psoriasis are at an increased risk of metabolic syndrome (MetS); however, a systematic analysis of its global prevalence has not been performed to date. Here, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the prevalence of MetS among patients with psoriasis. We searched five databases from inception through September 2021 and used the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) tools to assess observational study quality. Stata SE 15.1 was used to perform the data analysis. Subgroup, meta-regression and sensitivity analyses were used to evaluate interstudy heterogeneity. Publication bias was evaluated using Egger's and Begg's linear tests. The global prevalence of MetS in patients with psoriasis was 32% (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.26-0.38). The prevalence in adults was 32% (95% CI, 0.29-0.36), while that in children and adolescents was 9% (95% CI, 0.00-0.18). Latin America had the highest prevalence of 47% (95% CI, 0.43-0.51), whereas North America had the lowest prevalence of 26% (95% CI, 0.16-0.37). Patients with psoriasis vulgaris (29%; 95% CI, 0.23-0.35) or severe psoriasis (37%; 95% CI, 0.27-0.46) had a higher prevalence of MetS than those with other psoriasis types. These findings suggest that MetS should be appropriately recognized and managed in patients with psoriasis. More population-based prospective observational studies are required to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the coexistence of MetS in patients with psoriasis.

[Comparison of three kinds of free flaps used in patients with oral and oropharyngeal tumors].

Objective: To compare the recovery and quality of life of patients with oral and oropharyngeal tumors treated with three kinds of free soft tissue flaps. Methods: The clinical data of 103 patients, including 66 males and 37 females, aged 26-74 years, who underwent primary repair of defects after resection of oral and oropharyngeal tumors in Sichuan Tumor Hospital from July 2014 to August 2020 were analyzed. Anterolateral thigh flap (ALTF) was used in 43 patients, radial forearm free flap (RFFF) in 45 patients, and lateral arm free flap (LAFF) in 15 patients. Postoperative qualities of life of patients were evaluated by the university of Washington quality of life questionnaire and oral health impact scale (HIP-14 Chinese edition). SPSS 23.0 software was used for statistical analysis. Results: The T staging of RFFF or LAFF group was significantly lower than that of ALTF group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in mean flap areas between ALTF group ((55.87±27.38) cm2) and LAFF group ((49.93±19.44) cm2), while RFFF group had smaller mean flap area ((33.18±6.05) cm2) than ALTF group (t=5.311, P<0.001) and LAFF group (t=3.284, P=0.005). In terms of oral functions including swallowing, mastication, taste and spitmouth, there were no significant differences between LAFF group and RFFF group (P>0.05), but both groups had better oral functions than ALTF group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in appearance scores between LAFF group (75(75, 75)) and ALTF group (75(75,75) vs.75(75,75),Z=-1.532, P=0.126), and both groups had higher scores than RFFF group (50(50, 75),Z values were -3.447 and -3.005 respectively, P<0.05). RFFF group had higher speech score (100(67, 100)) than LAFF group (67(50, 76),Z=-2.480, P<0.05) and ALTF group (67(33, 67),Z=-5.414, P<0.05). ALTF group had lower mean score of quality of life than RFFF group [72(56,77) vs.79(69, 89),Z=-3.070, P<0.05), but there was no statistical difference in the mean scores of qualities of life between ALTF group and LAFF group (Z=1.754, P=0.079). According to the evaluation of oral health impact scale (HIP-14 Chinese version) 1 year after surgery, individual item scores and the average score of all items in ALTF group were lower than those in RFFF and LAFF groups (P<0.05), with no significant difference between RFFF group and LAFF group (P>0.05). Conclusions: RFFF has unique advantages for small tissue defects, while ALTF is suitable for large tissue defects, such as buccal penetrating defect, whole tongue and near whole tongue defect, and LAFF is a compromise choice between ALTF and RFFF. ALTF is inferior to RFFF and LAFF in oral functional reconstruction, including swallowing, chewing, taste and spittle. ALTF and LAFF are superior to RFFF in postoperative appearance.

The Relationship between Body Mass Index and Incident Diabetes Mellitus in Chinese Aged Population: A Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVES: Previous studies reported that overweight older adults had a lower mortality after cardiovascular diseases attack, indicating being thinner might not always be better. However, there is an ongoing debate about what is the optimal range of body mass index (BMI) for the aged population. We aimed to evaluate the value of BMI for the prediction of incident diabetes mellitus (DM) in the Chinese elderly population. METHODS: A total number of 6,911 Chinese elderly people (4,110 men and 2,801 women, aged 71 ± 6.0 years) were included in this cohort study. BMI was measured at baseline (Jan 1, 2014, to Dec 31, 2014). All the participants were further classified into six groups: <18.5 kg/m2, 18.5 to <22.5 kg/m2, 22.5 to <25.0 kg/m2, 25.0 to <27.5 kg/m2, 27.5 to <30.0 kg/m2, and ≥30.0 kg/m2. Fasting blood glucose (FBG) and glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) were annually measured during follow-up (Jan 1, 2015-May 31, 2019). DM was confirmed if either FBG ≥ 7.0 mmol/L or HbA1c ≥ 6.5%. We used the Cox proportional hazard regression model to evaluate the association between BMI and the prediction of incident DM. RESULTS: Comparing individuals with a BMI range of 18.5 to <22.5 kg/m2 (reference), the hazard ratio for incident DM was 2.13 (95% CI: 1.54~2.95), 2.14 (95% CI: 1.53~3.00), 3.17 (95% CI: 2.19~4.59), 3.15 (95% CI: 1.94~5.09), and 3.14 (95% CI: 1.94~5.09) for the group with a BMI range of 22.5 to <25.0 kg/m2, 25.0 to <27.5 kg/m2, 27.5 to <30.0 kg/m2, and ≥30.0 kg/m2 after adjusting for baseline age, sex, blood pressure, lipid profiles, and eGFR (P trend < 0.001), after adjusting for the abovementioned confounders. The association tended to be closer in men and young participants, compared with their counterparts. CONCLUSIONS: High BMI was associated with a high risk of developing DM in the Chinese aged population. Thus, it is optimal for the aged population to maintain their body weight within a reasonable range to prevent chronic diseases.

[Posterior sternocleidomastoid border approach of gasless transaxillary endoscopic thyroidectomy in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma: comparison with sternocleidomastoid fascia approach].

Objective: To examine the posterior sternocleidomastoid border approach which elevated whole sternocleidomastoid in gasless transaxillary endoscopic thyroidectomy. Methods: The clinical data of 46 patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma treated with gasless transaxillary endoscopic thyroidectomy from May 2019 to June 2020 at Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Sichuan Cancer Hospital was analyzed retrospectively. There were 9 males and 37 females, aged (38.6±12.0) years (range: 19 to 74 years). Fourteen and 32 cases performed posterior sternocleidomastoid border and sternocleidomastoid fascia approach, respectively. Comparative analysis were performed on clinical characters, surgical outcomes, postoperative complications, postoperative pain score, and quality-of-life of postoperative 1 month by t test, Wilcoxon rank sum test, Fisher exact test and χ2 test,respectively. Resuts Complete exposure of central compartment was higher (11/14 vs. 34.4%(11/32),χ²=7.624, P=0.006), more lymph nodes was retrieved (4.2±2.9 vs. 2.0±2.5, t=2.663, P=0.011) in posterior sternocleidomastoid border approach. There were no significant differences between groups in postoperative complications such as recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy (1/14 vs. 3.1%(1/32), P=0.521) and transient hypoparathyroidism (0 vs. 6.2%(2/32), P=1) and pains and quality-of-life. Conclusion: Posterior sternocleidomastoid border approach of gasless transaxillary endoscopic thyroidectomy is safe and reliable and has the advantage of central compartment dissection without increasing trauma.

[Molecular mechanism of zoledronic acid inhibiting angiogenesis by semi flexible binding with vascular endothelial growth factor conformation].

Objective: To study the relationship between zoledronic acid (ZOL) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) conformation so as to reveal the mechanism of bisphosphonates inhibiting angiogenesis. Methods: The binding structures of ZOL and VEGF were preprocessed and the molecular dockings were simulated through AutoDockTools, Discovery studio4 and AutoDockVina. The best binding conformation was accurately screened. The effects of various concentrations of ZOL (group A was 0 µmol/L, groups B, C and D were 25, 50 and 100 µmol/L, respectively) on human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) proliferation, angiogenesis and angiogenic molecules were detected by using cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) in vivo and in vitro angiogenesis, immunofluorescence and Western blotting. Results: There was a ZOL binding site on the target protein VEGF conformation. The affinity was -5.2 kcal/mol. This binding site consisted of the hydrophobic region composed of amino acids Cys26, 51, 57, etc. and the hydrogen bond binding region of the A chain (ASP34, SER50) and B chain (CYS61, 68, LEU66, GLY59). The results of CCK-8 showed that the levels of value A in groups B, C and D were significantly lower than that in group A at each time point from 3 to 6 days (P<0.05). In vitro vascular experiments demonstrated that the numbers of budding in groups B, C and D [(208±28), (151±21) and (62±9), respectively] were significantly lower than that in group A (276±30) (P<0.05). In vivo vascular experiments displayed that the ratio of Matrigel gel/plasma fluorescence in group A (0.003 1±0.000 3) was significantly higher than those in group B (0.002 1±0.000 2), group C (0.001 6±0.000 2) and group D (0.000 6±0.000 1) (P<0.05). The results of Western blotting revealed that the expression of VEGF in groups B, C and D [(0.72±0.11), (0.41±0.07) and (0.24±0.04), respectively] were significantly lower than that in group A (1.01±0.02) (P<0.05), and the expression levels of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) in groups B, C and D [(0.68±0.09), (0.55±0.06) and (0.43±0.08), respectively] were significantly lower than that in group A (0.96±0.04) (P<0.05). Conclusions: ZOL could inhibit cell proliferation, in vivo and in vitro vascularization and expression of VEGF/HIF-1α. The binding site of ZOL with the conformation of VEGF was located in the hydrophobic region and hydrogen-bonding region of amino acids. Designing an antagonist targeting this site might potentially alleviate the effect of ZOL in inhibiting angiogenesis.

Non-invasive evaluation of the common carotid artery in normal adults using ultrasound radiofrequency data technology.

AIM: To evaluate the changes in CCA-IMT and vascular elasticity in healthy subjects in relation to age using radiofrequency data technology, to produce reference values for potential clinical applications. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The following variables were measured in 160 subjects using radiofrequency data techniques: CCA-IMT, carotid distensibility (CD), local pulse-wave velocity (PWVß), and stiffness (ß). The subjects were divided into four age groups (30-39, 40-49, 50-59, and 60-69 years), with 20 men and 20 women in each group. The above parameters were compared among the different age groups. RESULTS: CCA-IMT increased significantly with age (p<0.05). CD decreased significantly in the 40-49-years compared with the 30-39-years age group (p<0.05). PWVß showed a significant increase in the 30-39-, 40-49-, and 50-59-years age groups (p<0.05). ß increased significantly in the 50-59- compared with the 40-49-years age group (p<0.05). Compared with the 50-59-years age group, CD, PWVß, and ß showed no significant changes in the 60-69-years age group (p>0.05), with mean values of 329.39 ± 102.06 µm, 7.22 ± 1.91 m/s, and 10.04 ± 4.91, respectively. CONCLUSION: Ultrasound radiofrequency data technology provides a non-invasive method for quantitatively and accurately assessing increased CCA-IMT and reduced vascular elasticity in healthy subjects in different age groups. The reference values produced in this study will be useful in clinical practice.