Efficacy of oblique lumbar interbody fusion versus transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion in the treatment of lumbar degenerative diseases: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: This meta-analysis aimed to compare the differences in postoperative efficacy between oblique lumbar interbody fusion (OLIF) and transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) in the treatment of lumbar degenerative diseases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Strictly based on the search strategy, we searched the published papers on OLIF and TLIF for the treatment of lumbar degenerative diseases in PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, and Cochrane Library. A total of 607 related papers were retrieved, and 15 articles were finally included. The quality of the papers was evaluated according to the Cochrane systematic review methodology, and the data were extracted and meta-analyzed using Review manager 5.4 software. RESULTS: Through comparison, it was found that in the treatment of lumbar degenerative diseases, the OLIF group had certain advantages over the TLIF group in terms of intraoperative blood loss, hospital stay, visual analog scale (VAS) for leg pain (VAS-LP), Oswestry disability index (ODI), disc height (DH), foraminal height (FH), fused segmental lordosis (FSL), and cage height, and the differences were statistically significant. The results were similar in terms of surgery time, complications, fusion rate, VAS for back pain (VAS-BP) and various sagittal imaging indicators, and there was no significant difference. CONCLUSIONS: OLIF and TLIF can relieve low back pain symptoms in the treatment of lumbar degenerative diseases, but OLIF has certain advantages in terms of ODI and VAS-LP. In addition, OLIF has the advantages of minor intraoperative trauma and quick postoperative recovery.

Proximal femoral nail antirotation versus InterTan nail for the treatment of intertrochanteric fractures: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: This meta-analysis compared the efficacy and safety of Proximal Femoral Nail Antirotation (PFNA) and InterTan Nail in the treatment of intertrochanteric fractures. Given the high incidence of femoral intertrochanteric fractures in the elderly population and its impact on quality of life, choosing the most effective and safest surgical option is crucial. PFNA and InterTan are currently two commonly used techniques, but there is a lack of systematic evaluation comparing their safety and effectiveness. This study aims to fill this knowledge gap through Meta-analysis, providing clinicians with evidence-based treatment recommendations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A computer search was used to search for published literature on PFNA and InterTan in the treatment of intertrochanteric fractures in PubMed (Medline), Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library (CENTRAL), Cinahl, CBM, and CNKI.A total of 853 related literatures were retrieved, and 15 literatures were finally included. Newcastle-Ottawa-Scale and Cochrane systematic review methodologies were used to assess the quality of the literature. Meta-analysis was performed using Review Manager 5.4 software, following data extraction. RESULTS: The comparison found that during the surgical treatment of intertrochanteric fractures, the operation time, fluoroscopy time, and blood loss in the PFNA group were significantly shorter than those in the InterTan group, and the difference was statistically significant. In terms of postoperative complication rates, the InterTan group had a significant advantage over the PFNA group. Shaft fracture, varus collapse, cut out, screw migration, and pain of hip and thigh were the most likely to occur in the PFNA group, and the differences were all statistically significant. In terms of postoperative efficacy, the results of the PFNA group and the InterTan group were comparable, and there was no significant differences. CONCLUSIONS: When selecting surgical techniques for the treatment of femoral intertrochanteric fractures, it is necessary to conduct individualized assessments based on the patient's overall health status, surgical tolerance, and post-operative recovery needs. For patients who cannot tolerate long-term surgery or are in poor physical condition, PFNA may be more appropriate. While for patients who can tolerate long-term surgery or have more complex conditions, InterTan may be more suitable.

Correlation between vascular endothelial growth factor A gene polymorphisms and tendon and ligament injury risk: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Relevant evidence suggests that angiogenic factors contribute significantly to fibril matrix reconstruction following physical injuries to tendon ligaments. Vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA), with its potent angiogenic effect, has been studied extensively, and its functional polymorphisms, including rs699947, rs1570360, and rs2010963, have been the focus of numerous investigations. Some scholars have explored the association between gene polymorphisms in the VEGFA and the risk of tendon ligament injury, but the findings are not entirely consistent. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between rs699947, rs1570360, and rs2010963 gene polymorphisms in VEGFA and the risk of tendon and ligament injuries. METHODS: After including articles about the association of VEGFA rs699947, rs1570360, and rs2010963 polymorphisms with tendon and ligament injuries according to the search strategy, we assessed their quality and conducted meta-analyses to examine the link between these polymorphisms and the risk of tendon and ligament injuries using odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS: Of 86 related articles, six were included in the meta-analysis. Some of these suggest an association between VEGFA rs2010963 and the risk of tendon and ligament injury in the population, with the specific C allele being one of the adverse factors for knee injury. Some studies suggest that VEGFA rs699947 and VEGFA rs1570360 single-nucleotide polymorphisms are associated with anterior cruciate ligament rupture. The risk of non-contact anterior cruciate ligament rupture is nearly doubled in individuals with the rs699947 CC genotype compared to the control group. Our analysis did not find any significant relationship between VEGFA gene polymorphisms (rs699947, rs1570360, and rs2010963) and the chance of tendon and ligament injury without consideration of race. However, the European population reveals that the CC genotype of VEGFA rs699947 can result in a greater risk of tendon and ligament injury, whereas the AG genotype for rs1570360 provides some protection. Additionally, rs2010963 was significantly associated with tendon and ligament injury; individuals with the C allele and the CC genotype had higher risk. False-positive report probability confirmed the high credibility of our results. CONCLUSION: Overall, this study found no significant association between VEGFA rs699947, rs1570360, and rs2010963 polymorphisms and the risk of tendon ligament injury. However, in subgroup analysis, some genotypes of VEGFA rs699947, rs1570360, and rs2010963 were found to increase the risk of tendon ligament injury in European populations.

Analysis of common differential gene expression in synovial cells of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To elucidate potential molecular mechanisms differentiating osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) through a bioinformatics analysis of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in patient synovial cells, aiming to provide new insights for clinical treatment strategies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Gene expression datasets GSE1919, GSE82107, and GSE77298 were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database to serve as the training groups, with GSE55235 being used as the validation dataset. The OA and RA data from the GSE1919 dataset were merged with the standardized data from GSE82107 and GSE77298, followed by batch effect removal to obtain the merged datasets of differential expressed genes (DEGs) for OA and RA. Intersection analysis was conducted on the DEGs between the two conditions to identify commonly upregulated and downregulated DEGs. Enrichment analysis was then performed on these common co-expressed DEGs, and a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed to identify hub genes. These hub genes were further analyzed using the GENEMANIA online platform and subjected to enrichment analysis. Subsequent validation analysis was conducted using the GSE55235 dataset. RESULTS: The analysis of differentially expressed genes in the synovial cells from patients with Osteoarthritis (OA) and Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), compared to a control group (individuals without OA or RA), revealed significant changes in gene expression patterns. Specifically, the genes APOD, FASN, and SCD were observed to have lower expression levels in the synovial cells of both OA and RA patients, indicating downregulation within the pathological context of these diseases. In contrast, the SDC1 gene was found to be upregulated, displaying higher expression levels in the synovial cells of OA and RA patients compared to normal controls.Additionally, a noteworthy observation was the downregulation of the transcription factor PPARG in the synovial cells of patients with OA and RA. The decrease in expression levels of PPARG further validates the alteration in lipid metabolism and inflammatory processes associated with the pathogenesis of OA and RA. These findings underscore the significance of these genes and the transcription factor not only as biomarkers for differential diagnosis between OA and RA but also as potential targets for therapeutic interventions aimed at modulating their expression to counteract disease progression. CONCLUSION: The outcomes of this investigation reveal the existence of potentially shared molecular mechanisms within Osteoarthritis (OA) and Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). The identification of APOD, FASN, SDC1, TNFSF11 as key target genes, along with their downstream transcription factor PPARG, highlights common potential factors implicated in both diseases. A deeper examination and exploration of these findings could pave the way for new candidate targets and directions in therapeutic research aimed at treating both OA and RA. This study underscores the significance of leveraging bioinformatics approaches to unravel complex disease mechanisms, offering a promising avenue for the development of more effective and targeted treatments.

How does fintech affect bank efficiency in Taiwan?

This study investigates the impact of financial technology (fintech) on bank efficiency in Taiwan from 2007 to 2020, using parametric and non-parametric analyses. In the future, fintech is expected to play an important role in bank sustainability operations. The findings show that fintech-related initiatives affect bank efficiency. These results illustrate how fintech can help banks directly or indirectly improve their efficiency, leading to higher profits or lower costs. For instance, mobile payment systems, a fintech-related initiative, improve bank efficiency. However, this degree of improvement is not substantial. In general, the findings imply that fintech-related initiatives do not significantly improve bank efficiency, implying an IT "productivity paradox."